Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

 01/09/04

NEWS RELEASE
Auburn School District Awarded Grant for
Science Programs from The Boeing Company

Auburn School District has been awarded a $25,000 from The Boeing Company to fund the district’s Flight to the Future science program that will provide teachers with training to implement a range of projects to improve student performance in science.

The Boeing grant will fund a grades 5-9 science “Trainer of Trainers” model that will provide in-depth training for teachers and administrators in implementing National Science Foundation (NSF) science curriculum frameworks, master exemplar instruction, inquiry-centered instruction, science curriculum alignment with state standards, and building school science teams.  Once familiar with the model, “trainers” will conduct five science workshops for science teachers for grades fifth - ninth throughout the 2003-2004 school year.  In addition, the grant will fund a summer institute for science training utilizing Green River Community College staff.

During the 2002-2003 school year, two Auburn School District teachers were awarded Flight to the Future science education grants from The Boeing Company.  Laine Lenihan, science teacher at West Auburn High School, was awarded a grant of $10,000 for a five-year project to create an independent study science program.  Kirsten Gravning, science teacher at Rainier Middle School, was given a $1,000 grant for her Green, Grow, and Go project which integrated the hands-on experience of gardening with studying the growth and development of plant life and the environmental concerns in the Northwest.

For more information, contact Dr. Kip Herren, deputy superintendent of school programs, (253) 931-4920.