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Weare School Board adopts Carolina Open SciEd middle-school curriculum; first-year cost about $33,000
Summary
The Weare School Board voted April 15 to adopt the Carolina Open SciEd middle-school science curriculum. The board approved the purchase and training plan; presenters said the district budget set aside $27,000 and first‑year adoption would cost approximately $33,000, with lower ongoing replenishment costs.
WEARE, N.H. — The Weare School Board voted on April 15 to adopt the Carolina Open SciEd middle-school science curriculum for grades 6–8 and to begin teacher training and material purchases this year.
Board members approved the adoption after a presentation by a district science team and finance staff on classroom benefits, implementation and cost. The district team recommended Carolina Open SciEd for its phenomenon-based, hands-on approach and vertical alignment across grades 6–8. "Students drove the learning — they asked the questions, designed tests and explained why the materials worked," said Ryan Humbert, an eighth-grade science teacher who helped pilot the curriculum.
Jessica Potkett, a sixth-grade science teacher on the selection team, described a multi-month vetting process. "We taught sample lessons from nine programs and narrowed them to four before choosing this one," she said. The committee prioritized hands-on inquiry, phenomenon-based instruction, project-based learning, teacher supports and materials kits aligned to units.
Financial and implementation details presented to the board show an estimated first-year adoption cost of roughly $33,000 for all six middle-school units, including shipping and handling. Officials said ongoing annual replenishment and licensing costs are expected to fall to roughly $15,000 in year two, primarily for consumables and student materials. The district budget includes approximately $24,000 earmarked for a new science resource plus about $3,000 in typical science-supply funds, for a total of $27,000 already set aside; presenters said the district could absorb the remaining first-year cost from existing funds or pursue grant dollars for teacher manuals and training.
"Carolina Open SciEd provides unit-aligned lab kits and digital teacher supports that make phenomenon-based instruction practical for teachers who do not have deep content backgrounds," said a district administrator. The team said the program allows staged implementation: buying units over multiple years if needed, with training planned for June so teachers would begin next year with manuals and initial professional development.
The board moved and seconded a motion to adopt the curriculum and, following a voice vote, board members indicated approval. The meeting record does not show a recorded roll-call tally in the minutes; presenters said the program’s per-student cost would be under $100 per year when amortized across expected enrollment.
Why it matters: The adoption replaces older science materials with an integrated, three-year pathway aligned to NGSS-style performance expectations; presenters said the change should help keep material fresh across grades and better prepare students for state assessments.
What’s next: Staff will proceed with the purchase, begin scheduled training in June and plan a phased rollout of additional units in subsequent years. The team also will pursue available Title II/Title IV grant options to partially fund teacher manuals and professional development.
