Program Name: Building Bridges to the Future
Nominator's Name: Anne N. Catena
Nominator's Telephone Number: (609) 882-1498
Title: Site Director, Project RISE
List of Community Partners: American Cyanamid, Bristol-Myers Squibb, FMC, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and Union Camp
The nominated school system is: Elementary
Organization: Consultant to the National Research Council
Districts: Ewing / Lawrence / West Windsor-Plainsboro
Address: Ewing: 1331 Lower Ferry Rd. / Lawrence: 2565 Princeton Pike / West Windsor-Plainsboro: P.O. Box 248
City/State/Zip: Ewing: Ewing, NJ 08618/ Lawrence: Lawrence, NJ 08648 / West Windsor-Plainsboro: Princeton Jct., NJ 08550
District Superintendent: Ewing: Dr. Leonard R. Kelpsh / Lawrence: Ms. Claire Sheff Kohn / West Windsor-Plainsboro: Dr. Ray Bandlow
District Telephone Number: Ewing: (609) 883-3388 / Lawrence: (609) 530-8609 / West Windsor-Plainsboro: (609) 799-0200
Date of Program Initiation: 1992

Area 1: Goals:

Building Bridges to the Future (BBF) is a consortium of local school districts, corporations and community organizations. The goal of BBF is to improve science programs in partner school districts by better aligning them with New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, the AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy and National Science Standards. Reform efforts focus on increasing students' understanding of science by offering inquiry-based, hands-on experience with fundamental scientific concepts. The partnership strives to transform science from a body of knowledge into firmly held scientific habits of mind. BBF advocates that science is for all students, learning science is an active process and improving science education is part of systematic reform.

BBF addresses the needs cited in the NJ CCCS introduction - "to educate citizens who will be competitive in the international marketplace of the future, link school-based learning with a career major, apply and reinforce learning, solve real problems, reason effectively, make logical connections and participate in active learning." BBF specifically addresses the following NJ CCCS: cross content workplace readiness 1 (workplace readiness), 2 (information tools), 3 (critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills) and 5 (safety); language arts literacy 3.3 (organized language); mathematics 4.3 (modeling), 4.4 (reasoning), 4.9 (measurement) and 4.10 (estimation); and science 5.2 (inquiry skills), 5.4 (technology), 5.5 (mathematics), and content training in 5.6-5.12.

Area 2: Activities:

The range and growth of BBF activities have resulted in three sub-committees. The Teacher and Scientist Professional Development Sub-committee facilitates workshops designed to develop skills in implementing inquiry-based science and to acquaint teachers with exemplary teaching materials. Teachers are instructed in the CCCS goals of understanding and utilizing content materials, and developing technology skills. BBF has run five science education workshops, training more than 200 teachers and 60 scientists. Scientists offer insight into the contemporary relevance of scientific principles and serve as a resource to support inquiry-based science education. Approximately 100 "scientist-days" have been committed to teachers workshops, in addition to 30 "scientist-days" to train scientists in how to better support teachers and programs. The Resource Sub-committee plays a key role in ensuring that science reform will be sustained by coordinating schools' needs with local, statewide and national resources. BBF recognizes that improving the academic and personal growth for all students is an ongoing process that is benefited by corporate and community advocacy. School districts have requested support in the following areas: content training for teachers, donations of references and materials for hands-on experiments, monetary donations, publicity and advocacy, and material handling programs. BBF helps meet these needs with financial and human resources that exceed $100,000/year. The Dissemination and Outreach Sub-committee supports meaningful dialogue among other school districts, community organizations, parents, higher education and government agencies. Such dialogue is essential to build a foundation for inquiry-based science education and to implement the NJ CCCS. BBF's dissemination efforts of approximately 100 volunteer hours have been successful in focusing reform efforts throughout our region.

Area 3: Resources:

In part, because of the quality and effectiveness of the BBF partnership, the school districts of Ewing, Lawrence and West Windsor-Plainsboro were granted a $1.7 million National Science Foundation Local Systemic Change Grant. The grant provides each of 431 teachers with 117 hours of professional development to further strengthen their understanding of pedagogy, group investigation techniques, science content and applications of technology. It also provides support from mentor teachers, trained community scientists and administrators. The American Physical Society has provided training to 34 scientists in inquiry based science education and has also selected a member school district as one of its nine training sites. The National Research Council's Project RISE (Resources for Involving Scientists in Education), found this partnership to be of such merit that it funds a $30,000 per year site director position that develops resources and fosters teamwork.

