Board reviews multi‑year science curriculum recommendation, pilots favored Amplify and Mystery Science

Beth Johnson, the district's curriculum lead, presented a proposed K–12 science curriculum plan that combines platform purchases, consumable student materials, and simulation tools. She told the board the district piloted three middle‑school programs and that teachers and students rated Amplify highest for labs, navigation and assessment. For K–4, 50 of 53 surveyed K–5 teachers favored keeping Mystery Science; Johnson recommended a one‑time, six‑year K–4 purchase of $38,904 to provide teacher access.

Johnson described middle‑school costs and consumables: a one‑time expenditure noted in the packet (listed as $187,421.27) to cover premade lab kits, annual refills and professional development for modules and teacher digital licenses. For high school, she recommended McGraw Hill Inspire for multiple science courses and noted simulation tools (Pivot) could reduce hands‑on chemical exposure while maintaining lab experiences; combined high‑school and simulation items were cited at $123,068 as a one‑time purchase for six years. Johnson explained items would be on display at the library for about six weeks and that she would return next month with a formal adoption request and K–5 ELA recommendations.