Science Curriculum Council
Date: October 18, 2010
Time: 3:30 – 6:30
Location: McKean High School Room C31
Attendees:
Department:
ScienceCurriculum Council
Curriculum and Instruction
----- Minutes -----
Attendance:
Present:
Secondary: Terry Neale, McKean HS
Brian Drake, Cab Calloway
Ernest Pappas, Conrad
Gene Jones, HBMS
Shela Smith, Skyline MS
Susan Vargo, AIHS
Michelle Burrows, AIMS
Julia Ray, Dickinson HS
Thomas Janeka, Stanton MS
Teren Neal, First State School
Diane Zutz-Cummings, Brandywine
Springs MS
Regrets: Toni Marioni, Brandywine Springs
Elementary
Absences: Lisa Acevedo, Mote
Heritage (no Council member
identified)
Elementary: Karon Massado, Science Specialist
Patricia Tate, Lewis
Lisa Gonser, Warner
Kathleen Gormley, Highlands
Beth Loughrey, Baltz
Cynthia Pochomis, RPLC
Deborah Ramone, Linden Hill
Paula Tipping, Forest Oak
Michael Watkins, North Star
Beverly Lewis, Shortlidge
Annette Ferebee, RPES
Sandra Ludlam, Marbrook
Ellen Shackelford, Richey
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE:
Edward McGrath, Science Supervisor
Essential Question:
How can Red Clay science teachers take an active role in recommending and delivering quality
science curriculum and instruction to our students using the Delaware science standards and
assessment evidence effectively?
Part 1: 3:30-4:30 Secondary Council

Welcome, introductions
Edward McGrath, Science Supervisor
Council members introduced themselves. Several members expressed interest in building knowledge about the
standards. Members also commented on the October 8, 2010 in-service Component II. Julia Ray commented that
the workshop was “beneficial, wished we had more time to complete the work.” Brian Drake noted that through his
group’s work with Planetary Science, some of the activities don’t work with our standards. All work resulting from
the October 8, 2010 workshop is on the Red Clay secondary science wiki. Eddie noted that he would like to see
the secondary science curriculum council continue to work on this document. It will be used for upcoming kit
trainings. (http://rccsecondaryscience.wikispaces.com)

Announcements: Common Core Standards are coming.

Upcoming kit trainings, kit trainings so far: Weather and Our Genes Ourselves are the upcoming trainings.
Middle school trainings are scheduled in cooperation with the Colonial School District after school for three
hours for four weeks. Colonial will supervise and coordinate all 6th grade trainings. Red Clay supervises and
coordinates all 8th grade trainings. Both districts will share the responsibility for the 7 th grade trainings.
Weather will be held at Skyline Middle (room 135—Barbara Farmer is the instructor) and Our Genes Ourselves
will be held at Conrad, room 334 (Beth Blohm is the trainer). Dates for both: Oct. 20, Oct 27, Nov 10, Nov 17.
Each will be 3;30-6:30.

CEI initiative: Common Exam Initiative for high school physical/earth science and biology. Exams will be ready
in December. Since the tenth grade test will eventually become the end-of-course exam in biology (for DCAS),
the CEI in Red Clay for biology may eventually be unnecessary. However, the physical/earth science CEI
exam will be necessary.
There is no need for middle school end of course exams. If middle school teachers request the council to work
on middle school exams, then it will come under consideration. The value of district-wide common exams was
expressed. DCAS science tested at the end of 8th grade. Eddie will send out a list of standards that will be
assessed in 9th grade.

chemical inventories—must have no later than October 20. There will be a hazardous waste pick up scheduled
this spring. Please check for any materials – especially mercury thermometers. This is the last pick up that the
state is paying for. Eddie will accompany the pick up truck to make certain that everything goes smoothly. A
chemical inventory list must be presented to John Moyer at DOE by November. Conrad and CAB have
already submitted their lists. AIHS, Dickinson, and McKean still need to submit theirs.

NBC Learn: Middle school teachers reflected on the training from Dover for this resource. Middle school
teachers in all content areas are provided with a free log-in through a Honda grant obtained by DOE. Middle
school Council members attended a training to be turned around in the schools. Hopefully, this program will be
expanded to all grades next year. In the meantime, teachers are encouraged to use the NBC learn site as their
use is monitored by DOE.

Science DSTP scores (May) are embargoed until October 20. Eddie will send a detailed report to all secondary
science teachers and principals at that time showing change from the previous year.

