North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center 2007 Report

8/14/2019 North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center 2007 Report

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From the President

2007 Annual Report


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North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center

was launched in 2002 to promote and support innovation in science, mathematics, and

technology learning in the states elementary and secondary schools. Were doing that by

serving as a catalyst or innovation and change in education; advocating or research-based

instructional programs in schools; providing tools, learning methods, and technical help

to educators; and recruiting community and business leaders to encourage and promote

advanced science and mathematics learning at all ages.

From the President

Teacher Link

LASER

Science Competitions

SMT Awards

Collaborations

Financial Statements

Board o Directors

Thanks to Jason Painter orhis photo contributions.

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Contents


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2007 Report | 3

From the President

At rst glance these words seem to be at odds with

one another. But when you consider that in order to

be competitive you need to be collaborative (and vice

versa) the two words old nicely together.

Trying to predict the uture is not easy. We canask what we think are the right questions, but as the

president o MCNC Joe Freddoso likes to point out the

world is moving at Internet speed and the rest o us

are playing catch up. Educating a student in technology

that is evolving so quickly that by the time the lesson

plan is nished, the technology has been revised,

revamped, bought, sold, merged, and then becomes

obsolete is a dicult task.

So technology is just the tool. Its how you use the

technology thats important: How to use technologyto collaborate and how to compete in an expanding

marketplace.

This past year, the North Carolina Science,

Mathematics, and Technology Education Center has

been engaged in many dierent projects with many

dierent groups in order to ulll our mission o

enabling our students to thrive in a workorce that

ew o us can even imagine.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and

Accountability gave the Center an opportunity toinfuence how education is assessed and how it will

impact North Carolina particularly in SMT areas. The

commission was created out o a desire by the N.C.

State Board o Education to look at issues in account-

ability. While exploring issues o accountability we

must also consider instruction, curriculum design, andhow to measure student perormance. In essence,

we had to look at the oundation o the educational

system. The mortar o this oundation is the creation

o uture-ready students. Language such as 21st

Century Skills and globally competitive speaks to

the heart o the SMT Centers mission. You cannot pre-

pare a student or the uture without including science,

mathematics, and technology in the mix.

We have also been in partnership with the

University o Washington and the Stanord ResearchInstitute to develop an evaluation instrument to assess

learning through hands-on, inquiry-based means. We

are identiying districts to participate in research on

assessment tools, providing advice on research eorts,

and gathering organizations and policymakers in N.C.

interested in improving student assessment.

Through these eorts and the eorts listed in the

ollowing report, the Center has gained considerable

visibility and acknowledgement that it is a valued player

in SMT-related issues. continued on next page

Samuel H. Houston Jr., Ed.D.

President and CEO

Whenever the conversation turns to futureworkforce issues, the two words I hear most

repeated are competitive and collaborative.

2007 Report | 3

From the President


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4 | www.ncsmt.org

continued

ConveneIn the past two years o our partnership with the

National Science Resources Center, the LASERInstitute has gathered more than 30 North Carolina

school districts to create strategic inquiry-based

science education reorm plans. Working with these

districts, the Center is reaching out to nearly 500,000

students. See page 6.

CompetitionThrough unding by the North Carolina General

Assembly, we were able to create the North Carolina

Science Competition Program Center in order to providemore students across the state with the benets o

science competitions. We have also sponsored teacher

proessional development to train them to coach and

direct science competitions. See page 7.

CelebrateIn April, the SMT Center held the second annual

SMT Celebration. More than 400 guests attended

our celebration o the organizations and people who

contribute to the health o SMT education in our state.

We recognized those who have received national or

statewide honors. This year we had our own inaugural

award ceremony. Dr. Queta Bond, who was instrumentalin the creation o the SMT Center, received the Order

o the Long Lea Pine rom the Governors Oce or her

commitment to science education in North Carolina.

See page 8.

CollaborationThe SMT Center, in partnership with the Public School

Forum, has developed and organized science and math-

ematics teacher training or the Collaborative Project.

We provided 98 teachers rom Mitchell, Caswell,Warren, Greene, and Washington counties with ve-

day residential mathematics workshops held at three

University o North Carolina campuses. See page 10.

In SummarySuccess o an organization is measured by the sum

o its parts. Part o the SMT Centers success can be

attributed to its ability to collaborate. Through

collaboration we can add strengths and smooth the

edges to allow us to accomplish our goals. By providingteacher development, by providing opportunities or

school districts to assess and develop science educa-

tion plans, by providing resources or inormal science

education projects to fourish and to spread their reach,

we are providing the students o North Carolina with

the necessary knowledge and skills in science, math-

ematics, and technology to have successul careers,

be good citizens, and advance the economy o the Old

North State.

