Girls IN STEM Academy, an all-girls public school for grades K-8 established by Paramount Schools of Excellence in partnership with Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, Every Girl Can STEM™ and Purdue Polytechnic High School, today announced the location for the new school scheduled to open in fall 2024. The school will be located at 5136 Michigan Road in central Indianapolis. In addition, Paramount Schools of Excellence has appointed Chrystal Westerhaus as the principal of Girls IN STEM Academy.

Westerhaus is a seasoned charter school leader in central Indiana. Prior to joining the academy, she served as director of instruction at Urban Act Academy. Westerhaus was also the founding principal of Avondale Meadows Middle School. In her five years at AMMS, she led the school to earn several consecutive "A" letter grade ratings from the Indiana Department of Education. To prepare for the opening of Girls IN STEM Academy, Westerhaus is currently participating in The Mind Trust's Fellowship program focused on launching equity-focused public schools.

"I am honored to lead Girls IN STEM Academy in its mission to address the significant gender gap in STEM careers," said Chrystal Westerhaus, Principal, Girls IN STEM Academy. "In this new role, I'm committed to strengthening our young people, who will impact future generations, and implementing culture change that fosters success for our students and the community at large."

This groundbreaking academy will allow girls to thrive in a supportive environment and study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) along with a core curriculum, preparing them to excel in high school, college and a rewarding career. Girls IN STEM Academy received its charter authorization from Trine University.

The enrollment window for the school's 2024-25 academic year will open in November as part of Enroll Indy. To learn more, please visit girlsinstemacademy.org.