SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Board of Education approved the addition of two lab schools, one of which being brought forth by Old Dominion.

Old Dominion is partnering with Suffolk Public Schools to establish a new STEM Academy at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. This will be the first elementary Lab School approved by the board.

The partnership aims to incorporate hands-on STEM experiences in the elementary school curriculum.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Suffolk Public Schools and their extraordinary students to create the STEM Academy at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. Together we will design and launch the most effective and innovative teaching strategies to build a foundation in STEM,” Associate Vice President for Regional Higher Education Centers at Old Dominion University Dr. Tish Szymurski said.

Szymurski continued, saying, “Our vision is to cultivate a generation of productive young citizens who are prepared for the world with awareness, understanding, skills and knowledge in STEM. Hands-on, real world classrooms will provide rich opportunities for exploration and exposure to new possibilities. We are excited to watch this student growth unfold.”

The goals for the new Lab School are to design an innovative STEM learning environment for students, create a learning hub for educator preparation and development and provide a research setting for both university faculty and K-12 educators.

Governor Glenn Youngkin commended the approval of the the two Lab Schools as a part of the Commonwealth’s Lab School initiative.

“Increasing innovative education opportunities for students and parents in Virginia is at the heart of our Lab School initiative. These two Lab Schools will bring valuable STEM education to the Hampton Roads and Shenandoah Valley communities and brings our total to 14 across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Youngkin. “These schools will provide the foundation for students to gain the skills needed by the next generation workforce in the Commonwealth, one that is technology-literate, creative, driven, and rich with ideas. Congratulations to all the partners that came together and created these powerful opportunities for Virginia students.”

The second Lab School approved by the board will be for George Mason University at the Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Laboratory School for Data Science, Computing and Applications.