fernbank-blue-ribbon-task-force-final-report

Fernbank Science Center Blue Ribbon Task Force This final report contains strong recommendations The two dozen people who sat down to this job almost exactly a year ago share many of Fernbank’s admirable characteristics They are thorough, committed, bright and questioning Yet the job of defining the future of this wonderful place was complex We did not succeed in creating a blueprint for its future It frustrated many of us We found: 1) The Science Center critically needs attention, oversight and support from school administrators and the public 2) We struggle to find basic documents about the Science Center’s finances, lease agreements and teaching arrangements The methods of record keeping and the records themselves seem opaque 3) The talent and dedication of the faculty is dimmed by conflicting missions and leadership We support several ideas better to align the Science Center with your goal of improving science education throughout Premier DeKalb County Schools The immediate changes to polish the gem that is Fernbank include: • A dramatic increase in the number of students offered the premiere class, Scientific Tools and Techniques, for school year 2006-2007, to demonstrate commitment to greater access and revamping middle school science teaching • Use technology in sharing terrific teaching through the system • Require mastery of science before promoting students The Subcommittee working on programming and instruction finds many nagging problems at Fernbank Science Center consistent with lack of funding, conflicting missions and oversight Maintenance, the future of the forest, bus schedules, and poor follow-through from classroom teachers figure in the problems we found But perhaps most discouraging was our difficulty clarifying and evaluating what Fernbank Science Center actually does, and who its target populations are (See page 14 of attached report.) The remaining three subcommittees struggled with similar issues They did not choose to create reports We have great admiration for the staff and faculty at Fernbank, and offer particular thanks to Ann Johnson for her friendly diligence in recording, transcribing and making sense of long meetings She was careful and successful in her work Your staff made our job easier Thank you for meeting with us twice, and sending us so many highly placed administration leaders to help us Sincerely, Sally Sears, Chair Executive Committee Blue Ribbon Future of Fernbank Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS • Overview letter to Superintendent Crawford Lewis • History of Committee and procedure • Subcommittee members, assignments and addresses • Final Report, Subcommittee One • Notes from Subcommittee Two • Serious Issues from Subcommittee Three • Subcommittee Four: from Committee minutes I HISTORY Members of the Study Group were appointed by the DeKalb County School Board, school administrators and Fernbank Science Center Director Mac Sudduth The first meeting was April 27, 2005 The charge to the group was first made by Superintendent Crawford Lewis in a memorandum to the Board of Education January 21, 2005 He asked then assistant Superintendent Abbe Boring to convene this committee with Director Mac Sudduth to “…review Fernbank’s programs, services and facilities along with the needs of all the stakeholders in our community…” Later, the Superintendent met with the Task Force As recorded by the minutes and several members present, here is what the Superintendent asked the group to do: “study the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM Science Program, including Fernbank Science Center’s programs, activities and facilities, with the goal of making recommendations to improve science education throughout the entire school system, P-12, over the next 10 years Early meetings, in April, June and July, 2005 were led by Director Mac Sudduth, who encouraged conversation by staff members about the work of the Science Center In August, 2005, a small number of committee members assembled and divided their task into four sub-committees Sally Sears was also chosen to be the chairman of the executive committee, subject to a vote by the full committee at the September meeting II PROCEDURE The subcommittees and their leadership are: • Instruction and Programming, led by Fannie Tartt and Page Olsen • Buildings and Facilities, chaired by Bruce McDonald and Tim Carssow • Institutional Advancement, chaired by Sandra Spruill and Laraine Tomassi • Access and Outreach, led by Sharon Riviere and Gustavia Evans The chairmanships were subsequently unanimously endorsed at the September meeting, as was the selection of Ms Sears as executive committee chair The subcommittee chairs agreed at the September meeting to establish their own regular meetings, and report to the whole committee at monthly intervals During the fall and winter, 2005-2006, the groups met in various parts of the county, including at Arabia Mountain with Superintendent Crawford Lewis and at another meeting of the committee chairs at Arabia Mountain with DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones Several members of the Board of Education, and several members of the DeKalb County Commission joined various meetings In February Subcommittee One began firming its recommendations Several meetings for writing and analysis followed, and their conclusions are attached Subcommittee Two met in the fall several times They report being hampered in their work by budgeting complexities at the county level Ultimately they agreed the School Board and the Administration need to resolve questions about the relationship between the Science Center and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History Some early minutes are attached Subcommittee Three’s chairwomen held several meetings They chose not to plan any further meetings because of serious problems which they identified as legal issues Their conclusions are attached Subcommittee Four met regularly in late