Elementary SD 159 STEM Center Home

About Us

Excellence in Education Since 1869
Elementary School District 159 (the “District”) is located in Cook County, Illinois and serves portions of the communities of Matteson, Richton Park, and Tinley Park. The student population of 1,935 is served by five sites: four grade schools- Woodgate, Armstrong, Yates, Sieden Prairie and one middle school, Colin Powell. The district’s Administration Center is located on Vollmer Road on the site of the original two-room Sieden Prairie Schoolhouse, originally built in 1869.

Our District prides itself on its excellent program offerings including an award-winning band, National Champion Heritage Bowl tradition, and numerous South Suburban junior high school athletic honors. Art, music, physical education, and technology are core programs in all schools and our middle school offers strong foreign language and speech programs.

Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, we are implementing a dual-language program. In addition, a district-wide full-day preschool for all program will begin Fall 2019 and is a commitment to give our youngest children their best start for learning. We provide a full range of services for students with special needs and educational programs are individually designed to meet each student’s needs.

Colin Powell Middle School underwater robotics program is among the best in the Midwest and has received awards, won several championships and has often competed against high schools over the past several years. Our middle school also has a state-of-the-art applied technology lab with a broadcast and production studio. In our effort to provide students with every opportunity to stay abreast of technology, we also offer a 10-week Saturday coding class for elementary students. Our students and staff have 24/7 access to a technology learning and working environment. We are entering the fifth year (2019-2020) of a five year 1:1 initiative which has provided every student with a mobile device.

Elementary School District 159 supports several community outreach initiatives including Red Nose Day in partnership with Walgreens and Cancer Walks and April Foods Day in partnership with the United Way and Sickle Cell research. Our commitment to service-above-self resulted in a partnership with the Timber Ridge Mobile Community, which is an unincorporated area of Matteson. In January of 2018, we partnered with Timber Ridge to address some of their needs. Working together throughout the year, we transform a rarely used room on the premises of the administration building into the Timber Ridge Community Resource Center. We donated 8 computers, wall art, and approximately 200 books. About 800 additional books were donated by community members and Half Price Books. In the Summer of 2019, we partnered again to establish the Timber Ridge Adult Learning Center and provided Chromebooks, books and wall art.

Elementary School District 159 also has a strong Family & Community Engagement Program that hosts monthly workshops geared towards parent involvement and student achievement. This year we established our Free Six-Week Math Courses for Parents as well as our Free Six-Week Introductory Parent’s Spanish Course. The district’s Superintendent’s Advisory Group and PTO are key to the outreach and programs we create to achieve maximum community support. This year, we are celebrating our 150th anniversary throughout the year with the theme, “Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future.”

Recent News

ESD 159 is transitioning to ParentSquare!

Elementary School District 159 is transitioning from Remind to a new comprehensive communication platform called ParentSquare. Please see the information to begin to set up your account and training dates.

Summer of STEAM Videos

Summer of STEAM students visit and learn about model airplanes.

Summer of STEAM 2025

Photos from the Summer of STEAM.

Creative Media Arts Fair

Creative Media Arts

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Upcoming Events

Jun 19

Juneteenth Holiday - No School

May 30

Last Day of School

May 26

Memorial Day Holiday - No School

May 2

School Improvement Day - Half Day Student Attendance

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STEM Director's Message

Welcome to the ESD 159 STEAM Center! I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students. We look forward to seeing all of you at the STEAM Center as we continue our work to enhance our learning in STEM Education. As we begin a new academic year, I am enthusiastic about the opportunities and growth that lie ahead. Our dedicated team has worked diligently to create engaging and enriching experiences for all students. I encourage each of you to embrace the challenges and successes that will arise in our learning. Together, we can ensure this year is one of our most successful.

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