YSP promotes science literacy for high school students
The Young Scientist Program (YSP) at WashU works with local public schools to promote science education and science literacy for students from all levels and backgrounds.
St. Louis area school discipline gap larger than thought
In St. Louis area schools, some students are far more likely to be suspended than those least at risk — 20, 30 or even 60 times more likely, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and Forward Through Ferguson.
Who Will Help Children? Building Brain Regimes
William F. Tate, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education, calls for the region to build a public-private "a brain regime" to protect the region's children. Key recommendations including improving the region's teachers, strengthening K-12 STEM education and reclaiming those students who have been pushed out of schools.
Washington University announces local College Prep scholars
Washington University in St. Louis has admitted 49 rising high school sophomores to its innovative College Prep Program, a multiyear initiative that prepares high-achieving students with limited financial resources for college. Recent graduates of the program have been admitted to Yale, John Hopkins, Spelman and Washington University and have received millions in scholarship offers. Read […]
A new life, a new language
Cindy Brantmeier, professor of applied linguistics and education, has designed a social reading program that employs online games to help adolescent refugees and immigrants. The results are promising -- test scores have improved along with student confidence.
Students at every grade need to learn climate science
Even the youngest students are ready to learn about climate science, according to Michael Wysession, professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and executive director of the Teaching Center.
Who will teach tomorrow’s coders
High school students need computer science skills, but who will teach them? The Institute for School Partnership is addressing Missouri's desperate shortage of computer science educators through the Code.org professional learning program, which prepares educators with no coding experience to lead computer science classes. The need is urgent: only one-third of Missouri high schools offer computer science.
Everyday MySci: Nurturing your child’s natural sense of wonder
From the playground to the pool to the ballpark, science is all around us. Through its Everyday MySci activities, the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis helps parents nurture their child’s natural sense of curiosity, wonder and discovery.
WashU offers tuition assistance program for surrounding districts
University College, the professional and continuing education division of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, is now offering a 50 percent discount to full-time employees of St. Louis, Clayton and University City and their school districts. Charter school employees also are eligible.
ISP pilots technology curriculum MySci Do
Several schools in the St. Louis Public Schools district are piloting a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum and teacher training program called mySci Do. It’s modeled on mySci’s distribution protocol and was designed to apply those methods to technology education. mySci Do is funded by a grant from the Monsanto Fund, and developed by the ISP, Maryville University School of Education, The Little Bit Foundation and The Disruption Department.
College Prep scholars announced
Washington University in St. Louis has admitted 50 rising high school sophomores to its innovative College Prep Program, a multiyear initiative that prepares high-achieving students with limited financial resources for college. The students represent public, private and charter schools from across the region. They will live and study on campus for three summers, participating in science labs, preparing their college essays and studying with top university faculty. Entering its fifth year, the program has track record of preparing high school students for college.
College Prep scholars graduate, head to college
The College Prep Program, an innovative initiative that prepares talented low-income, first-generation high school students from the St. Louis region for college, graduated its second cohort of scholars. All 34 members received college admission, and 11 will be attending Washington University through the College Prep Scholarship.
Creating a new generation of educators
Good teachers make for engaged students and stable schools. That’s why Washington University is partnering with the St. Louis Teacher Residency program to address two of the most vexing problems facing high-needs schools: teacher turnover and teacher quality.
Hawthorn InvestiGirls takes homework help to the next level
Hawthorn InvestiGirls tutors go beyond homework help at Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls. Their strategy is part of the ongoing effort to bring a rigorous STEM-focused education to women of color, a population that is underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Celebrating science at the ISP’s annual Darwin Day
A life-size cutout of Charles Darwin stands in the corner. Next to him are party hats and a selfie stick. His face adorns a birthday cake that’s wheeled out to much excitement. Numbers are read and fossils are raffled off. Attendees sport buttons that read “I love evolution” and “Team Darwin.”
This isn’t your ordinary Saturday morning professional development day. This is the Institute for School Partnership’s sixth annual Darwin Day celebration.
WashU alum named Missouri Biology Teacher of the Year
Ryan Lacson, a 2013 graduate of the Master of Science in Biology for Science Teachers program at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named the 2017 Missouri Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year by the National Association of Biology Teachers. Lacson is a science teacher at Galena High School in Galena, Mo. Read more at The Institute for School Partnership.