summer and fall They found an urgent need to expand the Science Center’s offerings to many more students, and have extensive plans for how to alert parents and school administrators of the programs at the Science Center As of Monday, April 17, 2006, at close of business, Subcommittee Four has no report in writing In lieu of a written report, some minutes from Task Force fall meetings are attached Subcommittee Programming & Instruction Chairs: Dr Fannie Tartt, Page Olson Members: Ralph Buice Ralph Cordell Rachel Fiore Joyce Gamble Doug Hrabe Marlene MacLeish Pat Marsteller Aneli Nugteren Ken Townsel Larry Wilson Subcommittee Facilities & Equipment, or Building & Land, or Money, Budget: What we have, what we need? Chairs: Bruce MacGregor, Tim Carssow Members: Ralph Cordell David Dundee Nikki Hayes Debbie Schneider Larry Wilson Subcommittee Institutional Advancement: How we expand the programs and reach more students? What grants are out there? What are in the pipeline? Self-study? Chairs: Laraine Tomassi, Sandy Spruill Members: Jenice Brinkley Joyce Gamble Marlene MacLeish Pat Marsteller Susan Neugent Mac Platt Philippi Snow Subcommittee Access and Outreach: How we make sure that everyone knows about the opportunities Fernbank offers? Chairs: Gustavia Evans, Sharon Riviere Members: Brandi Berry Jenice Brinkley Rev Willie Heard Aneli Nugteren Philippi Snow Members and leaders self-chosen & approved Sept 28, 2005 Members of the Committee Chair: William Mac Sudduth Director, Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Park Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30307 678-874-7119 mail to:mac.sudduth@fernbank.edu ]mac.sudduth@fernbank.edu District 1- Chip Franzoni Ms Page Olson 1148 Redfield Ridge Dunwoody GA 30338 770-395-6025 Cell: 404-909-9857 mail to:gardengirlpage@bellsouth.net ]gardengirlpage@bellsouth.net District 2-Lynn Cherry Grant R Bruce MacGregor 432 Burlington Road Atlanta, GA 30307 404-378-6040 (home) 404-308-1322 Home email: brucemac@earthlink.net District 3-Sarah Copelin Wood Brenda G Lundy 3349 Lawrence Street Scottdale, GA 30079 (404) 292-5915 District 4-Bebe Joyner Ms Laraine Tomassi 2109 Black Box Drive Atlanta, GA 30345 404-325-5441 mail to:bltnk@earthlink.net ]bltnk@earthlink.net District 5-Frances Edwards Ms Jenice Brinkley 4315 Riverview Lane Lithonia, GA 30038 Home: 770-981-4584 Cell: 404-597-9178 jeniceb@bellsouth.net District 6-Simone Manning Moon Ms Sharon Riviere 6877 Stone Breeze Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Home: 770-482-1413 Cell: 678-643-8699 mailto:rivshr@aol.com Also CB Miller, 770-484-4900 District 7-Zepora W Roberts Dr Fannie Tartt 3917 Evans Mill Road Lithonia, GA 30038 770-482-4508 mail to:tartt.fan@comcast.net District 8- Cassandra M Anderson District –Elizabeth Andrews Sandra Hill Spruill Grants Administrator Georgia Public Broadcasting 260 14th Street NW Atlanta, GA 30318-5360 Home Mailing Address: 3964 Preston Court, NE Atlanta, GA 30319-1676 sspruill@gpb.org or mailto:sandyspruill@yahoo.com Home: 404-255-2328 Office: 404-685-2582 Fax: 404-685-2599 Cell: 404-964-4696 At Large Members: Dr Ralph L Cordell Director, Office of Science Education Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MS K-29 4770 Buford Highway Atlanta, GA 30341 mail to:rzc4@cdc.gov ]rzc4@cdc.gov 770-488-6109 Fax 770-488-6191 Gustavia Evans CEISMC 760 Spring Street Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0282 404-894-3342 Fax: 404-894-9675 mail to:gustavia.evans@ceismc.gatech.edu Mrs Nikki S Hayes Public Health Advisor CDC 7203 Glenn Cove Lane Stone Mountain, GA 30087 770-488-4879 (work) mail to:nhh1@cdc.gov Reverend Willie Heard 4333 Abram Lane Conley, GA 30288 404-243-0409 Commissioner Larry L Johnson DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Manuel Maloof Administration Building 1300 Commerce Drive Decatur, GA 30030 Office: 404-371-2425 Fax: 404-687-3595 mail to:mabritto@co.dekalb.ga.us Dr Marlene Y MacLeish National Space Biomedical Research Institute Morehouse School of Medicine 720 Westview Drive S.W Atlanta, GA 30310-1496 404-756-5706 Fax 404-752-1043 mail to:macleim@msm.edu Sally Sears WSB Television 1420 Harvard Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30306-2415 Office: 404-897-7814 Home: 404-378-0818 Cell: 404-213-0127 mail to:willsb@bellsouth.net J McDowell (Mac) Platt 929 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30307-1225 Home: 404-373-1169 Cell: 404-307-6694 mail to:bopworld@msn.com Pat Marsteller, Ph.D Director, Emory College Center for Science Education Director, Hughes Science Initiative 1399 Oxford Road Atlanta, GA 30322 404-727-9696 Fax: 404-727-9702 mail to:pmars@learnlink.emory.edu Fernbank Science Center Dr Larry Wilson Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30307 mail to:larry.wilson@fernbank.edu Philippi Snow Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Park Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30307 678-874-7134 mail to:Philipi.snow@fernbank.edu AlternateJoyce Gamble Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Park Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30307 678-874-7126 mail to:joyce.gamble@fernbank.edu Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium Mr David Dundee Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Park Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30307 678-874-7128 mail to:david.dundee@fernbank.edu Fernbank Museum of Natural History Ms Susan Neugent President and CEO Fernbank Museum of Natural History 767 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30307 404-929-6310 susan.neugent@fernbank.edu Mr Tim Carssow Kilpatrick Stockton LLP Suite 2800 1100 Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30308-4530 Office: 404-815-6610 Fax: 404-541-3147 tcarssow@kilpatrickstockton.com Ms Aneli Nugteren-alternate Chief Operating Officer Fernbank Museum of Natural History 767 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30307 404-929-6358 mail to:Aneli.nugteren@fernbank.edu Committee Staff Dr