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submitter: Valle Imperial - Project in Science
description:
  1. Our Opinion: Practical Learning 2/9/99
  2. Educators Hail SDSU Science Program 2/1/99
  3. Innovative science project attracting national interest 1/13/99
  4. Mexican educators get first glimpse at innovative approach 11/4/98
  5. Mexico hopes to learn from U.S. formula 10/28/98
  6. Educators Meet To Learn Theory And Practice In Science Education, Calexico Chronicle, (summary) 8/27/98
  7. Science Grant 6/98
  8. Some summer learning activities 6/98
  9. Principals get look at innovative science program 5/21/98
  10. Life science unit culminates with release of butterflies 5/17/98
  11. Our Opinion: Opening the lab door wider 5/8/98
  12. El Centro school board approves first phase of Kennedy project
  13. Local schools winners with $3.3 million grant for 'Project in Science' 4/29/98
  14. Pupils thrill to world of science: Program develops spirit of inquiry 10/19/97
  15. Caltech, E.C. school district unveil science project 6/21/96
published: 12/02/1998
posted to site: 12/02/1998
Reproduced with permission from the Imperial Valley Press.

(the second part of this article talks about the VIPS project).

El Centro school board approves first phase of Kennedy project

By CANDY T. CUENCO

Staff Writer

The El Centro (elementary) School District Board of Trustees approved the first phase of the Kennedy Middle School construction project at its meeting Tuesday.

The first phase of the project at Kennedy began in January 1997. It included the construction of a multipurpose building that will seat more than 600 people, a gymnasium that will hold more than 700 people, a remodeled administration building and 10 new classrooms, some of which will be used as science laboratories.

Kim Dessert, facilities director for the district, said the construction project is right on track.

"Construction will be done by February," she said.

The second phase of the project, which began early this year, included construction of four classrooms added to an existing classroom wing and the completion of gym locker rooms and showers.

Dessert said beginning today school personnel can move furniture into the new science rooms from storage areas in the multipurpose room.

"This moving-in process can take up to two weeks. We hope to finish up the gym by late summer and start construction of parking lots and bus drop-offs," Dessert said.

The dedication ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 15.

The board also was given an update on the district's inquiry-based science program implemented in three of its schools. The board last month was awarded a $3.3 million grant by the National Science Foundation to expand the program in all its school sites and to the rest of Imperial County's schools.

To demonstrate how the program works, second-grade students from Sunflower Elementary School demonstrated how to make a good boat using clay. They molded clay into the shape they thought would float best in water as several board members looked on.

Fourth-graders from McKinley Elementary showed off a model of the solar system they made using a Styrofoam ball tied to a string. One of the students rotated the string above his head while another student explained what occurs when the earth orbits the sun.

Sixth-graders from Desert Garden Elementary made oral presentation of an experiment they did on pollination. They wanted to find out how the number of fertilizer seed affects the growth of flowers. After days of carefully observing their own plants, the students concluded that over-fertilizing doesn't help in flower growth.

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