Samuel H. Houston Jr., Ed.D.

4 | www.ncsmt.org


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2007 Report | 5

From the President

Working with the Teacher Link Program, meteorolo-

gist Marvin Maddox engages middle school students

and teachers with the basics o weather: observing

and orecasting. These are the things, he says, that

students can go outside and do themselves.

In talking to school groups, Mr. Maddox likes to

emphasize severe weather, such as thunderstorms

and tornadoes. Seventh graders are old enough toremember a weather event that has aected their

lie, he said. The students relate their own experi-

ence with severe weather and always have a lot o

good questions. Weather is a subject about which

everyone has a story to tell.

In one classroom in Randolph County, located

in central North Carolina, a teacher prepared her

students or Mr. Maddoxs visit by holding a series o

discussions and other activities centered on the

Teacher LinkScience Professionals Reaching Out to Students

Marvin Maddox has a B. S. in physics rom the

University o Georgia and an M.S. in meteorology rom

St. Louis University. Ater retiring rom the National

Weather Service, he taught at the Scranton campus o

Penn State University. He moved to North Carolina in 2004

and has been involved with Teacher Link since 2006.Photo credit: N.C. Museum o Natural Sciences

AsAchild, iwAscuriousAbout

theworldAroundme. iwondered

wherethecloudscAmefrom. the

teAcherlinkProgrAminstills

thAtcuriosityinstudents...

weather. Knowing they would have an opportunity to

talk to a meteorologist, the students covered the class-

room walls with posters o all o the questions they

had or him. Most o the questions asked what it was

like to be a metereologist and what kind o training he

needed.

Asking the students to come up with questions

beorehand instilled the students with a heightenedinterest in the subject matter, and Mr. Maddox considers

such interest building to be a strength o the Teacher

Link Program.

As a child, I was curious about the world around

me. I wondered where the clouds came rom, he said.

The Teacher Link Program instills that curiosity in

students, encouraging them to wonder what is the

world about, whether theyre studying meteorology,

physics, or biology.


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6 | www.ncsmt.org

LASERLeadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform

6 | www.ncsmt.org

In his keynote address Joe Freddoso, president and

CEO o MCNC, pointed out, The world is changing

but the educational system is not. We need to educate

our students or jobs that will actually exist when they

graduate.

The audience was comprised o educational

representatives rom 14 North Carolina school dis-

tricts. They gathered in Asheville, N.C., as part o theLASER Institute (Leadership and Assistance or Science

Education Reorm), to undergo a rigorous weeklong

program structured to help participants prepare a

strategic plan or improving science education in their

district.

While the topic o change spoke true or every

school district present, or rural Mitchell County the

message hit home. Wedged between the cities o

Asheville and Boone in Western N.C., Mitchell Countyis looking to the uture or its students. The jobs in the

urniture industry that were available to previous

generations are not going to be available.

Louis Schlesinger, a manager o mineral process

research at a mining company and an active community

member in science education, took part in the LASER

Institute to enable other people to have careers like

I have.

Mr. Schlesinger has had our children enrolled in

the Mitchell County school system and understands thatscience education improvement extends beyond the

borders o Mitchell County.

For more than a decade Mr. Schlesinger has been

working with the school district by judging science airs

and helping to sponsor and recruit coaches and judges

or Science Olympiad through his company. He eels

that there are excellent reasons why school systems

need to partner with industry and the community to

improve science education.

Practicing scientists and engineers are going toknow what eective science education is and can provide

sta development and support to schools, he said.

the lAser instituteguidesschool

districtleAdershiPteAmsthrough

theProcessofdeveloPingAtAilored

strAtegicPlAnforinitiAtingAndimPle-

mentingAneffectivereseArch-bAsed,

inquiry-centeredscienceProgrAm.


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2007 Report | 7

From the President

Since the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and

Technology Education Centers inception, support or

science competitions was prioritized as an important

part o its work. Tom Williams, ormer superintendant

o Granville County schools, has been working with

the Center to bring more awareness to the world o

science competitions in North Carolina.

Mr. Williams and others are working to developnew processes that will increase community aware-

ness and involvement, media visibility, and student

engagement at selected science and mathematic

competitions that the Center is supporting.

During this past year, the SMT Center has

supported and promoted participation in six distinct

state competitions, including N.C. Science Olympiad

and the State Science and Engineering Fair. The Center

selects competitions based on their capacity to provide

local, regional, national, and even internationalopportunities or students.