Ralph Buice Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Park Drive, NE Atlanta, GA 30307 678-874-7126 mail to:ralph.buice@fernbank.edu Ann Johnson Fernbank Science Center 156 Heaton Park Drive, NE Atlanta, GA 30307 678-874-7104 mail to:ann.johnson@fernbank.edu also noted: Middle School Science Coordinator Ken Townsel cell: 770-639-3940, office: 678-676-0136 email: Kenneth_A_Townsel@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Blue Ribbon Committee on Fernbank Science Center and P-12 Science Curriculum Programming and Instruction Team Working Recommendation March 19, 2006 Dr Lewis’ Charge to the Committee Superintendent Crawford Lewis’ plan for a premier DeKalb County School System calls for leadership, data analysis, accountability, customer service, access/equity and training as the keys to achieving the goals of a premier school system The achievement gap between Caucasian and Asian students and Hispanic and African American students in CRCT scores and other indicators is the most serious challenge Dr Lewis’ overall charge to the committee studying Fernbank Science Center’s future was to study the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM Science Program, including Fernbank Science Center’s programs, activities and facilities, with the goal of making recommendations to improve science education throughout the entire school system, P-12, over the next 10 years Dr Lewis further charged the committee to identify or determine: • What DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM does well and should continue or expand • What DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM could improve, particularly through better utilization of expertise at Fernbank Science Center • Best practices DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM ought to be doing • The role Fernbank Science Center shall play in helping to make DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM a Premier System Executive Summary and Primary Recommendations DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM will increase science achievement for all P-12 students by: • Enhancing teacher quality • Raising expectations for all stakeholders • Demonstrating progress in closing achievement gaps The Committee recommends ensuring that all students are exposed to challenging courses in science steeped in the excitement of inquiry To increase student achievement, changes are needed in: • Science teacher preparation • Professional development • P-12 science courses and curricula Extra support should be provided for students who need it to reach the higher expectations To change practices and policies to increase student achievement, the following are needed: • Better teaching quality • Dioramas depicting animals and habitat • A wetlands exhibit •  A composting exhibit •  Partnered with NASA and Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio to offer a hands-on science experience for students in Grades K-12 called Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) SEMAA students study science, technology, engineering and mathematics on Saturday mornings (and weekdays during the summer) while their parents attend a “Family Café” with sessions designed to help them help their children be more successful in school Fernbank Science Center developed the K-12 summer SEMAA curriculum for NASA and the other SEMAA sites around the country Thousands of DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM students and parents have benefited from this program Fernbank Science Center offers: • Single visit programs to the Center for programs taught by Fernbank Science Center Instructors • Programs at the Jim Cherry Planetarium, Stone Mountain, Davidson-Arabia Mountain, and Hidden Acres Park enrich the instruction at DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM Schools • Outreach programs at DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM schools using expertise and materials relocated to the instructional site to supplement science instruction in the school • Advanced Placement courses, Advanced Studies (formerly titled Independent Study) programs, teacher development courses and special education programs for special needs students • Age-appropriate and curriculum-matched Human Development Sexuality courses for students in grades 5, 6, 7, and 9-12, both at Fernbank Science Center and as outreach programs in the schools These include a program dedicated to STD Prevention and, for middle and high school students, a newly developed course on HIV/AIDS • A Vocational Horticulture program, taught by Fernbank specialists, for special needs students who are offered instruction and engagement in activities that prepare them for employment, selfsufficiency, and the ability to be productive citizens Fernbank Science Center’s instructional staff: • Create curricula for, conduct, and modify as appropriate, all of the above • Work with elementary school staff to prepare Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings, and Critical Experiences for each standard/element at the elementary level These will serve as a great resource for all elementary science teachers • Provide support (coaching, assisting students, parents and teachers, running practice events, judging events) for competitive science events and other activities that strongly motivate students Examples are Science Fairs, Science Olympiad, Academic Bowl, and science research projects • Writes, edits, and publishes original publications distributed to all elementary schools quarterly Primarily for U.S., Just for U.S., and Ready for U.S provide information and activities that complement the curriculum These newsletters supplement classroom instruction in DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM elementary schools DESPITE THIS IMPRESSIVE LIST, DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM SCIENCE EDUCATION DOES NOT HAVE THE EMPHASIS, PRIORITY, AND LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE IN