About Us
MissionThe mission of Bluford Drew Jemison Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Academy is to provide an intellectually and academically rigorous pre-college preparatory education for 6th to 12th grade male students of Baltimore City. The focus of the Academy is to effectively prepare our scholars academically, thus increasing their opportunities for secondary education and post-secondary education or career path.
Student Pledge
“As a community of learners, leaders, and achievers, we the scholars of BDJ Academy, dedicate ourselves to becoming academically excellent, and socially responsible for promoting the core values of our learning community.”
Vision
The Bluford Drew Jemison Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Academy is committed to accepting young men who are eligible to attend any Baltimore City public middle or high school. The BDJ STEM curriculum is designed to educate scholars who will meet or exceed college preparatory school and post-secondary entrance standards. By 2010, we expect 70 percent of our 7th and 8th grade scholars to perform at or above the proficient level in Maryland State Reading Assessments and 80 percent to achieve proficiency or above in Math.
Scholars will demonstrate progress and achievement across all academic areas through the Adequate Yearly Progress component of No Child Left Behind. We expect all scholars to also become proficient in technology.
History
The founders of Bluford Drew Jemison Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Academy applied to the Baltimore City Public School System to operate an all-male public charter middle school beginning with the fall 2007 school year with the goal to increase the number of Baltimore City public school male students who are prepared to matriculate at high achieving secondary schools. The application to operate was approved by the BCPSS Board in 2006. In 2009, the school system granted the Board of Directors of BDJ STEM the opportunity to operate a transformation middle/high school beginning in 2009 in West Baltimore.
Academy East
The Academy East began the first year of operation at its current location in East Baltimore with 135 6th graders, and for the 2009/2010 academic year, will be fully enrolled, grades 6-8, with 380 students.
Academy West
The school will be housed in temporary school space, with the capacity to enroll 100 6th grade students. The following year, Academy West will move to its permanent location and add a 7th and 9th grade, with additional grades added until 2013 when the school will be fully enrolled, grades 6-12.
In 2008, the school changed its name from Math Science Technology (MST) to Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) to reflect the focus of the school to include a strong emphasis in pre-engineering.
The Academy is named for Guion “Guy” Bluford, retired Colonel from the United States Air Force, former NASA Astronaut, and first African American in space; Charles Drew, (1904-1950) physician and medical researcher developed the method for preserving and reconstituting blood and the system for storing blood plasma (blood bank); and Mae Jemison, physician, retired NASA astronaut, and the first African American woman to travel in space.