BBF is also supported by several local professional development programs. QUEST, hosted by Princeton University, has provided vital training to 114 member district lead teachers in science content knowledge. Science Alliance, a National Science Foundation program, has paired 22 local district teachers with scientists to develop teaching modules, and has trained an additional 80 teachers to implement hands-on science teaching. The Sigma Xi Science Advisors Program has trained scientists to work in all nineteen, K-12 schools in Ewing, Lawrence and West Windsor-Plainsboro. Science Advisors commit 6 hours per month to support the schools' science programs and teachers. The Invention Factory Resource Center manages more than 300 science kits used by 400 teachers, reaching 8000 students in our region. It is expanding to serve other school districts by refurbishing science materials and providing resources.

Area 4: Evaluation:

The major impacts of BBF have been enhanced teaching skills and focused science programs. Teachers are spending more time teaching science and utilizing hands-on experiences. Students' critical thinking, decision making skills are thereby developed by solving problems that stimulate reasoning, foster creativity and integrate knowledge. Teachers and students have grown more independent and take risks to solve problems.

BBF has coordinated the efforts of schools, industry and the community in promoting science education reform. As a result, scientists have been successful in advocating science education reform within their companies. The industrial community is now more aware of educators' and education systems' needs. All BBF participants are committed to long-term, ongoing science education reform.

Through BBF, Union Camp and Bristol Myers Squibb have sponsored participation of five school districts in the National Science Resource Center's effective Elementary Science Leadership Institute. During the Institute, school districts and the sponsoring corporate partners, formulated a 5-year plan for science reform in grades K-6. To support these plans, the districts of Ewing, Lawrence and West-Windsor-Plainsboro jointly applied for and were awarded a N.S.F. Local Systemic Change Grant to train teachers in inquiry-based science.

Area 5: Stability:

Founded in 1992, BBF is a unique partnership of school districts, corporations and science organizations. Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents and Curriculum Supervisors of the Ewing, Lawrence, West Windsor-Plainsboro school districts have participated within BBF since its inception. In 1996 the districts of Montgomery and Trenton joined the alliance. Corporate partners include American Cyanamid, Bristol-Myers Squibb, FMC, Princeton Plasma Physics and Union Camp. BBF is coordinated by Scott Hagedorn of Union Camp. Scott has the full support and advocacy of Union Camp's management. Community organizations which also play a vital role through BBF include the Invention Factory Science Center, Project RISE, the QUEST Program for Science Leadership, Science Alliance, and the Sigma Xi Science Advisors Program.

The cause of ongoing science education reform is being advanced through financial and human resources provided by all participants BBF is funded by partners' monetary donations, volunteer work of hundreds of employees, and in kind donations of materials and facilities. This commitment exceeds $100,000 annually.

Schools and the community are informed of BBF achievements and invited to join, through the Mercer County Curriculum Coordinators and Professional Development Committee, newspaper articles, corporate communications and advocacy of the partners. New participants receive training in inquiry-based, hands-on science, and are informed of the NJ CCCS, AAAS Benchmarks and the National Science Standards.

Area 6: Endorsements:

Major BBF stakeholders are the teachers, students, corporations and school administrators.

Wanda Rinker, Teacher, West Windsor-Plainsboro School District - "From a teacher's point of view, the school- industry partnership has been invaluable in helping us redesign our approach to elementary science education. Scientists have provided us with models and insights into their approaches to real life problems. As educators, we have taken this new information and used it to create a classroom climate that places students in the role of the scientist. Overall the connections we have made with scientists have been beneficial for all participants in the school-industry-community partnership."

Scott Hagedorn, Union Camp Scientist and coordinator of BBF- "BBF is a unique partnership because it has provided a forum for local scientists and teachers to discuss openly and constructively the challenges facing meaningful science education reform in the local region. From this discussion, an ongoing dialogue developed with a basic respect and perspective for each other. This has grown over the last five years, into a stronger partnership with real impact on the local science programs."

Ray Bandlow, Ph. D. Superintendent, West Windsor-Plainsboro School District - "The partnership we have experienced with BBF has provided the catalyst for elementary science reform in three school districts. My colleagues, the Superintendents in Ewing and Lawrence Township, as well as the Boards of Education from each community, have pledged their long term support for this project. We have seen the results of the staff development programs in producing teacher leaders in each elementary school. We think it is unique that three school districts have aligned their science programs and worked cooperatively over time with the stakeholders represented in the Consortium to bring about change."