OUR CURRICULUM THAT IT NEEDS AND DESERVES Issues facing the Fernbank Science Center Fernbank Science Center is to be commended for its exceptional programming for P-12 students and for the alignment of its program content with National and Georgia State standards Fernbank Science Center faces increasing demand for its services, including the STT program, single-visit and outreach programs, elementary and middle school science classes Despite this, Fernbank Science Center has received significant cuts in budget and staff in recent years Deferred maintenance and expanded missions present challenges that must be resolved if Fernbank Science Center is to optimally contribute to its mission in making DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM a premier school system, in science education as well as across the board Some causes for concern are: • DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM has many new and enthusiastic administrators who may not fully understand the scope and content of Fernbank Science Center programs Better communication may be needed to make them aware of all offerings pertinent to their needs • The perception and/or reality that some schools not receive their fair share of resources or science support from Fernbank Science Center (See Goal (b).) • The limited number of students that can realistically be served by Fernbank Science Center without significant expansion of staff and facilities • The need for expansion of Outreach programs to schools, of student programs, and of teacher support by Fernbank Science Center • The exploration and re-evaluation of the future of the Challenger Learning Center is required • If Fernbank Science Center is expanded to accommodate more classes and house the Challenger Learning Center careful study about physical placement will be needed Current resources of the Fernbank Science Center may not align with its recommended mission We also have the following concerns: • The duplication of programs and services by Fernbank Science Center and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and the effect on partnerships with other institutions, require study • The partnership between Fernbank Science Center and Fernbank Museum of Natural History should be reviewed, clarified and re-established In summary, we recommend that Fernbank undergo an evaluation of all programs and their impact on science attainment A Vision for Fernbank Science Center In line with the overall goal of helping DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM become a premier school system by helping increase science achievement for all P-12 students and teachers, we see Fernbank Science Center continuing to serve as a resource through an emphasis on student and teacher programming DeKalb taxpayers and community leaders expect Fernbank Science Center to continue exposing all students to challenging courses in science DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM needs to provide adequate money and leadership for Fernbank Science Center to continue its mission Therefore, the Blue Ribbon Task Force studying Fernbank Science Center has several recommendations to improve the functioning of Fernbank Science Center within DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM This committee sees that the most critical need is 1) to clarify and evaluate what Fernbank Science Center does, and 2) clarify its target populations Aligning the instructional work at Fernbank Science Center with the needs of the county involves some very specific goals In the broadest sense, Fernbank Science Center can assist by 1) increasing the number of P-12 students that benefit from Fernbank Science Center programs, 2) assisting in the development of resources, materials and instructional units for all schools (3) improving teaching quality At the core of our recommendations lies the belief that Fernbank Science Center should immediately begin work to prepare an internal strategic 10-year plan that identifies and prioritizes the programs and services that should grow and expand The plan should identify the resources (staff, facilities, equipment, and space) that will be needed to accomplish planned growth and expansion The planning document should include an analysis of the current distribution of services to teachers, students and the general public, as well as how current fiscal and human resources are utilized It should also identify where current resources could be re-distributed to priority programs in the short term The plan should also set priorities with respect to teaching students, teaching teachers, teaching parents, and general public aspects of programming The DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM should seek an outside evaluation of the entire science center Comparing the outside study with the internal plan and the task force recommendation enough information should be available for the County to proceed with its 10-year plan The primary focus at Fernbank Science Center is to teach DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM students and teachers and help provide opportunities for quality science instruction to every DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM student The teachers at the center will continue to provide leadership and model the rigor, excitement and high standards that are needed for science instruction through summer and academic-year single-visit and outreach programs for students and their teachers, more professional development classes, and onsite feedback To these ends, we envision the future mission of Fernbank Science Center in these ways Fernbank staff should work with DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM elementary science coordinator(s) and the elementary science team to research and disseminate best instructional practices for science instruction in the elementary grades Fernbank Science Center, in addition to student instruction, also will provide facilities and resources for science