The Family Exploration Academy at Pine Crest Elementary Magnet School of Innovation is designed to enrich the lives of children through free workshops and events for families at Pine Crest Elementary Magnet. Students achieve more when families are involved in their education. Our workshops and engagement activities provide families with tools to support academic success and bring schools, families, and community partners together.

There are many ways to join our Family Exploration Academy community and participate in activities.

• Learn about Computer Science to deepen your understanding (or just to keep up with your students and all the amazing stuff they can do!)

  • Join our Code.org Family Exploration Academy class and learn about coding and the basics of computer science through games you can complete online and "unplugged" activities you can do at home and at our Family Exploration Academy events.

  • Join our Google CS First Family Exploration Academy Club and engage in the your own version of the creative projects your students love to tackle at school.

• Read our Family Exploration Academy newsletters that are sent home with every magnet unit to extend your child's learning at home!

  • Unit 1 - Digital Citizenship Resources

• Join us for our Family Exploration Academy Events where families get a chance to see student work, create something new to show off, participate in coding challenges and much more. Family Exploration Academy Events have included activities such as:

  • Student work showcase

  • Digital Citizenship and Internet Safety

  • How of Code Challenges

  • Code.org "Unplugged" Activities

  • Genius Hour Project Presentations

  • Code to the Future EPIC Builds

• Sign up to participate in our Backpacks of Computer Science and Innovation take-home program where your student will check out a backpack full of grade-level computer science and innovation themed activities that the whole family can enjoy.

• Check Out a Device in our Device Checkout Program - As a resource for our families in grades K-2, we are also offering a computer device check-out program to help maximize learning for our students. Families interested in this program must have access to the internet, commit to attending a 30 minute training session before device check out, and commit to returning the device for inventory or check in purposes as scheduled.

How Do I Sign Up?

Families interested in participating in the Device Checkout or Backpack of Computer Science Programs should fill out the Family Exploration Academy Sign Up Form and the program coordinator wil contact you with device availability and a training schedule. Currently the device checkout program is only open to students in grades K-2, but we hope to expand it in the near future. Everyone that accesses SCPS devices must abide by SCPS Acceptable Use Policies.