Welcome to the best place to learn about S.T.E.M.!! Our Career and Technical Education Department challenges our students with experiences that focus on:

S-Science
T-Technology
E-Engineering
M-Math

This department consists of ...

• Keyboarding for 6th Graders

• Family and Consumer Science for 7th and 8th Graders

• Technology and Engineering Education for 7th and 8th Graders

• Technology of Robotic Design for 8th Graders (1 HS credit course)

CTE Re-teaching & Reassessing Policy

Unit tests and/or safety tests with scores of less that 70% may be repeated to acquire better mastery of the content.

The Family and Consumer Science 7 program places emphasis on improving self-esteem, sharpening communiation and social skills, increasing academic achievement and becoming oriented to the world of work.  Throughout the semester students will explore various career opportunities and complete an Acedemic Career Plan.  The course teaches students to apply critical thinking skills through real life activities relating to Food preparation, Nutrition, Human Development, Clothing Care, Entrepreneurship and Child Development.

The Family and Consumer Science 8 program is a continuation of the FACS 7 program diving deeper into those skills and concepts.  The eighth grade program is based on teacher-generated lessons using a variety of technological and hands-on experiences emphasizing food preparation, nutrition and wellness, child care and development, personal and family development, career research, budgeting, clothing construction and care, and consumerism.  Some of the fun projects the students create are individually designed Ginger Bread Houses, Day care similation, Egg Babies, Thanksgiving Feast, Resturaunt project and Maintaining housing costs on a specific budget. 

Technology and Engineering Education is a middle school subject that enables students to become technologically literate.  Going far beyond basic computer knowledge into a whole range of technological systems and ideas, Technology and Engineering Education incorporates and complements science, mathematics, and other disciplines. We are the GO TO PLACE for S.T.E.M. education. Our program provides challenging real world experiences that incorporate the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

Students in 7th grade participate in the exploratory Technology and Engineering Education program PLTW.  After an orientation period students select from various technology PLTW units that they would like explore.  This program is hands on and gives the students the opportunity to experience how the application of old, new, and emerging technologies affect their everyday lives.  

Technology exploration is the emphasis for the 8th grade program.  Students use a networked lab, which is designed to provide active learning situations and higher-order thinking- skill development involving the systematic study and the application of knowledge, creativity, and resources to solve problems.  Project Based Learning Units provide hands on skills using 3d printers, and assorted handtools and powertools.

During the month of August 2004, Eagle Ridge Middle School’s Technology and Engineering Education department was awarded the “Middle School Program of the Year for Technology and Engineering Education in Virginia” by the Virginia Technology Engineering Education Association.  This outstanding award recognizes Technology and Engineering Education programs that have displayed distinguished programs that meet the needs of all the learners.  Furthermore, during the month of March 2005, ERMS Technology and Engineering Education department was awarded the “Program of Excellence Award” in Kansas City, MO at the International Technology Education Association conference.  Our Technology Education Program was recognized as one of less than 35 programs worldwide to earn the prestigious “Program Excellence award”.   The Program Excellence award is one of the highest honors given to Technology Education classroom teacher’s worldwide.