Fun science program at Ortega Elementary School, neat!

Thanks to the parent-teacher's organization, and  highly skilled volunteers.

Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff, 4/23/13."Ortega School science wins J. Russell Kent award"

No rat labs please....

"The science lab program at Ortega Elementary School won a prestigious J. Russell Kent award from the San Mateo School Boards Association.  Ortega's science coordinators, Mary Cheng, Stephanie Trelogan and Julia Hall, received the honor at a reception last Monday where this year's recipients were honored. The J. Russell Kent Award recognizes unique and excellent programs in the schools across the  county.

Cheng volunteered to teach the program when her child was in the first grade. The labs explore areas of study that had not been part of the regular school curriculum. The school's parent-teacher organization raised the funds necessary to keep the program alive by paying the coordinators and by purchasing FOSS science kits and other experimental material.  

The program began modestly, beginning with first grade labs the first year and adding one grade at a time. Now, each class has a science lab once a week. The lessons get tougher as the years progress. Kindergartners observe goldfish. Fifth graders watch chemical reactions in ziplock bags. The coordinators all have a background in science. Trelogan earned a master's degree in molecular biology and Cheng, a Ph.D, teaches at UC Berkeley." Read article. 

Reference - San Mateo County Office of Education, School Boards Association,  J. Russell Kent awards. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh