Three families told the School Committee they worry science instruction becomes limited after fifth grade and encourage expanded opportunities for middle school students.
Jun 04, 2026
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware.
BAR HARBOR—How the Conners Emerson School brings STEAM and science learning to its students after fifth grade is a concern for some Bar Harbor parents, School Committee members learned earlier this week.
Parent Maximiliano Presa and others worry about the time dedicated to teaching science in the school.
“We think it’s important for kids to have a teaching of science, STEM in particular,” he told committee members.
He worried that after the fantastic science education that occurs in fifth grade, science learning gets lost and a bit more compromised.
“This is a very concerning thing,” Presa said.
STEAM stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics.”
The theory is that these subjects are places where students can be guided toward inquiry, critical thinking, and dialogue. They are access points to greater learning.
The school hosts a STEAM night each year and has a science-focused Olympiad team that has consistently places well in state competitions. The team was the state runners-up this past year.
In fifth and sixth grade the school used to have one semester of social studies and one of science in each year. That schedule shifted because switching at midyear often broke up the learning units. So, two years ago, they decided to shift that a bit, Conners Emerson Principal Dr. Heather Weir Webster said, June 4. Science became a dedicated focus in fifth grade.
Now, they are hoping to dive deeply into the data and see if the students are having a more quality experience throughout. Or, things could shift again.
“We also supplement with specials,” Dr. Webster said of how students interact with STEAM subjects.
For example, “Unplugged” in seventh and eighth grade focuses on engineering and technology.
“We do have a lot of other things that aren’t within the science curriculum,” she said.
They are, however, science-related learning. The school works with the Jackson Laboratory and Chewonki at different grade levels, hosting a unit on bacteria or animal adaptations. There are other examples as well. All of that will be presented to the School Committee in August though the latest science tests—which the school uses, but doesn’t teach to—won’t be available until fall.
However, some parents are concerned about the amount of class time focused science instruction once students reach sixth grade.
“Sixth grade students currently do not receive dedicated science instruction, and students in grades 7 and 8 are engaged in science for only part of the academic year. This limited and fragmented exposure creates substantial gaps in learning at a critical stage in student development,” Presa wrote.
Dr. Webster said that she’ll be presenting on the school’s curriculum and scheduling in August.
That presentation will include how middle school science times are currently structured.
“We regularly review student data and program needs as we make decisions about curriculum, staffing, and scheduling,” Dr. Webster said in a statement to multiple press outlets.
Last year, Conners Emerson teacher Lynn Hanna led her eighth graders in a STEAM focused activity engineering and building skateboards.
This past week, Hanna brought students to the Middle School Math and Science Symposium at the MDI Biological Laboratory where middle school students presented their projects in an interactive program where they spent time with scientists at a lab and interacted with Healthy Acadia’s Andrew Simon and MDI High School science teacher Ruth Poland.
“We are fortunate to have a community with a strong science background, and we appreciate the opportunities to work with local partners to enrich student learning,” Dr. Webster said. “We also recognize the importance of providing students with a strong science education that helps prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the future. As with all decisions, we consider the needs of our students, available resources, and the overall goals of our schools to provide the best educational experience possible.”
A letter by Josh Wood, submitted as public comment to the School Committee, echoed Presa’s worries.
“A strong foundation in STEM is critical not only for academic development but also for preparing students to become the problem-solvers, innovators, and leaders of the future. In an increasingly complex and technology-driven world, early exposure to high-quality science and math instruction helps build curiosity, critical thinking, and confidence that carry forward into later education and careers,” Wood wrote.
Wood reasoned that focusing on STEM elements would help differentiate the Bar Harbor school from other schools in the region.
“I also believe there is an opportunity to think more ambitiously about how CES (Conners Emerson School) could further distinguish itself through a strengthened and continuous focus on STEM across all grade levels as a magnet school emphasizing STEM curriculum. Our community is uniquely positioned in this regard. With a strong local concentration of scientific expertise and institutions, we have an opportunity to build meaningful partnerships that many schools cannot. By leveraging these resources, CES could provide students with exposure to real-world science in a way that is both inspiring and locally relevant,” Wood wrote.
In the third letter and final piece of public comment, Alana Beard wrote, “I’m writing on behalf of my husband Josh Hurst and I to express our support and encouragement for the CES administration to consider a way to strengthen its science and STEAM curriculums and increase their consistency throughout all grades, year round. Science and art both are subjects that capture and engage children from an early age when curiosity and an eagerness to engage in hands on learning is prime, and help them to fall in love with education as a whole.”
Science results from yearly testing come later this year. Comparisons from year to year come out in September or October at the AOS level, School Committee members learned June 1.
“It’s really important for students to have STEAM in their lives because that’s what runs our whole world these days,” said Conners Emerson STEAM teacher Chrissy Parkinson previously when discussing STEAM night and the school’s Olympiad Team. “We all rely on science, technology engineering, and math for nearly every facet of our lives, whether we realize it or not, and the art element that incorporates creativity and makes it beautiful. Showing kids (and their families) that their passions now can turn into careers, makes me excited and hopeful for the future.”
SCHOOL IS #2 MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MAINE
In 2026, the school was ranked #7 for Maine elementary schools and #2 for Maine middle schools according to U.S. News and World Report.
It was ranked #1 for Maine middle schools and #12 in Maine elementary schools according to U.S. News and World Report for 2025.
“At Conners-Emerson School, 92% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 98% scored at or above that level for reading,” according to the report released at the end of 2024.
The organization reviews 103,369 pre-K, elementary, and middle schools throughout the country.
“The report includes more than 79,000 public schools that are ranked at the state and district level,” a previous release stated.
File Photos: Bar Harbor Story.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
US News and World Report rankings
State Championship Conners Emerson Olympiads Bring in STEAM Week With Over 30 Wins
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April 15, 2024
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