teacher professional development Fernbank Science Center will host science content classes and workshops on instructional practices for teachers Fernbank Science Center and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History constitute a partnership that should communicate, support and collaborate The historic partnership with Fernbank, Inc and DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM should be expanded so that all DeKalb students and teachers can take advantage of the extensive science-based exhibition, large format film and laboratory facilities available at the Museum of Natural History Fernbank Science Center, with District supervision and guidance (Department of Research and Evaluation), will conduct a self-study to document the impact of its current programs on students and teachers Through an expanded partnership with Fernbank, Inc the Fernbank Forest will continue to be one of the foremost sites for teaching the ecology, biological and environmental sciences to DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM students and teachers Create a “Fernbank Fellows Association” composed of DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM teachers and administrators, working with Fernbank Science Center staff to meet on a regular basis for discussions concerning science instruction and to brainstorm ideas that will improve science experiences in the classroom Fernbank Science Center should form a School Council for Fernbank Science Center: * See appendix Fernbank Science Center should revisit the mission statement and should ensure that the goals are aligned with those set by any revision to the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM mission Goals and Strategies for Fernbank Science Center Goal 1: SCHOOLS: Ensure that all schools fully utilize the opportunities available to them from Fernbank Science Center Strategies: Provide information to each administrator, parent, teacher and principal about the programs available from Fernbank Science Center and ensure equitable access Working with DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, evaluate plans for transporting students to Fernbank Science Center Let instruction drive transportation, rather than allowing transportation to drive instruction This strategy has three parts: a Consider revamping the three-tiered bus system to restore the number of trips to Fernbank Science Center b Consider adding dedicated buses for Fernbank Science Center trips along with other activity buses Increase the number of students utilizing the resources at the Fernbank Science Center At the very least all students should have the opportunity to experience the planetarium, the Challenger Learning Center, the forest and the Human Development programs at least once during their education Goal 2: OUTREACH: Increase the number of outreach visits to the schools from staff at the FERNBANK SCIENCE CENTER Strategies: Continue to develop and expand onsite demonstration lessons with students as the teacher observes and participates This should include a pre-conference and post-conference which can be documented Establish an equitable method of ensuring that each student in DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM has certain identified experiences at Fernbank Science Center Goal 3: ELEMENTS: Ensure that all schools have the resources, technology, materials and curriculum units for teaching and learning science Strategies: Fernbank Science Center should assist in the preparation of a standard list of equipment for each grade level or subject Fernbank Science Center should assist in developing instructional materials for each science class aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards Fernbank Science Center should provide summer and academic-year enrichment experiences for highachieving students, as well as remediation opportunities for students deemed at risk in science Goal 4: STRUCTURE: Establish a school council Strategy: Establish a school council for Fernbank Science Center to function with the Director, parents, teachers and business representatives meeting monthly in public, and reporting to the Superintendent of DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM Goal 5: PROGRAMS: Develop collaborative relationships with other institutions that result in new student programs, used by more students Strategies: Create and strengthen partnerships with institutions that can assist Fernbank Science Center in its mission Examples: a Fernbank Museum of Natural History b Georgia Aquarium c Zoo Atlanta d Lockheed Martin e Centers for Disease Control and Prevention f NASA g Agnes Scott College h Emory University i Georgia Tech j Morehouse School of Medicine Expand the already-superior programs that bring students to Fernbank Science Center for classes and experiences that cannot be implemented in the local classrooms With appropriate resources, quadruple the enrollment of STT students Additionally, ensure that all middle schools are equitably represented in the program There is no single greater measure of Fernbank Science Center’s success than this 9th-grade class Roughly 2% of our 7,000 ninth graders are enrolled in STT If we quadruple the number we will still only be servicing 9.7% of the ninth grade students Additional thoughts: Scientific Tools and Techniques Motivated students taught in small groups by highly qualified faculty make dramatic advances in their knowledge of science And they keep that edge through secondary school and in the rest of their lives In an evaluation of the program in 1993, researchers from Georgia State University and Fernbank Science Center found that the half-day, one-semester program lifted high school grade point averages for STT alumni by 7% For African American male students, the gap was higher: 19% versus a control group STT graduates take advanced science courses in significantly higher numbers than their classmates who did not take STT Graduates are three times as likely