Natural Approach to Chemistry—summary
Susan Vargo, AIHS
Terry Neale, McKean
Susan looked at the program published by Science Lab Aids last spring. The Natural Approach to Chemistry
(NAC) is an expensive program. The program is a flexible program that addresses the eleventh grade GLEs
for standard 2 (Materials and their Properties). DOE has formally adopted NAC for the state. Students who
previewed the program did not like the online text. The dial up version of the program took forever to load.
There are lots of gadgets and manipulates that come with the program. The cost of the program does not
justify its uniqueness. Terry received training in the unit this summer and concurred with Susan’s observation.
Although the program is aligned to our standards, there is no need for Red Clay to adopt it as a district-wide
chemistry program.

Secondary wiki
Edward McGrath
Eddie requested that all council members sign on to the science wiki.
Part 2: 4:30-5:30 K-12 Council (elementary council member joined the secondary)

Council members introduced themselves (including elementary members). Kathleen Gormley (Highlands) was
recognized as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching. Eddie
presented the introductory PowerPoint.

The PowerPoint presentation will be forwarded to members along with the minutes. Minutes will be posted on
the district website and on the science wikis, along with relevant attachments and hyperlinks. Highlights of the
PowerPoint: Old business will be addressed first, and new business will not be called for a vote on the meeting
when it is presented. All votes by the council will be public.

Susan Vargo (AIHS) asked the following: Can we influence the district calendar to allow for an in-service day
to coincide with a regional conference of National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) when this conference
is at a commutable distance (e.g. Philadelphia or Baltimore)? Eddie stated that the Board of Education votes
on the calendar, but it may be worth asking Jack Buckley, who will be working with the Science Curriculum
Council.

Roles and Responsibilities
Edward McGrath
Eddie reviewed the Roles and Responsibilities document and explained the compensation plan for committee
members. The stipend schedule for Council membership was discussed (to be sent to Council members
separately). If more than three meetings are missed, the member will receive straight EPER.

Announcements
Edward McGrath
Karon Massado, elementary
Eddie will send out DuPont Challenge information. This is an essay contest open to students age 13 and older.
Information is available at http://thechallenge.dupont.com/ . Participants may begin submitting essays on
November 15, 2010 electronically.
Einstein Fellowship: Teachers are invited to apply for the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship at the
following web address: http://www.trianglecoalition.org/fellows/einapp.htm. Excerpted from the site:
As an Einstein Fellow, you will spend a school year in Washington, DC sharing your expertise with policy
makers. You may serve your Fellowship with one of several government agency sponsors such as the
Department of Energy, NASA, the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration the National Institutes of Health, or the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and
members of Congress or Congressional Committees.

Title II, Part D Competitive Grant information was presented for preview. This is a technology grant which may
be used for schools to obtain (among other things) their own sets of Vernier probes. If the district applies, 25 %
of the award must go toward professional development. More information, including the full application, can be
seen at http://www.dcet.k12.de.us/instructional/eett2010/index.shtml
Part 3: 5:30-6:30 Elementary Council (secondary members were dismissed)
Karon Massado presented this portion of the Council meeting. Karon showed Council members the details of the
elementary science wiki at http://rc-elemscience.wikispaces.com and urged members to search the NSTA site for
awards and opportunities available to science teachers.
Links on the elementary science wiki that were highlighted:

Learning Focused link

Field trip links

The Crosswalk documents. Eddie and Karon will present information about the science prioritized standards to
elementary teachers as part of a faculty meeting in January with the help of Council members.

Title I books: sets of 30 books, either STC readers or FOSS books that are paired with K-5 science units will
be available in school libraries.

Kathleen Gormley presented information about Delaware Teachers Institute, who will take applications in
January at University of Delaware with topics to be revealed in November open to K-12 teachers. They will
include content knowledge fortification, seminars rather than lectures, and attendees will receive a $1200
stipend. The experience will result in participants creating a 25 page curriculum unit.

Council members reviewed the Curriculum and Instruction page showing the science scope and sequence
pages. The suggestion was made to replace these numerous entries with links to the elementary and
secondary science wikis.

Eddie showed elementary Council members the science safety manual (on the Curriculum and Instruction
page) and reminded them that Red Clay is latex free—no latex balloons should be used. Also, teachers should
not administer adhesive bandages to children who are cut during class. These injuries must be seen by the
school nurse.

The elementary Council members looked at the Red Clay district website section that describes K-3 and 4-5
science programs. The proposal is that the wording on this site is excessive and that parents would be more
willing to read a description that is more succinct. Also, some of the information is not current.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 with thanks from the co-chairs and from Karon.
Respectfully submitted
Edward J. McGrath
Supervisor of Science
Red Clay Consolidated School District