Sci matters

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August 14, 2007
For immediate release

Science Matters! – the Carpinteria and Santa Barbara School/Community Science Initiative – conducted a Summer Institute for area elementary school teachers to prepare them to teach science lessons this fall. Taught by master teachers, the professional development courses ran from August 6-10. The program, which seeks to increase all students’ performance on the California Standards Test for science and inspire a greater number of students of all backgrounds to pursue science as a career, featured training that focused on the science that teachers need to know and understandas well as on classroom teaching skills. Heather Moffat, Director of Education at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, UCSB Professor of Earth Science Tanya Atwater, and UCSB Professor of Physical Chemistry Petra Van Koppen led these informative and crucial sessions, as studies show sound science education prepares students to excel in Junior High and High School.

Science Matters! is funded by a major grant under the California Math and Science Partnership (CaMSP) program approved by the California Department of Education. The program was awarded $766,000 per year for up to four years with the goal of raising science achievement in grades 4-6. Science Matters is a collaboration of the Carpinteria Unified and the Santa Barbara Elementary school districts; UC Santa Barbara’s Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry and the California Nanosystems Institute; UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz Graduate School of Education; Westmont College; WestEd (P.A.S.S.); the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History; the Wharton Foundation and the RORD Foundation.

Suzanne Oliver, Director of Community Relations at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, says, “We are delighted to be in partnership with our colleagues in Science Matters! The Gevirtz School has taken a leadership role – both at UC Santa Barbara and in the community – to support the development of highly qualified teachers. Science Matters! provides a unique opportunity for us to develop a pipeline of specialist science master teachers and new teachers.”

[Suzanne Oliver is available for interviews; contact George Yatchisin at 805 893 5789]
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Photo Caption: UC Santa Barbara Professor Tanya Atwater leads a session of Science Matters!

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