Partnerships with organizations like N.C.

Grassroots Museum Collaborative provide

opportunities or students who excel at the North

Carolina International Science Challenge to present

their research at the Beijing Youth Science Creation

Competition. During the summer o 2008, the Center

Science CompetitionsBuilding on Strengths

2007 Report | 7

supported summer camps or students and workshops

or teachers on how to start Science Olympiad teams or

elementary students.

Students that participate in science competitions

spend more time in and out o class engaged in science

thinking critically, asking questions and testing

possible explanations. They get opportunities to hone

problem-solving skills, to practice presenting their

research to varied audiences, and to learn to articulate

and deend their own thinking, explains Lisa Rhoades,

program associate at the SMT Center.

These students also demonstrate an impressive

level o cooperation, collaboration, and mutual respect

important 21st century skills that young people will

need as they embark on their careers.

Funding provided by the North Carolina General Assembly


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8 | www.ncsmt.org

Writing or Correlations, the ocial blog o Wired

Science, Sheril Kirshenbaum wrote:

To write I was impressed would be an under-

statement. I met students like Melanie Wiley, a senior

at NC School o Science and Math studying protein

aggregations in the brain and their correlation to

incidence o Parkinsons disease. I learned about the

work o Adam Meyer, a senior at Raleigh Charter High

School, who identied the need or a campaign to

protect the Richland Natural Area and then worked to

build a coalition to support the eort. I was inspired by

teachers like Myra Halpinwhose passion or science

is coupled with an equal drive to communicate to broad

audiences. I the ceremony refects the uture or math

and science, there is certainly reason or hope

The SMT Center will accept award nominations or the

2009 award celebration on its website at ncsmt.org.

The second annual SMT Center celebration took place

on April 19, 2008. More than 400 people attended the

event held at the Embassy Suites in Cary. This was

the rst year that the SMT Center delivered its own

awards in addition to honoring students and teachers

that received recognition rom other organizations.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund President Enriqueta Bond,

Ph.D, received the Order o the Long Lea Pine, thehighest civilian award in North Carolina. The SMT

Center website has links to the videos that were

shown during the celebration.

SMT AwardsCelebrating Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education

Champion o Science, Mathematics,

and Technology Education Award

Donald ClinePisgah Astronomical Research Institute

Student Leadership Award in

Science, Mathematics, and

Technology Education

Adam Meyer Raleigh Charter High School

Business and Industry Award in

Science, Mathematics, and

Technology Education

GlaxoSmithKline

iftheceremonyreflectsthe

futureformAthAndscience,

thereiscertAinlyreAsonfor

hoPe

8 | www.ncsmt.org


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2007 Report | 9

From the President

Outstanding Educator in Science,

Mathematics, and Technology

Education Award

Myra Halpin N.C. School o Science and Math

Partnership Award in Science, Mathematics, and Technology EducationGranville Education Foundations Technology Committee

Presidential Award

Dr. Queta Bond

Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Partnership Award in Science,

Mathematics, and Technology

Education

Shodor

2007 Report | 9


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10 | www.ncsmt.org

The Collaborative ProjectThe Collaborative Project is a 21st Century Initiative

o the North Carolina General Assembly that was

born rom discussions with state senate and house

leadership about concern or the quality o education

and high teacher turnover rates in rural districts o the

state. In August 2007, the Collaborative Project set out

to positively impact teacher recruitment and retention,to provide quality proessional development resources,

and to signicantly improve student perormance in

elementary and middle schools in the ve partici-

pating school districts.

The school systems participating in the pilot

projectCaswell, Greene, Mitchell, Warren, and

Washington Countiesrepresent small communities

that serve low-income students in rural areas o the

state. To better prepare disadvantaged students in

these areas or high school, the Collaborative Projectalso unds ater-school programs that extend the

school year and oer a mix o academic support and

opportunities or learning outside o the classroom.

Last year, over 750 elementary and middle school

students participated in the Projects ater school

programs.

The North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and

Technology Education Center, along with the Public

School Forum o North Carolina, are responsible or

administering the programs oered by the Project.

Blue Ribbon CommissionThe Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and

Accountability was started in June 2007 to comprehen-

sively review and oer to the State Board o Education

recommendations or re-visioning the States testing

program and accountability system. The appointment

letter to the Commission indicated that its work was

expected to be visionary and in-depth, searching or

credible and practical solutions that will serve publiceducation well. Sam Houston chaired the Commission

made up o a number o political gures alongside

CollaborationsUtilizing Resources

a very broad cross-section o business and industry

representatives and educators rom all levels o the

public sector, community colleges, and universities.