to be employed full-time in science or a sciencerelated field as students who did not take STT In the current school year (2005-2006), the STT program serves a varied slice of motivated students from across the county: The current class is 67% female, 59% African American, 25% Caucasian, 12% Asian and 2% Hispanic With the current offering of only 180 seats for the 7,000 ninth graders this program is too valuable to be so limited Parental Involvement Achieving the goal of raising DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM student achievement in science will require a significant increase in the quality of scientific education at all levels including in K-8th grade We recommend that parents be required to commit to joining their students in active inquiry Success through parental commitment is demonstrated at DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM theme and charter schools Parents should be offered several options to demonstrate their support during middle school SEMAA, offered by NASA through Fernbank Science Center on Saturday mornings and during the summer, demonstrates how achievement levels rise when parents join students and teachers in inquiry-based education Appendix School Councils The A+ Education Reform Act of 2000 established school councils in Georgia to "bring communities and schools closer together in a spirit of cooperation to: • • • • solve difficult education problems, improve academic achievement, provide support for teachers and administrators, and bring parents into the school-based decision-making process." School councils provide advice, recommendations, and assistance to principals and local boards of education The law details the composition of the council, its responsibilities, and procedures for conducting business The 2004 General Assembly in HB 1190 provided flexibility in membership, chairmanship, meetings, elections and trainings for school councils The changes also provided clarity that school councils are to focus on student achievement and school improvement • • • • • • School councils are composed of a minimum of seven council members: The principal At least two certificated teachers elected by the teachers At least two parents (or guardians) elected by the parents Two businesspersons Other members as specified in the council's bylaws Council Members serve a term of two years, or for a term specified in the council's bylaws Appendix Items pulled from the Programming and Instruction Recommendation and assigned to another team • • • • Better financial information should be available in order to evaluate how Fernbank Science Center and DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM allocate and distribute resources Financial statements prepared and audited in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and auditing standards improve the quality of financial information available The State of Georgia requires charitable organizations that have net operating income exceeding $200,000 to prepare audited financial statements Greater transparency in terms of financial information leads to greater accountability Fernbank Forest will provide security on all days and hours it is open Find funds for planetarium repairs and improvements Put on separate sheet, give to Finance and Building Team Challenger Learning Center should be fully staffed and usable Building and Equipment • • • Capital funds may be available; however, operating expenses/revenues have not been identified Fernbank Forest needs money to maintain bridges and paths, to provide security and to remove invasive non-native species of plants The lease between the Museum and the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM expires in 2012 Resources are needed to repair planetarium Institutional Advancement • • Brand confusion exists related to the “Fernbank” name Fundraising for a governmental; rather than for a 501©(3), presents issues for some donors SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER TWO NOTES FROM OCTOBER 3, 2005 MEETING OF FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT COMMITTEE Following are some notes from the meeting of the Facilities and Equipment Committee on October 3, 2005, which we felt might be of interest to the rest of the Commission: During the school year, the observatory and planetarium are open to the general public on Thursday and Friday evenings, and at 3:00 p.m on Saturday and 2:00 p.m on Sunday During the summer, they are open Monday through Friday The forest and the exhibit halls are open to the general public 2:00-5:00 p.m on school days, and on weekends and school holidays Admission to the exhibits, forest, and observatory is free Admission to the planetarium is $4 for adults and $3 for students Annual admission to the planetarium is around 130,000, with around 85,000 of this total being DeKalb County students and 10,000 non-DeKalb County students Budgeting for the Science Center is fragmented The budget that covers salaries and benefits for Science Center personnel and some related items is approximately $5 million annually Most of the costs of maintaining and operating the Science Center are funded from the general Board of Education budget These are not broken out by different facilities Mac Sudduth estimates, based upon his experience at other institutions, that the total annual cost of operating the Science Center is approximately $8 million There is a preliminary capital budget for needed renovations for the existing facilities totaling around $7.6 million About half of these costs relate to improvements to the planetarium A copy of this was distributed to the commission at an earlier meeting The current facility (excluding the temporary space) has about 45,000 square feet, of which 8,500 is exhibit space In 2002, the architect for the school board prepared preliminary plans for expansion of the Science Center The proposed three-story expansion contained approximately 115,000 square feet, and extended westward from the