Board approves new middle‑school science kit after debate over half‑class vs full sets

The Green Bay Area Public School District board on March 23 approved the purchase of a kit‑based middle‑school science instructional package recommended by curriculum staff, after a lengthy discussion over whether to buy a half‑class textbook set (the publisher’s recommended model) or full class sets for every student.

Curriculum staff described the program as a hands‑on, kit‑driven approach that pairs classroom kits with a smaller number of student text copies and online access. Staff said the recommended configuration is a "half class set" intended to promote group work under a four‑two‑one grouping model and explained that training and printable worksheets are part of the kit.

A board member moved an amendment to require a full class set of textbooks for each classroom, arguing West De Pere and other districts provide full sets and voicing concern about daily access and note‑taking. Staff and other board members countered that the publisher’s model assumes collaborative, lab‑based instruction, that trainers prepared teachers to use a half‑class set, and that the district can order additional copies or printings if classrooms need them.

"We were able to engage with CPUP again after our last meeting and increase the number of student books to 18 for the class set," a curriculum staff member said, describing workarounds including library copies, PDFs and printed worksheets teachers can request from the district print center.

The amendment to buy full class sets was put to an online roll‑call vote and failed. The main motion to purchase the materials as presented then carried in online voting with the recorded individual member results read into the record.

What the vote means: the district will implement the kit‑based middle‑school science materials, deploy professional learning for teachers on collaborative lab practices, and monitor classroom needs during a multi‑year implementation plan; the district said it can purchase additional copies later if monitoring indicates it is necessary.

Next steps: staff said they will support teachers with professional learning, provide printable materials and continue monitoring. The board discussed—and did not close—the option to add copies in future procurement if classrooms require a different configuration.