BaySci was created in 2008 to build district leadership for inquiry-based science education through a partnership with the Lawrence Hall of Science, Exploratorium, and five Bay Area school districts (Emery USD, Newark USD, Novato USD, Palo Alto USD and Petaluma City Schools). Initially funded by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Noyce Foundation, the partnership provided a foundation for meaningful and sustainable district support for quality elementary science programs. The project increased opportunities for students in Bay Area school districts to learn science by improving the district leadership capacity and support for science education, an important foundation in school science education reform.
In 2009, with major funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, BaySci invited the Newark Unified and Novato Unified School Districts to participate in a two year BaySci Teacher Professional Development Program. This program offered professional development opportunities for teachers using FOSS (Full Option Science System), the hands-on science curriculum developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science. The grant also funded district science festivals that provide opportunities for families to share with their children in the joy of learning science, as well as supported a district BaySci Science Coordinator to facilitate the professional development program within their district.
In 2012, with joint funding from the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, BaySci has expanded efforts to include capacity development work in more school districts in the District Network Strand, through the development of individual science leaders and teachers in the Science Champions Network Strand, and through partnering and collaborative development of regional Science-rich Educational Institutions (SREIs) in the SREI Learning Community Strand.
2008–2009
BaySci District Leadership Program (Emery USD, Newark USD, Novato USD, Palo Alto USD, Petaluma City Schools)
Funding provided by: S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and Noyce Foundation
2009–2010
BaySci District Leadership Program (Newark USD, Novato USD, Palo Alto USD, Petaluma City Schools)
BaySci Teacher Professional Development Program (Newark USD & Novato USD)
Funding provided by: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
2010–2011
BaySci District Leadership Program (Newark USD, Novato USD, Palo Alto USD, Petaluma City Schools)
BaySci Teacher Professional Development Program (Newark USD & Novato USD)
Funding provided by: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
2012–2013
BaySci District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Newark USD, Novato USD, Oakland USD, Palo Alto USD, Petaluma City Schools, Santa Barbara USD, Santa Clara USD)
BaySci Science Champions Network Strand (38 teachers selected from the nine Bay Area counties)
BaySci SREI Learning Community Strand (Lawrence Hall of Science, Exploratorium, California Academy of Sciences, Chabot Space and Science Center, UCSF Science and Health Education Partnership, Monterey Bay Aquarium)
Funding provided by: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and Wharton Foundation
2013–2014
BaySci District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Newark USD, Oakland USD, Orinda USD, Petaluma City Schools, San Mateo-Foster City School District, Santa Barbara USD, Santa Clara USD)
BaySci Science Champions Network Strand (43 teachers selected from the nine Bay Area counties)
BaySci SREI Learning Community Strand (Lawrence Hall of Science, Exploratorium, California Academy of Sciences, Chabot Space and Science Center, UCSF Science and Health Education Partnership, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
2014–2015
BaySci District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Newark USD, Oakland USD, Orinda USD, Petaluma City Schools, San Mateo-Foster City School District, Santa Barbara USD, Santa Clara USD, Sonoma County Office of Education)
BaySci Science Champions Network Strand (43 teachers selected from the nine Bay Area counties)
BaySci SREI Learning Community Strand (Lawrence Hall of Science, Exploratorium, California Academy of Sciences, Chabot Space and Science Center, UCSF Science and Health Education Partnership, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
2015–2016
BaySci District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Berryessa USD, Newark USD, Orinda USD, Petaluma City Schools, San Mateo-Foster City School District, Santa Barbara USD, Santa Clara USD, Sonoma County Office of Education, Cloverdale USD)
BaySci Science Champions Network Strand (37 teachers selected from the nine Bay Area counties)
BaySci SREI Learning Community Strand (Lawrence Hall of Science, Exploratorium, California Academy of Sciences, Chabot Space and Science Center, UCSF Science and Health Education Partnership, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
Funding provided by: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and Wharton Foundation
2016–2017
Bay Area District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Berryessa USD, Newark USD, Orinda USD, Santa Clara USD)
Channel Islands Regional Science Initiative (Carpinteria USD, Cold Spring School District, Hope School District, Montecito School District, Santa Barbara USD, Adelante Charter School, Santa Barbara Charter School, Peabody Charter School)
2017–2018
Bay Area District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Berryessa USD, Newark USD, Orinda USD)
Channel Islands Regional Science Initiative (Carpinteria USD, Adelante Charter School, Santa Barbara Charter School, Peabody Charter School), Southern California (Covina Valley USD, Redondo Beach USD)
2018–2019
Bay Area District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Newark USD, Orinda USD), Santa Cruz County Science Initiative (Bonny Doon School District, Happy Valley School District, Live Oak School District, Mountain School District, Pacific School District, Pajaro Valley USD, San Lorenzo Valley USD, Santa Cruz City Schools, Scotts Valley USD, Soquel Union Elementary School District)
Channel Islands Regional Science Initiative (Adelante Charter School, Santa Barbara Charter School, Peabody Charter School)
2019–2020
Bay Area District Network Strand (Alameda USD, Newark USD, Orinda USD, Napa Valley USD)
Santa Cruz County Science Initiative (Bonny Doon School District, Happy Valley School District, Live Oak School District, Mountain School District, Pacific School District, Pajaro Valley USD, San Lorenzo Valley USD, Santa Cruz City Schools, Scotts Valley USD, Soquel Union Elementary School District)
Lynn Barakos
Professional Development Specialist
Jedda Foreman
Professional Development Specialist
Vanessa Lujan
BaySci Director
Sarah Pedemonte
Professional Development Specialist
Ramya Sankar
Operations Manager
Craig Strang
BaySci Director
Joanna Totino
Professional Development Specialist/FOSS CA Director
Diana Velez
Professional Development Specialist
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