Toyota announcing an expanded partnership with the university's Center for Mathematics and Science Education. Photo by Marvis Herring/ Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
University of Mississippi center to provide teacher, administrative training to Lee County and Pontotoc city schools
by Marvis Herring
The Center for Mathematics and Science Education at the University of Mississippi has partnered with Toyota Mississippi to enhance and promote STEM learning in Lee County and the Pontotoc City School District.
Announced Sept. 18, the partnership is part of Toyota USA Foundation‘s first Driving Possibilities initiative in Mississippi. Toyota’s $5.8 million investment allows nonprofits, industry professionals and educators to collaboratively improve student success over the next five years.
“As Mississippi’s flagship university, we recognize the immense value of higher education-industry partnership in serving our state and laying the foundation for future prosperity,” UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce said.
“This program exemplifies how university expertise like the CMSE can be maximized through collaboration to benefit K-12 STEM education and advance shared goals. We’re deeply grateful for our history of partnership with Toyota and thrilled about this new initiative.”
Through observation and coaching, the center’s research-based classroom methods aim to drive economic advancement in the state by strengthening the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at the grade school level.
“Mississippi’s economy is growing,” Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said. “To meet its demands, we need our students—particularly in STEM fields—to be ready to hit the ground running when they graduate at any level. This new partnership is a great example of how industry and education can work together to accomplish this goal.”
Staff members from the center will provide STEM teacher support at Shannon Middle School, Plantersville Middle School and Verona Elementary School in Lee County for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 academic years.
Coke Magee, superintendent of the district, said the center’s professional development plans include teaching hands-on programming through its Middle Math Institutes and sharing ways to integrate math and science. This will lead to increased student motivation and teachers mastering effective new skills, he said.
“We know that what CMSE is going to be bringing to the table in support of our teachers are methods that have proven to be effective,” Magee said.
“When you partner these with the labs, manipulatives and the hands-on resources coming from other companies, I think it’s a perfect fit for our district and a great opportunity for our students.”
Similar support is in store for math teachers at five Pontotoc city schools. There, the center will also share resources to support math instruction for students who are learning English and students with special needs.
“We guide teachers in analyzing how their students approach problems and then use their students’ ideas and ways of thinking to take them to the next step in their learning,” said Alice Steimle, the center’s director. “As teachers begin to explore how their students think, they gain a deeper understanding of the content and ways to meet their students’ individual learning needs.”
“We are incredibly honored to be a part of such a significant initiative which highlights the importance of collaboration between industry and education—a synergy that is essential to improving communities and preparing students for the future.”
Toyota has been an active partner with Ole Miss, hosting classes for the Center for Manufacturing Excellence at its Blue Springs facility and actively recruiting students from the CME and School of Engineering.
Besides supporting teachers, the expanded partnership allows CMSE to provide administrative support for both school districts.
“As a leader in the community, Toyota is looking forward to working with Lee County and Pontotoc city schools through the Driving Possibilities model for STEM Education,” said Aaron Foster, plant vice president of Toyota Mississippi. “The tailored plan will help enhance educational opportunities from pre-K through 12th grade while integrating STEM into the everyday life of our students and teachers.”
