• The Medical School and the Health Science Academy at North High School have developed a strong union which allows the students to particpate in a variety of experiences at the Medical School and allows staff, students and faculty from the Medical School to be active partners at the Academy in many roles throughout the year. Many of these cross affiliations are now institiutionalized.
• A North Quadrant Leadership Team in elementary science has been formed and trained to provide continuous support for the inquiry- based science curriculum implemented in all classrooms.
• A cohesive and comprehensive K-6 science program, aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks has been designed and implemented in the North Quadrant of Worcester. All children will have access to this standards-based curriculum.

• This year there was a drastic reduction in FY04 spending for education in Massachusetts. Since science is not a high stakes subject at this point, the priority for spending in science is low compared to mathematics, a high stakes testing subject. This reduction in funding produced teacher lay offs and school closings. The morale of teachers was low. In addition to the pending reductions, the final budget was not solidified until very late in the year. As a result planning was put on hold for the academic year 03-04 in the spring. Important decisions for the year were not made in a timely fashion.
• With classrooms increasing in size and aides in classrooms being reduced, classroom management of hands on activities becomes more of a challenge for teachers. We are working to recruit more science majors from the local colleges to assist in inquiry-based science lessons as a community service project. An extra pair of hands in doing one of the standards-based science units makes a tremendous difference in the flow of the lesson and the learning of the concepts.

• The video from the NOVA 4/22/03 program - Secret of Photo 51- is a terrific documentary of the life of Rosalind Franklin.
• The journal article, "Form and Substance in Mathematics and Science Professional Development " by Mary M. Kennedy; National Institute for Science Education. vol.3, Nov., 1999

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