Science Education

se-img-vert

Science Matters

The Science Matters Newsletter is a monthly publication sharing news and updated events related to science education in the Olympic ESD Region. My name is Jeff Ryan and I am the Regional Science Coordinator at Olympic Educational Service District and I am here to support you. In my role I can provide resources, professional learning, facilitation support, and coaching. The Regional Science Coordinator is a state supported role so much of what I do does not require a contract or fee paid to the ESD. I use this newsletter as a critical communication tool for these efforts.

Please feel free to reach out with questions or to set a meeting jryan@oesd114.org.

Leadership Building for Collaborative Learning

The OESD Science Education Department provides support for the science education reform efforts of our regional school districts. The science department is committed to providing quality resources to schools in an effort to improve student learning.

We are dedicated to providing high quality, sustainable professional development

Our Professional Development Approach emphasizes these four domains:

  • Leadership Development: Increasing the capacity of district administrators, principals, and teacher leaders to impact the learning of students and staff.
  • Professional Learning Communities: Structured opportunities for educators to work together to address the issues impacting student learning and classroom practice.
  • Knowledge Building: Continually deepening the knowledge and understanding of all staff about curriculum, assessment, instruction, and learning.
  • Curricular Resources and Support: Increasing staff and regional capacity for leveraging materials and resources to enhance instruction.

We provide catered professional development based on your specific needs

openscied logo

What is OpenSciEd?

OpenSciEd is a nonprofit organization that brings together educators, state science administrators, Curriculum developers, and professional development providers to improve science education through the development and implementation of high-quality, freely available, science instructional materials.

OpenSciEd is currently supporting implementation of middle school science instructional materials across the state. If you are interested in learning more about the project please click the button below.

Growing Elementary Science Project

Are you interested in finding a way to make meaningful connections between your science instructional materials and your local schoolyard garden?

Goal

Increase teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge of science through modifying existing core instructional materials to provide meaningful, schoolyard garden anchored science learning experiences with strong alignment to the Washington State Science Learning Standards (WSSLS) Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Objectives

  • Identify grade-level appropriate disciplinary core ideas connected to schoolyard garden context and core instructional materials
  • Increase teacher awareness and understanding for the instructional shifts in the Washington State Science Learning Standards/ NGSS
  • Modify an existing science instructional material to anchor learning in the schoolyard garden context by:
  • Developing a cohesive instructional “storyline” that utilizes the schoolyard garden context as a relevant and engaging phenomenon
    • Identifying alignment to the three dimensions of the WSSLS including engaging students in science and engineering practices that emphasize modeling and explaining phenomena or solving problems
    • Increasing student interest and engagement with science learning opportunities connected to their school community via the schoolyard garden context
  • Increase elementary student curiosity, wonder and sense of place
  • Implement modified science unit and collect evidence of student learning
kids science
Next Generation Science

Washington State Science Fellows Program

The Association of Educational Service Districts and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction work in partnership to support the Washington State Science Fellows Program.

Fellows participate in professional learning and engage in leadership opportunities to support district, school, or organizational implementation and professional learning of state learning standards in ELA, mathematics, and science, and the Early Learning Guidelines. The three-year program allows for deeper and expanded learning in the topics of leadership, content area knowledge, adult learning, change management, equity, use of data and analytics, and student growth. All applicants are encouraged to consider a multi-year commitment to reap the full benefits of the program; prospective applicants who can commit to only one year may still participate.\

If you would like more information about the Science Fellows program in the Olympic ESD region please click the button below or reach out to Jeff Ryan Regional Science Coordinator at Olympic ESD.

Play Video
ClimeTime logo

Washington State ClimeTime Climate Science Learning

ClimeTime is facilitated by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) —in collaboration with the UW Institute for Science + Math Education—through a Washington State legislative proviso originally requested by Governor Jay Inslee of an annual $4 million investment that began in 2018-19 and continued as a $3 million investment in 2019-20.

OSPI manages the network and the grant funding flows through all nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) in Washington and six community-based organizations (CBOs). The ESDs and CBOs have launched programs for science teacher training, linking the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and climate science. In addition to teacher professional development, the project supports the 15 grantees to develop instructional materials, design related assessment tasks and evaluation strategies and facilitate student events.

OESD Science Education has been a partner in several regional and trans-regional professional development programs in western Washington state. These efforts typically assist in developing school districts' science education systems by focusing on multiple levels:

  • Science content knowledge and classroom practice
  • Collaborative practice in Professional Learning Communities
  • Leadership Development

Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform

Visit Washington State LASER: https://wastatelaser.org/

Washington State LASER is a state science/STEM education program led by Washington STEM in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionEducational Service Districts, and the Institute for Systems Biology.

Leadership & Community for All Students

  • Students: All K-12 students deepen their understanding of scientific ideas over time, engaging in practices that scientists and engineers actually use, so that students are informed and thriving global citizens and succeed in STEM careers if they choose those pathways.
  • School Districts and Community: School district science/STEM leadership is in ongoing relationship with a range of community stakeholders, so that diverse community voices and STEM-related professionals are assets for growing science/STEM educational opportunities.
  • LASER Network: Washington State LASER facilitates networked science/STEM leadership communities that develop cultural proficiency in service of district programs and classroom learning, which in turn prepare students for civic engagement, careers, post-secondary education, and lifelong learning.

Developing Know-How Together

  • Know-How: Culturally Proficient Science/STEM Leadership consists of both knowledge and practices. This know-how will be developed by learning and developing practices together.
  • Collaboration: LASER Alliances will consult and collaborate with each other to develop know-how through working with schools and districts within and across LASER Alliances.
  • Impact: LASER impacts are measured at both the regional and statewide level--the regional Alliances, Co-Directors, and Washington STEM are all partners in one collective endeavor.

Contact for science professional development, curriculum, or program administration

Jeff Ryan
Science Coordinator
jryan@oesd114.org
360-782-5014

Contact for kit rotation scheduling and information regarding the science kit program

Sarah Freitas
Instructional Resources Program Manager
sarahf@oesd114.org
360-405-5832

Latest News and Events