Assistant Superintendent, West Valley School District, Yakima

My vision for the outcomes of science education in Washington State is that students will be prepared to succeed at their next level of learning because they will be scientific literate and they will have developed the habits of mind to be successful at their future endeavors.

Through high quality instruction in the classroom and a sequence of learning that is thoughtful and intentional, students who progress through our PreK-12 system are developing habits of mind to think logically and creatively. Through the coordination and implementation of effective practices across the system, such as the use of science notebooks, students are developing their skills in observation, thinking, and communication. Teachers are using common approaches to instruction, such as the use of an instructional model that has students focus their learning on the scientific content, explore the scientific concept, reflect on their learning, and then apply their learning to real-world problems--this coordinated, systemic approach to instruction is helping students to develop their logical and creative thinking.

High quality instructional materials are guiding students to think about real-world problems that are relevant to their lives. Project-based learning in the field is providing students with authentic learning experiences that contribute to the greater good. Professional development for teachers and administrators is coordinated and job-embedded. All of these practices are resulting in greater student achievement as measured by state assessments.

As a result of these successful practices, I believe we will see an increase in community support for education in the future because community members will see the positive results of students who are making a difference in their community. And I believe that our graduates will be more engaged in the educational process and provide support for education in the future because they will value the experiences that they had in the PreK-12 system.

The ultimate outcome for science education will be that our next generation will be well-prepared to face the challenges of the future and they will lead our society with creative innovations that have not yet been imagined.

I have worked as a member of numerous teams of educators, community members, and students to promote science education.

I have served on the Executive Board for the ESD105 Science Education Cooperative since 2003. During my tenure on the board, the cooperative has grown from 13 districts and private schools to 26 districts and private schools. The Executive Board and the staff of ESD105 have worked as a team to work for continuous improvement of science education for all students in the region. We have supported teacher-leaders to build capacity and sustainability. We have been successful in numerous grant applications. I believe we have been successful in our grant applications because we have developed long-range plans and a vision for science education in our region--a vision that all students deserve high-quality instruction no matter what their background is, no matter where their school is located, and no matter in which classroom they are placed within that school. For the students in our region, education is the key to their future. I know. I graduated from Wapato High School in the Yakima Valley and matriculated to Harvard. It is exciting for me to have returned to our region and to see the great partnership that has developed between the school leaders in our region and the Graduate School of Education at Harvard. School leaders from throughout the region have attended sessions at Harvard, leaders from Harvard have presented at our summer institutes, and ongoing professional learning communities have been modeled after the work promoted by Harvard professors, such as Dr. Richard Elmore and Dr. Elizabeth City. The result has been sustained, rigorous professional learning communities that push our leaders--we push each other!--to focus on best practices and strategies to impact the instructional core, to impact what happens in the classroom on a daily basis. As a result, as a science cooperative, we have invested in professional development for teachers; in our collaboration, we have increased the efficiency and the effectiveness of this professional development. We have also invested in professional development for school administrators. The work of Dr. Robert Marzano and others tells us that a leader’s knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment is essential for leading meaningful change and improvements. We have continued to build the knowledge of our school administrators and our teacher-leaders so that each school will have “in-house” expertise for science education.

I serve on the Steering Committee for e3 Washington for Yakima County (Environment, Education, Economy) and I co-chair the PreK-12 Education Sector Committee. I support the goals of e3 Washington to promote greater communication and collaboration among PreK-12 Education, Higher Education, Community Organizations, Government Agencies, and Native American leaders. I have worked in my own school district to provide an example of what this collaboration could look like. I wrote and received a Learn and Serve Grant for the West Valley School District. This project has resulted in collaboration that has impacted every school in the district. Students are focused on the restoration of fish habitat for threatened and endangered fish (salmon, steelhead, and bull trout) that are indigenous to the streams that run through the school district. Partnerships have been established with numerous community organizations, government agencies, and the Yakama Nation. As a result, students have been provided the opportunity to learn state standards for science, social studies, environmental education, and sustainability in a real-world context. Students are taking the lead to serve their community and promote stewardship of their local environment. Our students plan to share their work with other school leaders through the work of the PreK-12 Education Sector Committee.

As a district leader, I have supported staff participation--teachers and administrators--in the LASER Strategic Planning Institute, the National Academy for Curriculum Leadership, the Southwest LASER Alliance, the Washington Science Teacher’s Association, and the OSPI Science Assessment Leadership Team. Recently, I have worked with regional leaders to develop long-range plans to improve STEM Education in the region (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). As you can see, I would agree with an assertion made by Elmore and City (2007) that the road to school improvement is always under construction.