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District staff recommend adopting TCI’s Science Alive as primary 3–5 science resource
Summary
Instructional leaders told the Fremont County School District #25 board that teachers selected TCI’s Science Alive after a year‑long, teacher‑led review; staff asked trustees to approve the program for grades 3–5 with implementation planned for August 2025.
Yvonne Thornley, the district instructional coach and Title I specialist, told the Fremont County School District #25 board that teachers and a committee recommend adopting TCI’s Science Alive as the primary science curriculum for grades 3 through 5 at Aspen, Willow and Tabitha elementary schools.
Thornley said the process began in November with nine vendors, which teachers narrowed to five, then three, and finally a single recommendation. "We are right now, third through fifth in a myriad of resources. And so teachers don't have a primary resource," Thornley said, adding that teachers matched vendor materials against district adoption criteria and the Wyoming State Standards for Science. She said the committee prioritized ease of use, hands‑on activities, print and digital options, teacher‑level flexibility and embedded assessments.
Thornley told the board TCI will provide initial professional learning at the start of the 2025–26 school year and follow‑up training during the year. She said teachers asked that the program be adaptable to varied daily instructional time: "If I have 30 minutes, I have 45 minutes. If I don't teach science every single day... I wanted something simplistic as they got into science." Thornley also said the curriculum ships with classroom kits estimated to last two years given local class sizes.
Board members asked about fidelity and alignment to later grades. Jody (board member) said she hoped consistent use in 3–5 would ease students' transition to middle and high school science; Thornley answered that implementation across the three elementary grades was intended to provide that continuity and that teachers had matched program lessons to district priority standards.
Thornley closed by asking trustees to "please present TCI Science Alive to you for your approval for science grades 3 through 5," and noted the program also has materials available for younger grades should the district later choose to expand the adoption.
No formal adoption vote of the science resource appears in the public portion of the meeting record. Trustees discussed the presentation and expressed support for giving teachers a consistent primary resource, but the transcript does not record a motion or final board action on the adoption request.
If trustees later place the curriculum up for an official vote, staff said they plan to schedule training so teachers can begin using the program in August 2025.
