North East Washington Science Education Resource Center (NEWSERC) is a regional science education support system consisting of a LASER Alliance and Materials Cooperative.

SERVICES
Professional Development
ESD 101 currently supports eighteen hours of professional development for K-6 teachers on FOSS science kits. Current services support physical science and earth science kits, with life science kits to be added for 2007-2008.

The professional development design recommends that teachers implement physical science in year one, earth science in year two, and life science in year three.

The eighteen hours of professional development for each kit is divided into three separate days, with day one consisting of initial kit training, day two on continued kit use, notebooking and inquiry, and day three on content development. GLE alignment is also addressed. Professional development design and curriculum decisions are made by the LASER Advisory Board.

Science Kits
FOSS Kits can be purchased through the NEWSERC Materials Cooperative or directly from FOSS.

Kit refurbishment and sharing is offered by the NEWSERC Materials Cooperative.

Kits purchased through the cooperative are shared among three teachers during the school year and are available for classroom use for approximately eight weeks based on a rotation schedule. A teacher's manual is purchased for each teacher using the kit. The manual remains in the classroom.

FEES
Professional Development
For schools that have completed LASER Strategic Planning (see schedule under Workshop Information), there are no fees for professional development. Districts are responsible for substitute and travel costs. Depending on the level of future LASER funding, fees may become necessary to cover professional development expenses.

Science Kits
For the members of the NEWSERC Materials Cooperative, cooperative kit purchasing fees for the 2007-2008 school year are $175 ($300 for the middle-school level Planetary Science kit) for LASER Alliance districts and $325 ($600 for the middle-school level Planetary Science kit) for non-LASER districts. LASER funds are used to supplement the kit purchase fees. Refurbishments fee is $150 per kit used at the elementary level and $300 for the middle-school level Planetary Science kit. These fees are subject to annual review and are established by the NEWSERC Materials Cooperative Advisory Board.

Districts may participate in both purchased and refurbishment services, refurbishment only, or neither.

FUTURE EXPANSION
The NEWSERC Advisory Board is currently exploring adding middle school kits the program. Curriculum decisions and fee structure will be made through the Advisory Board. This spring, a request for 2007-2009 LASER funding will be developed. Once districts complete LASER Strategic Planning, they become eligible for professional development and kit purchase funding support through LASER. Funding is awarded to LASER Alliances based on the application outlining teacher and kit numbers, the professional development plan, and other criteria.

Contact:
Christine Tuckerman, Director
(509) 789-3606, ctuckerman@esd101.net

Jon Hanson, Math/Science Coordinator
(509) 323-2739, jhanson@esd101.net

Beth Worthy, Program Assistant
(509) 789-3525, bworthy@esd101.net