current building The expansion would add approximately 36 new classrooms and approximately 10,000 square feet of exhibit space (for temporary and permanent exhibits) The Science Center obtained the Challenger Center (space exploration) from Scitrek when it closed The exhibit is currently in storage The forest is used as a teaching tool, including the forest platforms, which have been repaired Hunteman pond, recently dredged, was originally the water source for the owner’s house Much of the upkeep for the forest and pond is funded by the Science Center staff selling their services as consultants Preliminary Report of Facilities and Equipment Subcommittee Friday, October 11, 2005 The Facilities and Equipment Subcommittee has met and obtained data concerning the current use of the Fernbank Science Center facilities, and as well as information concerning past planning efforts for expanding the facilities We have also received limited budget information concerning the operation of the facilities, but have been hampered in this regard as much of the budgeting is done at the County level and not at a facilities level Our committee is waiting for the reports of the other committees before proceeding to formulate recommendations regarding the facilities as we believe that needs must be assessed and established before planning for renovation of the current facilities or expansion thereof Assessment of the needs of the Science Center by necessity requires addressing the appropriate focus of the Science Center Among the questions to be resolved by the Blue Ribbon Commission and the School Board are : 1) whether the Fernbank Science Center primarily serves to teach students or teach teachers 2) whether the Fernbank Science Center remains a one of a kind facility, or one of several regional facilities 3) whether the Fernbank Science Center becomes the parent facility of a system of science centers 4) The role of Fernbank in developing and administering the science curriculum of the school system 5) the extent to which the Fernbank Science Center is to operate as a museum catering to the general public Subcommittee / Institutional Advancement: Final Report More than months ago, the Institutional Advancement Subcommittee identified two serious issues that must be satisfactorily resolved before it makes sense to proceed with planning in any area, including institutional advancement These serious issues, which were identified and brought to the attention of the entire taskforce concern: (1) the lease for Fernbank Forest, which expires in 2012, and (2) the deed to the property upon which Fernbank Science Center is located (From the Warranty Deed, August 16, 1966, between Fernbank, Inc selling four acres of land (Land Lot 244) to DeKalb Board of Education: "This Deed is executed upon the condition that in the event the above described property is not used for a science center or cultural center, the above described property shall revert to the Grantor herein, its successors or assigns in as full and complete a manner as if this deed had never been executed." ) We (Subcommittee / Institutional Advancement) believe that these issues are the ones upon which everything else must be predicated To date, to our knowledge, these issues have not been addressed in any manner We not believe it is possible to move forward on institutional advancement without some reasonable legal assurance that Fernbank Science Center will remain in place We have been unable to obtain this from Premier DeKalb County School System Further, there seems to be a lack of protocol for the handling of the Fernbank Science Center legal documents within the Premier DeKalb County School System As a result there seems to be an across-theboard lack of knowledge about whether or not Fernbank Science Center and Fernbank, Inc / Fernbank Museum of Natural History are each meeting the terms and conditions of the lease agreement satisfactorily There also is a lack of agreement between Fernbank, Inc and Premier DeKalb County School System about the division of roles and responsibilities between Fernbank Science Center and Fernbank Museum of Natural History Additionally, it has not been possible to obtain clear and complete budget information covering the past several fiscal years, from either the Fernbank Science Center administration or the Premier DeKalb County School System Finance Department We have also requested a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools self-study and/or evaluation for Fernbank Science Center and have been told that there is not one All of this information would be required prior to approaching anyone for funding, in-kind support, or partnerships We believe it should be in hand prior to any discussion of institutional advancement As a corollary point, it is notable that valuable time has been wasted and tasks were made impossible to complete due to the strange lack of transparency by Premier DeKalb County School System with members of an official task force created by the DCSS superintendent Many taskforce members were appointed by DeKalb School Board members, as well This lack of transparency should be addressed and corrected by the superintendent for future taskforces As parents who would like to see the Fernbank Science Center educational opportunity expanded, we also are distressed at the determined and continuing lack of vision in instructional planning by the instructional subcommittee of this taskforce This kind of vision and innovation, instead of the business-as-usual approach, is required to carry Fernbank Science Center into the 21st century and to the forefront of science instruction Demonstrating innovation and using technology to the fullest – which will leverage Fernbank Science Center’s outstanding faculty and enable reaching more students – are also necessary when seeking funding, in-kind support, or partnerships Therefore, we not believe it is appropriate to spend time discussing and planning for institutional advancement for Fernbank