FOSS Science Kit FAQ
My kit didn't come with a manual. What do I do? We provide a teacher's manual the first time a teacher uses a kit title. If you did not receive a manual, our records show there is one in your classroom. If this is not the case, please notify your district administrator and ask them to notify us. Likewise, if you receive a manual in your kit and you already have one, please leave the manual in the kit to be returned to ESD 101 when we pick the kit back up. If possible, please stick a note on it saying you already have one so we don't assume it was left in the kit accidentally.

The kit is setup for 24 students. I have more than that. What do I do? Please let us know your student count as soon as possible and we will provide you with any additional consumables needed for the additional students. We setup the kit for 24 students based on the average number provided by the districts.

My kit didn't look the same as it did last year. Why not? Please remember that the kit you use for one trimester will go to 2 other teachers during the same year. Therefore, items you prepped extra for your class will probably be used by another teacher. 

I have a student with allergies to food items. What do I do? Ultimately, it will be up to the individual teachers/districts to make sure they aren't exposing the students to known allergens. However, we can do what we can to aid in this. If you have a student who is allergic to oat flour, for example, and that student will be using the Earth Materials kit, please let us know and we will make the mock rocks out of rice flour instead. Please note that we do not need to know the name of the student. We only need to know the name of the school, what the allergy is, and which kit(s) will be used.

FOSS Workshop FAQ
What food/beverages are provided at workshops? We provide lunch for each participant at the workshops. We also offer coffee, tea and water.

Are snacks provided at workshops? At this time, we do not provide snacks. However, some of the presenters bring snacks on their own. It is up to each presenter and is not required. Please do not assume that if a presenter brings snacks to one workshop that he/she will bring them to subsequent ones. You are more than welcome to bring something with you to snack on throughout the day.

Food Allergies/Vegetarians. We have requested information regarding any food allergies/vegetarians that may be attending the trainings so can plan your meals accordingly. Please notify us as soon as possible if you fit into these categories.

Heating issues. We schedule facilities which will meet our needs for space, amenities, etc. Certainly budgetary considerations are taken into account, but our main concern is to provide workshops in a comfortable atmosphere. We are not always able to control the temperature, however, due to extenuating circumstances such as the facility's limits on temperature settings, etc. Some heating systems cycle on and off, others are continuous. We advise you to dress in layers to anticipate warm or cool temperatures.

I am not able to attend. What do I do? Please notify us and/or your district contact within 48 hours of the workshop date so we can cancel your lunch. For round 2 trainings for elementary level kits, we will be offering a make-up section. Please note that your attendance is directly tied to not only our budget, but also that of your district who has contracted with us to send a set number of teachers to all three trainings. If you have to miss a round 1 or 3, you may attend another training, however, it will not be of much benefit as it will be directly tied to the other kit.

I am changing grade levels next year. Do I need to take all 3 rounds for the new grade level? In this instance, we do advise you to take all 3 rounds of training.
 

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