Teach Me to Help: Empowering Students to Save Lives
Missouri law now requires high schools to provide CPR training to students. Teach Me to Help, an emergency response training program founded by Washington University students, delivers CPR instruction to schools with limited resources and inspires students to consider careers in healthcare.
ISP leads Hour of Code challenge in University City school
The university’s Institute for School Partnership led an Hour of Code activity recently for elementary school students in University City. The activity was designed to help kids have fun with both computer programming and science.
MySci curriculum garners national recognition
The EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science (PRP) has identified MySci’s middle school Module 5 Waves as a high-quality lesson and unit designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The unit was written by curriculum writers at the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis in partnership with educators from Mehlville School District, Clayton School District, St. Louis Public Schools, Rockwood School District and Lift for Life Academy.
High school students should study earth science. Here’s why
Ever wonder why some subjects are taught in high school while others are not, or why students spend so much time memorizing facts? According to Washington University geophysicist Michael Wysession, science curricula in the US are based on standards that are more than 120 years old, and being stuck in the past has had serious consequences. Wysession is bringing a new approach to science education to St. Louis and beyond.
College Prep scholars join the Class of 2021
Washington University in St. Louis welcomed the 1,780 members of the Class of 2021 on Thursday, Aug. 24. This year’s class includes six members of the first cohort of the College Prep Program, which prepares talented, first-generation students for life on a college campus.
Partnership launches a health center at Normandy High School
A new health center at Normandy High School will provide students much-needed primary health care and behavioral health services. For the Sake of All, an initiative led by Jason Purnell of Washington University in St. Louis, has identified school-based health centers as a key strategy in tackling health inequities affecting African Americans in the St. Louis region.
MySci doubles in size two years in a row
Twelve years after its launch, the innovative MySci curriculum program developed by Washington University’s Institute for School Partnership (ISP) and local teacher leaders is seeing incredible growth, doubling in size two years in a row. This school year, St. Louis Public Schools will introduce MySci in all of its 45 elementary schools.
Hawthorn graduates celebrate Rising Up Ceremony at WashU
Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls celebrated its first Rising Up Ceremony for graduating 8th grade students on June 1 at Washington University in St. Louis. Hawthorn is the first all-girl charter school in Missouri and serves middle-school students. Washington University serves as Hawthorn's sponsor.
Washington University announces College Prep scholars
Washington University admitted 50 rising high school sophomores to the fourth cohort of the innovative College Prep Program, a multiyear initiative that prepares high-achieving students with limited financial resources for college. The students represent public, private and charter schools from across the region.
College Prep scholars earn $4 million in scholarship offers
All 25 members of the inaugural cohort of the College Prep Program at Washington University have been accepted into college, and the group has received more than $4 million in scholarship offers. Lerone A. Martin, assistant professor, told the scholars: “Do not hide your light to make other people comfortable.”
Students launch a new type of chemistry tournament
High school science competitions are like oxygen and nitrogen -- they're everywhere. But the students behind the Washington University Chemistry Tournament have added new elements to old formula. Their event, now in its second year, focuses on collaboration, real-world applications and complex problem-solving -- just like college chemistry.
500 girls explore STEM careers at Washington University
About 500 seventh-grade girls from across the state visited Washington University in St. Louis to learn about careers in STEM. Barbara Schaal, dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences, told students that STEM careers are as diverse as they are rewarding: “What STEM education does is give you a cafeteria of options and opportunities.”
MySci program boosts science learning, standardized test scores
Pattonville School District elementary students — at every grade level and of every ability — made statistically significant gains in science after completing the innovative MySci curriculum developed by the Institute for School Partnership (ISP) at Washington University in St. Louis. The data confirm what ISP Executive Director Victoria May has observed for years in MySci classrooms across the region — hands-on inquiry paired with teacher development and smart assessment tools can boost student success.
Young Scientist Program shares wonder of science
For 25 years, the Young Scientist Program has shared the wonder — and career prospects — of science with local K-12 students. YSP mentors explore topics from robotics to forensics to genetics.
University launches Olin Fleischer Scholars Program
Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis is launching the Olin Fleischer Scholars Program, a free one-week residential summer program for high school students who have limited financial resources or who will be the first in their families to attend college.
KIPP College Partnership established at Washington University
As part of its ongoing effort to admit and graduate more Pell-eligible students, Washington University in St. Louis has announced it will provide a free or low-cost undergraduate education to any admitted alumni of KIPP, a nationwide network of charter schools that serves low-income students.
