CREST

THE CREST program unlocks the power of collective expertise, turning shared problems of praxis into transformative professional development for educators in our local Catholic school community within the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.

History

Established in 2013 by the University of Notre Dame’s Center for STEM Education, this initiative invites educators and school leaders to refine STEM teaching within their schools and in conversation with other practitioners in the diocese. Over its history, CREST has sought to continuously shape its programming in response to real-time, regional needs and emerging opportunities to transform STEM teaching and learning.

During the early years of the program, CREST brought together single-discipline science teachers to navigate the newly introduced Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). By 2016, after several years focused on high-quality science practices, CREST expanded to strengthen the connections between science and engineering, just as the award-winning "Engineering is Elementary" curriculum (now known as Youth Engineering Solutions) was being widely adopted. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, our CREST programming led small teams of administrators and teachers through a STEM strategic planning process to bolster sustainable STEM cultures tailored to each school's unique context. More recently in 2026, CREST responded to address early elementary mathematics, guiding educators through Tier 1 and Tier 2 instructional monitoring, number sense development, amid a new slate of state assessment screenings.

The success of the CREST program is marked not only by its exceptional evaluation ratings by participants, but even moreso by the vibrant professional network that it cultivates among Catholic school educators in the local region.

Participant Resources

Current CREST participants are invited to access session materials and resources through the CREST 2026 Google Site.