Accept Gift Funds For The McCann Middle School Science Education Initiative From Joy McCann Daugherty and Dr. Robert M. Daugherty, Jr. - $105,920

In response to the national focus on science and technology education in middle and high schools Joy McCann Daugherty and Dr. Robert M. Daugherty, Jr. wish to provide a financial gift to the District of $105,920 per year, for a three-year period, to support science education in all District middle schools.

The District has developed a middle school science initiative entitled the McCann Middle School Science Education Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to encourage teachers to promote science education as a meaningful and relevant experience so that students are inspired to pursue the field of science through high school, postsecondary education, and career opportunities.

This program will support rigorous academic standards by increasing instructor content knowledge, providing real-world applications, and modeling instructional strategies. Lab practice workshops with a focus on technology integration and career exploration will provide critical support for engaging students in science education. A district resource teacher for science will be responsible for conducting rolling inservice trainings, coupled with Saturday workshops that will provide an opportunity for teachers to participate in workshops where they will discuss and apply best practices. The ongoing support will provide onsite observations, feedback, and coaching; follow-up for application of training; and development of collegial support to provide sustainability. This project, which will commence in May 2006, will provide support to the teachers of a targeted population of students over a three-year period, beginning with 6th grade teachers in year one and continuing with Grades 7 and 8 for the remainder of the project.

Goal 3 - Student performance on FCAT science will increase a minimum of 5 percentage points.
Goal 5 - The district will close the FCAT achievement gap by a minimum of 10 percentage points as reported by No Child Left Behind.

Gift funds of $105,920 from Joy McCann Daugherty and Dr. Robert M. Daugherty, Jr. for year one will be placed in the division special revenue/federal programs budget. Additional gift funds for a second and third year will be considered by the donors after reviewing the program's progress.

An annual report will be provided to the donors at the end of the third quarter of the gift period, February 1, 2007. This annual report will be used as a basis of approval for additional gift funding for years two and three of the project.