This year Mountain View Elementary opened it doors to 703 students who will be embarking on a “Learning Safari”. With the new federally required testing in science looming in the near future, schools must look closely at how they are teaching science and what they are using to teach science. All 5th grade and 8th grade students will be tested in science starting the spring 2008. Kim Penley, principal at Mountain View has taking the initiative to coordinate this program for her school along with 5 other Catawba County School; Lyle Creek, Startown, Maiden, Sherrills Ford and Banoak are ready to forge ahead with the recommendations of NC-ISE (North Carolina Infrastructure for Science Education).

NC-ISE is an initiative of the Department of Public Instruction to improve K-8 science education for all students and all school systems in North Carolina. The hands-On Inquiry-Based program will be implemented during the next three school years. Each grade level has 4 science goals to teach (Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science and Scientific Reasoning & Technology).   The first year of implementation 2005-2006, 2 out of the 4 kits per grade level will be implemented (1 kit for kindergarten, 1 kit for 6th grade and 2 kits for 1-5). The teachers received intensive training on Aug 24^th, from the companies that research and manufacture the kits (Delta Education and Carolina Biological) prior to teaching the kit.  Each kit takes approximately 8 weeks to teach. The used kit is then sent to the science center to be refurbished. When it is time to teach the next kit title, the teacher will receive the next kit title and be ready to go. With this type of instruction students are able to learn the science curriculum in a more in-depth method and the objectives are taught in much more detail. By beginning this program in kindergarten and extending it through 6th grade, students will be much better prepared for more challenging and in-depth study of science in middle school, high school and beyond.

As a result of implementing an inquiry based instructional program students will learn science by doing science each and everyday during the year. When you enter the classroom you will see kids doing science, actually manipulating the materials, instead of just memorizing a definition for a test. Students will acquire a much more in-depth knowledge about what and how things around them work. Students will be more successful in middle-school science programs as well as have the background knowledge necessary to take higher level science courses in high school and college. This will in turn produce students that will be more marketable in the workplace and the United States will be able to compete globally.

It has taken over 10 months to organize and coordinate this program, but the fruits of our labor began to pay off last week when the first shipment of kits arrived at our schools last Monday, and on time. We are very fortunate that Dr. Mark Sinclair, director of the Catawba County Science Center has joined forces with the Catawba County School in directing the refurbishment program for our science kits. Ally McCauley, director of Education and Christie Greene, kit coordinator have worked laboriously all summer in preparing the kits for shipment to the schools. “It was like birthing a baby”, state Kim Penley, principal at Mountain as she watched the kits being loaded for transport. To finally see all the hard work and many hours finally coming into reality is so exciting. The next step will be seeing the excitement on the children’s faces when it time to have science everyday.

 This is just another way that Mountain View Elementary is moving ahead. It is not about being number one or two, it is about providing the best scientifically tested proven teaching strategies for our students here at Mountain View. Our staff is committed to providing “Excellence” and will continue to work hard so that our children are receiving the best that there is to offer in the form of education.