In January 2008, Dr. Houston presented the ocialreport on behal o the Commission at the General

Assembly Building to a joint meeting o the State Board

and the General Assembly.

The complete report is available on the Department

o Public Instruction State Board o Education website.

LIFE (Learning in Informal and FormalEnvironments) PartnershipLIFE is a partnership between the University o

Washington, Stanord University, SRI International,and the SMT Center that serves as a support center

or their work in North Carolina. The partnership is

developing a multimedia assessment prototype that

will allow learners to demonstrate their knowledge

and capabilities. This assessment tool will go beyond

traditional written tests to allow the learner an

opportunity to demonstrate more than just the ability

to determine right or wrong selections rom an answer

menu. This work is being done in concert with the

Partnership or 21st Century Skills, the North CarolinaState Board o Education, and the North Carolina Oce

o the Governor.

New Schools Project

In partnership with the North Carolina New Schools

Project (NSP), the SMT Center supports development

o Redesigned High Schools that are heavily ocused

on science, mathematics, technology, and health

education. The high schools are ormed when a large

high school o typically 1,800 students or more is rein-vented into several smaller, independent high schools

that have a specic and rigorous academic ocus.

10 | www.ncsmt.org


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From the PresidentFinancial Statements

The North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center (SMT Center) is supported primarilyby the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. That support includes $436,882 o expenses paid on behal o the SMT Centerduring the scal year ending June 30, 2007. These expenses were related to salaries, travel, meeting expenses,maintenance, supplies, proessional ees, printing, and other miscellaneous items. In May 2005, the Burroughs

Wellcome Fund awarded $2,500,000 to the SMT Center. Payments on the award will be made at a uture date.

Statement of Financial PositionYear Ended June 30, 2007

Assets

Cash $ 139,309

Grants receivable, net o discount $ 2,601,610

Total assets $ 2,740,919

Liabilities and Net Assets

Accounts payable

Agent liability to specied beneciaries $ 50,000

Total liabilities $ 50,000

Unrestricted net assets $ 2,690,919

Total liabilities and net assets $ 2,740,919

Statement of ActivitiesYear Ended June 30, 2007

Changes in unrestricted net assets

Revenues

Grants $ 272,387

Contributions $ 436,882

Interest $ 70

Total unrestricted revenues $ 709,339

Expenses

Program services $ 84,264

General and administrative $ 437,196

Total expenses $ 521,460Changes in net assets $ 187,879

Net assets at beginning o year $ 2,503,040

Net assets at end of year $ 2,690,919

2007 Report | 11


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t 919.991.5111 919.991.0695www.ncsmt.orgP.O. Box 13901Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3901

Gerald Boarman, Ed.D.

ChancellorN.C. School o Science and Mathematics

Enriqueta C. Bond, Ph.D.PresidentretiredBurroughs Wellcome Fund

Todd Boyette, Ph.D.DirectorMorehead Planetarium and Science CenterUniversity o North CarolinaChapel Hill

J.B. BuxtonDeputy State Superintendent

N.C. Department o Public Instruction

Norman CohenDirectorUNITEC

Joseph CrockerDirector o OperationsZ. Smith Reynolds Foundation

John DornanExecutive DirectorPublic School Forum o North Carolina

David Haase, Ph.D.

Proessor o PhysicsNorth Carolina State University

Verna Holoman, Ph.D.Executive DirectorN.C. Mathematics and ScienceEducation NetworkCenter or School Leadership DevelopmentUniversity o North Carolina

Samuel H. Houston Jr., Ed.D.President and CEONorth Carolina Science, Mathematics,and Technology Education Center

Kate Hovis, CFP

Senior Vice PresidentSenior Wealth Management AdvisorBB&T

Emma JacksonDirector o Title 1 ProgramsNew Hanover County Schools

Susan JacksonVP and Chie Learning OcerWake Med Health & Hospitals

Senator Howard Lee

ChairmanState Board o Education

Jane PattersonExecutive Directore-N.C. AuthorityRural Economic Development Center

Sid Rachlin, Ed.D.Proessor o Mathematics EducationEast Carolina University

Michael SchmedlenDirector, Worldwide Education

Lenovo United States

Elic SenterEducation ConsultantCenter or Teaching and LearningN.C. Association o Educators

Philip Tracy, Jr. (Chair)AttorneySmith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P. Lawyers

Board of DirectorsFiscal Year 2007-2008

Documents

North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center 2007 Report