From Foundational Curiosity to Advanced STEM/STEAM Thinking

At St. Martin’s, learning is both about thinking and doing — and it builds deliberately from early exploration to advanced application. Our Innovation + Design (I+D) program gives students opportunities to tackle meaningful challenges with real solutions, blending science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics into progressive, student-centered pathways from Lower School through Upper School.

This intentional continuum ensures students do more than explore concepts. Students develop advanced skills, complete mentored projects, and apply what they’ve learned in real-world contexts that prepare them for college-level STEM study and future careers.

Innovation + Design skills are scaffolded age appropriately from the Lower School STeaM curriculum through the four-year I+D course rotation in the Middle School where students move through multi language coding, woodworking, production, and app development. Working alongside faculty, Upper School students integrate I+D skills and projects into core subject areas while engaging in projects that cross artificial disciplinary lines.

The Gibbs Family Center for Innovation + Design

The Gibbs Family Center for Innovation + Design (CID), a 4,900 square foot facility, is one of the most comprehensive school-based maker space in the region. It operates simultaneously as a design studio, prototyping lab, production studio, woodworking and build shop (indoor and outdoor), flexible classroom space, and community partnership workspace. The space features 3D printers, laser cutters, modeling software, video and audio equipment to enable and support rapid prototyping of ideas, field research, and multimedia design and presentations.

Lower School: Foundations of Design Thinking & Computational Problem Solving

In the STeaM Lab and Innovation spaces, students begin to see themselves as creators and problem solvers. From early coding concepts (using Code.org and programmable robots) to introducing CAD and design tools like Tinkercad and SketchUp, our youngest learners build confidence in:

  • Computational thinking
  • Design thinking
  • Collaborative problem-solving
  • Creative expression in technology and media

These skills are embedded into core learning and special classes, giving students a strong foundation to advance.

Middle School: Expanding Skill Sets Through Projects & I+D Rotation

Middle School students progress into a structured four-year I+D rotation where they deepen technical skills — from multilingual coding and production to woodworking and app development. Design thinking projects are integrated across core subjects, developing a mindset of iterative inquiry, critical analysis, and disciplined creativity in meaningful contexts.

Upper School: Advanced Application, Research & Capstone Experiences

In the Upper School, Innovation + Design becomes a lens on learning, not just a course. Students integrate I+D thinking into core coursework and pursue independent research, advanced projects, and signature experiences that extend beyond traditional classrooms. These include:

  • Senior capstone or independent STEM projects
  • STEAM Diploma pathways with culminating fieldwork or internships
  • Opportunities for dual enrollment, advanced study, and research partnerships
  • Robotics, data analysis, and cross-disciplinary innovation challenges

Together with college counseling and our 4-Dimensional Academic Framework, these pathways prepare students to think creatively and work confidently in STEM and STEAM fields at the collegiate level and beyond.

The Lower school STeaM Lab

The STeaM Lab highlights the school's commitment to its Innovation + Design program. Starting in first grade, students are supplied with Chromebooks in a 1:1 program.making innovation + design a key element in the educational experience of all St. Martin's students. In the Upper School, students are allowed to use a laptop and operating system of their choice. 

Students begin their journey into technology through its STeaM Lab and Computer Lab. Coding concepts are introduced with hands-on, concrete exercises beginning in PK and are further developed through Code.org and programmable robots in higher grade levels. Design concepts are explored through Tinkercad and SketchUp as students learn how to take their ideas from paper to CAD software to 3D printed objects. 

In Lower School, students also become proficient at using various iPad apps, including iMovie for video, audio, and green screen production. All Lower School students are taught basic computer operations, including keyboarding skills, as early as Pre-Kindergarten. Students are introduced to word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation tools to enhance their curricular projects and assignments. We have chosen to use online tools, such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, to foster the collaborative process. Students are introduced to several different devices and operating systems, including Windows, iPads, Chromebooks, and more.