Published: September 22, 2007 11:24 pm            

Zahorchak lauds success of school science program

A science program launched last year for elementary students in 68 school districts in the state, including many from the Johnstown region, is being hailed as a success.

State Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak lauded the program last week during a briefing with educators and community representatives in Pittsburgh.

Zahorchak said the program, “Science: It’s Elementary,” showed impressive gains on post-test comparisons and improved students’ understanding of science concepts.

A Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization, Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching Inc., Asset, designed and coordinated the project with the education department.

“We are very encouraged by the student achievement gains after engaging in just one science unit through ‘Science: It’s Elementary,’ ” Zahorchak said.

“It is absolutely vital that we provide Pennsylvania’s students with opportunities to learn science by doing science. Through this hands-on, minds-on science program, students ask questions, conduct investigations, record their learning in science notebooks, and apply what they learn to the world around them.”

Reeny Davison, executive director of Asset Inc., said at the briefing that in order to help teachers learn how to teach science using a student-centered, inquiry approach, teachers need ongoing, rigorous, professional development on the science content and teaching strategies that align with state and national science education standards.

Through a $13.5 million appropriation in the 2007-08 state budget, the education department is partnering with Asset to improve science education in elementary schools statewide.

This year, the initiative is providing 2,600 teachers with the professional development required to help them teach the science program to about 59,000 students in 121 school districts.

Asset, established in 1994 by the Bayer Corp. and several community partners, received substantial funding from the National Science Foundation for the science program.



Area participants

Cambria County.

Blacklick Valley, Blacklick Valley Elementary School.

Cambria Heights, Cambria Heights Elementary.

Central Cambria, Cambria Elementary.

Conemaugh Valley, Conemaugh Valley Elementary.

Forest Hills, Forest Hills Elementary.

Greater Johnstown, East Side Elementary.

Northern Cambria, Northern Cambria Elementary.

Portage Area, Portage Area Elementary/Middle.

Westmont Hilltop, Westmont Hilltop Elementary.



Somerset County.

Berlin Brothersvalley, Berlin Brothersvalley Elementary.



Bedford County.

Bedford Area, Bedford Elementary School.

Tussey Mountain, Defiance Elementary.



Indiana County.

Homer-Center, Homer-Center Elementary.

Marion Center Area, W.A. McCreery Middle School.

        

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