Communication
Communication about the FOSS program continues to be an important
aspect of successful implementations. Many of the case-study districts
have developed partnerships with local businesses (Hewlett-Packard,
Dow, Merck) to help subsidize the costs of maintaining a high-quality
science program like FOSS and to provide in-kind services and
expertise. Money from these businesses supports additional teacher
training programs, costs of materials management, technology hardware,
etc. These partnerships with local business have enhanced the
FOSS science programs of these districts. Some additional communication
strategies used by the case-study sites include
- School newsletters to parents, highlighting FOSS
- Monthly science calendars for families, listing home and community
activities to enrich the modules (museum exhibits, outings,
library resources)
- Establishing home pages on the Internet that detail the FOSS
curriculum
- Highlighting the use of FOSS in the schools using video-taped
spots for local cable broadcasting
- Coordinating family science nights to introduce parents to
the FOSS curriculum
- Providing opportunities for parents and volunteers from the
community to participate in the classroom science activities and
service as resources to students and teachers
|