District recommends LabAids kits and online materials for middle school science aligned to new state standards

Unionville-Chadds Ford School District staff on May 12 presented a recommendation to adopt LabAids as the primary middle‑school science resource to align instruction with Pennsylvania’s updated science standards and phenomenon‑based approaches.

Amy Salisbury, a middle‑school science teacher and department chair who led the teacher review, said the committee of sixth‑ through eighth‑grade teachers tested multiple programs and found LabAids best matched classroom needs. Salisbury described LabAids as lab‑based, blending hands‑on materials with online simulations and editable digital content that teachers can tailor to district curriculum.

Presenters said the LabAids materials emphasize “phenomena‑based” instruction — starting with observable real‑world events and connecting reading, vocabulary and labs to those phenomena — and that the package includes reusable lab kits that should reduce recurring consumable costs. The district presented an estimated combined cost of $249,812.82 for physical materials and digital licenses; staff said the cost was budgeted in the curriculum instruction funds.

Next steps and logistics If the board approves, staff said they will acquire the materials, plan professional development for teachers on the new resource and revise the middle‑school science curriculum as needed. Staff emphasized that much of the LabAids content is reusable, though some consumables such as soil or salts will require periodic replenishment.

No formal motion or vote was taken at the May 12 meeting; presenters said the recommendation will be on the June board agenda for approval and that materials will be available for public review in the coming weeks.