Ps Science

P.S. SCIENCE, ORIGINALLY A PROGRAM OF CROSSROADS COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOUNDATION, INC.(CCOF), WHICH WAS FORMED AS A SEPARATE 501 (C)(3) ORGANIZATION BY CROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES IN 2004 TO SHARE RESOURCES WITH UNDER-SERVED SCHOOLS IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY, ABSORBED THE 501(C)(3) IN JUNE 2017 IN ORDER TO FOCUS ALL EFFORTS ON BRINGING RICH STEM PROGRAMS TO UNDER-SERVED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

CLASSROOM PROGRAM:DURING THE 2021- 22 SCHOOL YEAR, AS THE COVID PANDEMIC EASED AND SCHOOLS RETURNED TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION, PS SCIENCE RETURNED TO FULL IMPLEMENTATION IN 209 CLASSROOMS AROUND LOS ANGELES IN A VARIETY OF FORMS. THE MAJORITY OF CLASSROOMS CONTINUED TO HAVE A PS SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR COME EACH WEEK TO PRESENT THE SCIENCE LESSON AND MENTOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER IN INQUIRY SCIENCE INSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES. HOWEVER, WITH THE LIBRARY OF FULL LESSON VIDEOS THAT OUR INSTRUCTORS PRODUCED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABLE TO LAUNCH THE PS SCIENCE PROGRAM AT SEVERAL NEW SCHOOLS IN A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER BY PROVIDING EACH CLASSROOM WITH WEEKLY MATERIALS DELIVERY, LESSON PLANS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS THAT EASED THE SCIENCE TEACHING BURDEN ON THE CLASSROOM TEACHER. FOR THESE TEACHERS, WE ASSIGNED A PS SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL COACH WHO PROVIDED WEEKLY LESSON RESOURCES AND INSTRUCTIONAL TIPS THROUGH EMAIL, AND WAS AVAILABLE TO MEET AND ANSWER QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COACHING SERVICE. THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT MOVE AS IT REDUCED THE COST OF THE PROGRAM BY 75%, THUS ALLOWING US TO SERVE MORE CLASSES WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING OUR FUNDRAISING BURDEN. AT A SMALL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, WE BEGAN SUPPORTING TEACHERS IN THE USE OF THEIR NEW DISTRICT PROVIDED SCIENCE CURRICULA; HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE INVESTMENT MADE IN THE PURCHASE OF THESE NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WOULD NOT GO TO WASTE.

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS:THE 2021- 22 YEAR ALSO HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME ENRICHMENT STEM PROGRAMS THAT PS SCIENCE PROVIDED. ALL PS SCIENCE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED AT NO COST TO STUDENTS. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER WEEKLY REMOTE STEM CLUBS TO STUDENTS AT ALL OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS, AND IN-PERSON AFTER SCHOOL CODE CLUBS AT THREE SCHOOL SITES. WE ALSO PROVIDED FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHTS AT THREE SCHOOLS. TWO OF THE FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHTS WERE HELD REMOTELY USING VIDEO PRESENTATIONS CREATED BY PS SCIENCE INSTRUCTORS THAT PRESENTED A STORYLINE AND ENGINEERING CHALLENGE FOR FAMILIES TO WORK ON AT HOME, THEN SUBMIT THEIR FINAL PROJECTS VIA VIDEO WHICH WERE EDITED INTO A FOLLOW-UP PRESENTATION WHICH WAS SHARED WITH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THE THIRD NIGHT WAS HELD IN-PERSON.THROUGH PS SCIENCES PARTNERSHIP IN THE LA STEM COLLECTIVE, WE RECEIVED FUNDING THAT ENABLED OUR INSTRUCTORS TO WORK WITH 24 LAUSD REMOTE STEM ENRICHMENT CLASSES FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES K- 5 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE ALSO PROVIDED WEEKLY SUMMER STEM PROGRAMS FOR KIDS AT THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SANTA MONICA, INGLEWOOD PARKS SUMMER CAMP, AND LAUSD SUMMER ENRICHMENT SCHOOL SITES, PROVIDING THOUSANDS OF YOUTH WITH ENGAGING STEM PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.FINALLY, TWO SESSIONS OF THE PS SCIENCE S-STEAM- RANGERS CAMP WERE RUN IN JUNE 2022. ONE SESSION WAS HELD IN-PERSON AT CROSSROADS SCHOOL IN SANTA MONICA FOR 25 5TH GRADE STUDENTS. THIS TWO WEEK CAMP ALLOWED STUDENTS TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN RICH STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND FORM FRIENDSHIPS WITH STUDENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. THE SECOND TWO WEEK SESSION WAS HELD REMOTELY FOR 25 INVITED 5TH GRADE STUDENTS FROM ALL OTHER PS SCIENCE PARTNER SCHOOLS AND PROVIDED THE SAME RICH SOCIAL AND LEARNING COMMUNITY FOR STEM-LOVING STUDENTS.