December 17, 2008

 

Dear Parents,

 

Ocean View School District fourth grade students will soon embark on an exciting two year journey changing the traditional science classroom into an interactive learning community that will touch students, teachers, parents and the Huntington Beach community.  Pushing back the brick walls of the classroom, students will create inquiry-based science projects addressing the physical, life, and earth science grade level curriculum standards. Using the social networking skills of their generation, these "digital kids" will have new electronic learning resources and advanced technologies to enhance their learning and reach proficient and advanced levels of competencies on the California Standards Test. Students will learn to use appropriate technology to communicate, solve problems, and to access, create, and evaluate information to improve learning of science content standards. Using advanced technology tools to learn in ways not previously possible, children will be creating multimedia presentations, interactive white board lessons/demonstrations, animations and video production, video conferencing and electronic field trips. These new skills and learning will be shared at District Open House Events in May 2009.  

 

All VISA target classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, mounted projectors, and designated laptops as tools for instruction and learning. This grant will help expand the use of technology by placing wireless mobile laptop labs of 16 computers at 11 elementary schools.  The lab will be available for teacher check out for extended periods of time, reducing the computing ratio to 2:1, thereby allowing students to use the technology seamlessly as a tool in the creation of their projects. Students will use interactive response systems to gather data and graph variables of science investigations and experiments.  Software and electronic learning resource (ELR) subscriptions will be expanded to include home access, creating a more robust learning community

 

Award winning projects, a rigorous and supportive educational program, strong community partnerships, and high levels of parent involvement are hallmarks of the Ocean View School District. District goals for the 2008-2009 school year pivot around teachers building and working in a Professional Learning Community to support the work at school sites around closing the student achievement gap in science. These communities will allow teachers access to other professionals and community resources for communication and collaboration. Project teachers will create and maintain classroom websites and provide e-mail as a communication option to parents and students.