Eagle Point SD 9 approves new K–12 science curriculum after teacher pilots

The Eagle Point School District 9 Board of Directors voted May 22 to adopt a new K–12 science curriculum package beginning in the 2024–25 school year.

Instructional coach Sean Davidson described a multi‑step selection process: option screening, publisher presentations, piloting in classrooms and student surveys. Teachers reported the pilots showed stronger student engagement and easier daily use than the district’s prior materials.

Elementary teacher Miss Schroeder, who piloted the K–5 program Twig in a first‑grade classroom, said students “were excited, they gave me hugs and said thank you so much for bringing this for us because they thought they were playing,” and that the curriculum anchors lessons to phenomena and supports inquiry, student talk and writing. She told the board the materials came with teacher coaching and online supports that made preparation “low prep but high impact.”

High‑school science teacher Amanda Elliott described STEMscopes as NGSS‑aligned, phenomenon‑based and easy to integrate with Canvas; staff noted it includes lab kits, Spanish versions and readily available customer support. District presenters said pilots showed increased student interest and ease of use for new and experienced teachers alike.

The board’s motion approved a seven‑year adoption covering K–5 (Twig), a middle‑school program and 9–12 STEMscopes, with both online and paper options available for classrooms. The motion carried unanimously among members present.

Adoption of the new materials will be followed by implementation planning, teacher training and scheduled roll‑out; the district expects to finalize textbook/workbook purchases and training logistics before the start of next school year.