LODEN By Emma Crawford Kent Daily Journal TUPELO – Tupelo Public School District officials are gearing up to roll out the district’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiative when the upcoming school year begins in August. Gearl Loden, superintendent of Tupelo Schools, spoke about the district’s plans for the initiative at Friday’s Kiwanis Club meeting. Although the district already incorporates STEM in its curriculum, Loden said this initiative is meant to take that focus to the next level. A major part of the initiative will be the use of Full Option Science System (FOSS) kits – teaching and learning materials designed to provide multiple, hands-on exposures to science concepts – which the district will begin phasing into kindergarten-through-sixth-grade classrooms in the fall. “We’re really excited about this, and the teachers are really excited about it,” Loden said.