STEAM
When students—girls in particular—are given unbridled access to hands-on opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) they gain experiences and confidence to pursue passions and careers in fields traditionally dominated by men.
Also commonly known and referred to as STEM, the "A" and "Art" represent strategic design and the importance of understanding aesthetics while engaging in practical applications of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
We integrate coding, making, design thinking, and engineering design across grade levels and subject areas. As students move through the grades, they encounter more open-ended and student-driven projects and have the opportunity to take part in electives and a range of co-curricular opportunities.
Academic Departments
At Castilleja, our Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science departments guide students to develop core competencies which build a strong foundation for both co-curricular expressions of STEAM as well as deeper insights and breakthroughs in other subject areas and pursuits.
Science
Castilleja students learn to become scientifically literate citizens and future scientists. Through innovative, inquiry-based pedagogy, open-ended labs and structured demonstrations, they gain a solid understanding of fundamental scientific principles and learn to think like scientists. The breadth and depth of our curriculum engages students both individually and in groups as they construct their own learning and develop the analytical thinking, problem solving, and deductive reasoning skills necessary to scientific inquiry.
6th grade students apply knowledge learned in the classroom as they explore the nearby Bayfront Park using skills learned in a Orienteering Skills unit.
Upper School students in Dr. Middleman's Biology Honors class extend their understanding of enzymes by designing and running a laboratory experiment to test a variable of their choice.
Meet the Faculty
Christina Courtney
Titles:
Faculty Member, Science, Faculty Member, Computer Science, Faculty Member, Bourn Idea Lab
Bryan Valek
Titles:
Faculty Member, Science, Department Head, Science, Faculty Member, Computer Science & Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering
By emphasizing creative and real-world applications, interdisciplinary connections, and iterative processes that enable computer science and engineering to effect change in the world, our students grasp and shape society’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. Through courses, interdisciplinary projects, and varied experiences in and out of the classroom, students develop conceptual understanding and modern technical skills. They cultivate a tolerance for ambiguity and complexity; patience, persistence, and creativity when facing difficult challenges; and the confidence, resourcefulness, and curiosity needed to undertake and solve open-ended problems.
Computer Science at Castilleja is innovative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. Every student is exposed to coding and computer science through integrated projects and individualized opportunities through electives and co-curriculars.
Co-curricular opportunities such as Robotics and Gatorbotics, Casti Coders, and STEMx grant students drawn to the subject the freedom, flexibility, and capacity to dive deeper into CS.
With an emphasis on autonomy, difference-making, and global citizenship, Castilleja’s Computer Science program is about more than 21st-Century skills or creating gender parity in STEM fields—it’s about empowering the young women who will lead the way to a more equitable, inclusive world.
6th grade students dive into coding by creating interactive devices that solve a common problem while learning about sensors and actuators using the Arduino platform and Scratch programming language.
Computer Science & Engineering Department Chair Ann Greyson teaches a small-group Upper School coding class.
Meet the Faculty
Julian Cortella
Titles:
Faculty Member, Mathematics, Faculty Member, Computer Science & Engineering, Head Coach, JV and VA-Silver Volleyball
Christina Courtney
Titles:
Faculty Member, Science, Faculty Member, Computer Science, Faculty Member, Bourn Idea Lab
Bryan Valek
Titles:
Faculty Member, Science, Department Head, Science, Faculty Member, Computer Science & Engineering
Art
Anita Seipp Gallery
The Anita Seipp Gallery is a light-filled 1,200 sq. ft. dedicated space that sponsors both professional and student exhibitions.
The Gallery also functions as a place for critique and evaluation of student work, as well as a space for large scale student painting and collaborative projects in design.
Artist in Residence
Castilleja's Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR) is a unique art and education program funded by the School's Innovation Investment Fund. AIR provides professional artists with a stipend and studio space at Castilleja School for an eight week period. By supporting diverse artists who work with a range of materials, Castilleja encourages our students and community to engage in new ways of thinking about art and the environment in which we live.
Artists speak to our middle and high school art classes, as well as adult groups, about the experience of working in their chosen medium(s) and about their work in the context of the larger community. Additionally, they provide workshop sessions to our students. At the conclusion of the residency, a two-week long exhibition will be held in the school gallery for the artist featuring artwork made during the residency that may also include Castilleja student work reflecting the collaboration.
Under the ACE Center umbrella, coordinators and team leaders of the Gallery Leadership organization will help curate, advertise, and promote the show. At the conclusion of the residency, the artist will contribute one piece of his/her artwork to the program's permanent collection. This work will be used for teaching and display at the school.
Meet the Faculty
Helen Shanks
Titles:
Faculty Member, Visual & Performing Arts, Senior Class Dean, Faculty Member, Bourn Idea Lab
Mathematics
Our students are equipped with both the knowledge and the habits of mind to harness the power of mathematics. Our curriculum emphasizes the understanding of profound mathematical ideas and the development of key analytical skills in a setting that encourages inquiry, engagement, and joy in mathematics.
Differentiation and a supportive classroom environment empower students to take risks, foster resilience, deepen understanding, and facilitate a growth mindset as they develop proficiency and confidence in their mathematical skills. Students progress in their math practice by engaging with new material and persevering through confusion and difficulty. Teachers guide student inquiry through problems, discussions, readings, activities, direct instruction, projects, and collaborative work.
Math students tackle a hands-on problem as they analyze the geometry of the Circle central to Castilleja's campus.
Math students work in pairs to figure out the best approach to various algebraic problems.
Meet the Faculty
Julian Cortella
Titles:
Faculty Member, Mathematics, Faculty Member, Computer Science & Engineering, Head Coach, JV and VA-Silver Volleyball