9553895 Walker This Local Systemic Change project is submitted by a consortium "Building Bridges to the Future." Extensive collaboration and commitment from the three school districts (West Windsor- Plainsboro, Ewing and Lawrence Township) is evidenced by the fact that the three district supervisors will each commit 50% of their time to managing the project. The Building Bridges partnership consists of the three districts and seven research and development centers including American Cyanamid, Bristol Myers Squibb and Union Camp. Additional science and education expertise will be provided by faculty from Princeton University, scientists from Sigmi Xi, the American Physical Society (APS) and AAAS, Trenton, N.J. When this staff development initiative is completed every elementary teacher including ESL, bilingual and special education teachers in all three districts will be employing the inquiry approach to the teaching of elementary science grades K-6. The 5 year project will target 574 teachers in 15 schools. 40 mentor teachers will be assigned to school districts in proportion to size. 26 volunteer teachers have already begun to pilot FOSS, Insights and STC science modules in their classrooms. They will then make recommendations for adoption by the school board. Total Request of $1,722,000 is from NSF. Cost Share is $5,292,078.