Science Center until these issues are resolved Certainly, it would not be possible or ethical to seek financial or in-kind support, or partnerships, for Fernbank Science Center when: • • • • its existence is tenuous its continuing connection with Fernbank Forest is not assured its financial information is incomplete there is no independent evaluation of Fernbank Science Center’s current operational, financial and instructional practices • there is a lack of vision and innovation at administrative levels in delivering the services of Fernbank Science Center • and there is a lack of agreement about Fernbank Science Center’s role vis-à-vis Fernbank Museum of Natural History Once these issues have been resolved, we will be willing to proceed with planning for institutional advancement for Fernbank Science Center Respectfully submitted, Sandra Hill Spruill; Co-chair Laraine Tomassi; Co-chair Subcommittee / Institutional Advancement Sub-Committee 4: Awareness and Outreach – Final Report July 28, 2006 Over the past year, the members of Subcommittee have investigated the issues of awareness of and access to the many services offered by the Fernbank Science Center (FSC) At the September 28, 2005 Taskforce meeting (see attached minutes), Subcommittee was specifically charged to: • Determine ways to make sure that everyone knew about, and used the resources at the FSC • Establish a goal for the use of the Center in ten years, and identify steps to achieve that goal • Analyze current patterns of use at FSC (Which schools use it now? Which teachers use it most?) • Determine which teachers and schools need more involvement with FSC • Develop strategies to increase the involvement of teachers and schools that have little or no access to the many services offered by FSC • Develop tactics to generate maximum parental and community use of and support for the FSC Subcommittee Actions: • In October of 2005, conducted a preliminary informal survey of communities, by zip code, to gather information about awareness of and access to FSC services (See attached survey and results) • Reported and discussed survey findings at the November 16, 2005 Taskforce Meeting Requested additional/related data from the FSC and DCSS Received data from the FSC • Toured the Arabia Mountain site in December of 2005, to evaluate its potential as a possible satellite location • In January of 2006, met with Dr Lewis and made a preliminary report of findings and recommendations (see attached) Also requested additional data from DCSS • In April of 2006, met with Dr Lewis, and other DCSS administrators, and Taskforce members in a wrap-up session to present findings and recommendations • In May of 2006, received and reviewed data provided by DCSS • Developed final report in July 2006 Subcommittee Findings: • Analysis of survey data gathered by the Committee, as well as data provided by FSC and DCSS, supports the contention that inequities exist related to awareness of and access to the services offered by the FSC Furthermore, our analysis reveals longstanding patterns of underutilization of the services offered by the FSC by teachers and schools in South DeKalb County • Observations made during walk throughs of high interest classes, such as meteorology and seismology, at the FSC revealed a limited capacity to effectively deliver such instruction to larger groups of students at this site We also noted that the offerings that are available appear to target middle and high school students, with little or no emphasis on science at the elementary level • FSC exhibits rarely change, and few are interactive • Better methods of communicating/disseminating information to teachers and schools about events and services that are available at FSC are needed to ensure that all DCSS teachers and students have opportunities to participate in all events Subcommittee Recommendations: • Create a system that provides more comprehensive guidelines for participation in events/classes with limited capacity, as well as general forums Such a system must have the ability to monitor patterns of participation and “red flag” indications of inequitable access • Create satellite locations at strategically accessible sites, such as Arabia Mountain and/or unused store properties, to maximize student access to the types of services offered by the FSC Establishing such satellite centers would concomitantly minimize the transportation conflicts that currently limit field trips to the present Center, positively impact the environment, and increase community awareness • Develop a communication network to facilitate the effective dissemination of information about FSC news and events Such a network must have at its head a designated staff member, and assistant, at the FSC From this nexus, each school and satellite location must also have a science teacher designated to receive and disseminate information received from the FSC in a timely fashion, ensuring proper accountability within the schools It is imperative that such a network be continuously monitored to ensure that all schools, teachers, students, and parents have access to information about all happenings at the FSC Efforts should be made to utilize resources currently available to DCSS when appropriate These may include the telephone broadcast system, district and school web sites, school marquees, staff e-mails, and Television One daily broadcast (science segment • Increase efforts to utilize the facilities and exhibits available at the Fernbank Museum to augment/complement offerings by the FSC • Update and vary programs to stimulate interest and excitement so they better supplement the lesson plans and help kids and teachers learn something new on each visit, which should have carryover value beyond the actual visit to the FSC • Create closer ties between the FSC, the satellite sites, and each of the schools by encouraging the schools to set up a “Cool School Case” that features or links to activities at the FSC as well as the Fernbank Museum