Stretching for Improvements in Public Education

Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially of the lower class of people, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant. – John Adams 1776 – a devout Unitarian, which was a non-Trinitarian Protestant Christian denomination during the Colonial era. …

Swampscott MA High School receives a $1 million to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Math teaching (STEM) by paying for 3 teachers’ salaries and their training over the next 3 years starting in the fall of 2011. One will teach in the High School, one in the Middle School and one teacher will be shared by the 3 elementary schools. Hopefully this program will become self-funded when the grant runs out.

Swampscott is a relatively small district with about 800 + students in the High School. More than ¾ of the students do very well in English and Math compared to the state average, but not as well in science.

This is a wonderful gift for young students in a relatively wealthy school district. The donor, Mark Gelfand, recognizes that our public schools are falling behind and has taken action to bring improvement. See the full article at

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/articles/2011/04/14/news/news02.txt

The goal is to interest children in STEM by encouraging the recognition of math and science in all subjects including the arts, and by encouraging clubs where activities involving science can take place in free time.

According to one school committee member; “you can really feel the love here”. Did she mean that you can sense the love for children who need more opportunity to succeed in our changing world?

What to you think?

http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/mcas.aspx/

Posted by Becky on 04/18/11  •  Comments 0   •