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Aurora West USD 129 staff present elementary science program proposal, pricing and professional learning plan
Summary
District staff asked the board to consider adopting a new elementary science resource with six years of teacher digital access and three years of student access; materials cost shown at about $342,000 and a professional learning package was proposed to support fall implementation.
Aurora West USD 129 staff presented an elementary science resource adoption package and preliminary pricing during the April 21 board meeting, asking the board to approve step two of the adoption and to permit planned professional learning that would support a fall rollout.
Dr. Sarah Waddell, assistant director of elementary teaching and learning, told the board that full sample materials are available for public review and that a demo site code is posted for trustees and the community to inspect digital content. Waddell said the proposal requests six years of teacher digital access and three years of student digital access, with a total materials estimate of about $342,000 for the six-year teacher access line. The district is seeking three years of student digital access now with the option to renew later.
Waddell said the materials package includes teacher guides, substantial hands-on student materials (including consumables similar to workbooks) and Spanish support. She described the purchase as including student consumables and noted that many lessons are designed for more instructional days than the district currently schedules, which is why the district is requesting a three-year student-access start.
The professional learning line on the presentation would fund consultant time and training this spring and into the fall, including preparatory work for curriculum leads and classroom teachers. Waddell said the professional learning plan is intended to preserve the instructional integrity of the program and to help teachers adapt pacing to the district’s shorter elementary science schedule.
Board members asked whether the materials represent substantial new content for teachers; Waddell said topics align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and many topics are familiar, but the program’s structure and materials will be new and will require focused training and fidelity to the program’s scope and sequence.
No final purchasing vote was taken at the April 21 meeting; staff said they would proceed with professional learning planning pending board agreement to move forward with step two of the adoption process.
Ending
Staff asked trustees to review samples and pricing and to confirm next steps; if the board approves the adoption in a later meeting, district procurement and scheduling will determine contract details and implementation timeline.
