Schools

District 228 Awarded $280,000 in Grant Money for Math and Science

Funding will provide algebra and physics teachers with the opportunity to connect the two subjects through the guidance, direction and expertise from the district's partners—Aurora University and Fermilab.

responded to recent PSAE scores in math and science by seeking advice from experts and requesting funding from ISBE.  Fifteen proposals for IMSP grants were submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).  The ISBE has approved District 228’s Illinois Math and Science Partnership grant, “Physics for All,” for FY12 and FY13, and District 228 is the only high school district to submit a proposal this year. 

The grant writing team (Renee Mack, CTEI Supervisor/District Grant Writer, Steve Granat, Science Supervisor, and George Charnley, Math Supervisor) met on Jan. 25 with Cory Williams (Project Director) and Mr. Gil Downey (Principal Consultant for the grant) to finalize the budget and expectations.  At the meeting, the committee was told that the district will receive $280,000 for the grant program to be spent over a two-year period. 

The purpose of this grant is to provide algebra and physics teachers with the opportunity to connect these two subjects through the guidance, direction and expertise from partners—Aurora University and Fermilab.  This will be done in the following ways:

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  1. Involve science teachers in the professional development as one of the main goals is to show students the connections between math and science;
  2. Math and science teachers will work over the summer to update/write curriculum that is aligned to the Common Core math Standards;
  3. “Physics for All” will become the catalyst of the District for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education; and
  4. A Summer Institute for Professional Development will provide training to math and science teachers on the use of Lab Quests (data collections devices), Active Expression (student response systems) and Ti-Nspire graphing calculators; and so they can help students:
  • Organize, describe and make predictions from existing data;
  • Interpret and describe numerical relationships using tables, graphs and symbols;
  • Use algebraic concepts and procedures to represent and solve problems;
  • Formulate questions, design data collection methods, gather and analyze data, and communicate findings; and
  • Make mathematics content relevant to them.

The district will also be able to:

  1. Finish installing Eno boards in every math classroom (eight will be installed this spring with another 8-10 this fall);
  2. Purchase a class set of Ti-Nspire graphing calculators for the math department along with eight sets of student response systems; and
  3. Provide the science department with a class set of LabQuests and other supplies to be used in the Physics First classrooms.

Another opportunity to earn funding will be available at the end this summer through a new IMSP, which will be geared toward science and the New Generation of Illinois Science Standards.  Renee Mack will begin writing this grant, so the district can continue its work with “Physics for All.”

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