MySci educator honored as outstanding teacher
Karis Jackson of the Hazelwood School District was named the 2016 Outstanding Middle School Educator by the Science Teachers of Missouri. Jackson is curriculum writer for the Institute for School Partnership' MySci program, which engagrd students in STEM through interactive learning experiences.
Encouraging University City High School students to think deep
University City High School students visited Washington University as a community extension of Washington University’s Freshman First Year Reading Program. The K-12 Connections program has provided the free books and campus experiences to high school groups for many years.
Alberti Program introduces kids to power of architecture
Architecture shapes our environment – but studying architecture shapes how we see, understand and interpret the world around us. Over the last 10 years, the Alberti Program in Washington University’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts has introduced hundreds of kids, ranging from 8- to 15-years-old, to the power and potential of […]
Closing the STEM skills gap in St. Louis
St. Louis’ leading employers, school districts and Washington University's Institute for School Partnership have united to form STEMpact, an organization dedicated to improving improve science, technology, engineering and math education when it matters most -- elementary school.
University announces College Prep Scholarship
The College Prep Scholarship will provide a free Washington University undergraduate education to graduates of its College Prep Program, which serves talented low-income and first-generation high school students. The scholarship supports two top priorities -- to make Washington University a more diverse and welcoming campus, and to improve K-12 education in the St. Louis community.
Helping educate the next generation of female leaders
Washington University students, faculty and alumni are leading summer STEM labs and workshops for 14 talented African-American high school girls through the Girls Inc. Eureka! program. “They are more than a cohort, they are a sisterhood,” Brown student Tasha Jordan said.
Inaugural College Prep scholars to spend final summer on campus
The inaugural cohort of Washington University's College Prep Program will spend its final summer on campus learning from a leading scientist and lifelong musician: Provost Holden Thorp. Thorp has created a college credit course that explores teamwork in science and music.
Podcast: Brain Discovery—Bringing Scientists Into the Classroom
Most elementary-school students have never met a scientist. Claire Weichselbaum and Brian Lananna, graduate students in neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis, want to change that. Last year, the team cofounded Brain Discovery, an outreach program that brings neuroscience into classrooms.
College Advising Corps puts WashU grads into St. Louis schools
Erin Waddles is one of five Washington University graduates hired to serve the College Advising Corps, a national organization that puts advisers in high schools that serve low-income students. Waddles works full-time at Vashon High School in St. Louis, helping students find the right school, navigate the application process and prep for the ACT. Learn […]
Brown School student helps Jennings serve the whole child
As a social work practicum student, Keyria Jeffries will do anything to help the children of Fairview Primary. Some days that means giving a hungry child a granola bar. Other days, it means finding a child a place to live. Learn more about how Keyria Jeffries is helping Jennings School District.
Treating students where they are
The Jennings School District, in partnership with Washington University School of Medicine, has launched a free, on-site health and social-services clinic called Supporting Positive Opportunities for Teens — The SPOT at Jennings. The clinic is just one way the university supports the district. Learn more about the The SPOT at Jennings.
Women in STEM Day: Busting the ‘bro code’
Scientists solve the world’s greatest challenges and are paid well to do so. Yet the gender gap persists in engineering, computer science and other fields. Women in STEM Day at Washington University in St. Louis welcomes high school girls into the community of female scientists and introduces them to cutting-edge research. Hosted by undergraduate female […]
Initiative to improve college readiness launched
In response to the Ferguson Commission’s call to improve college access, Washington University in St. Louis has launched the College Readiness and Pipeline Initiative. Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton says the initiative supports the university’s commitment to both serve the St. Louis community and to increase socio-economic diversity on campus.
WashU students support next generation of brain scientists
Members of Synapse, Washington University’s neuroscience club, are helping local high school students prepare for the annual St. Louis Area Brain Bee, Saturday Feb. 13 at McDonnell Hall. “The Brain Bee is a competition but it’s not about being competitive. It’s about getting more people excited about this fast-growing field,” says junior Smruti Rath. Read […]
Evolution educators get skills, confidence at WashU’s Darwin Day
Evolution educators continue to face resistance from parents, lawmakers and school boards. And a recent Pew Research Center survey on science and society shows that one-third of the population denies evolution. The Institute of School Partnership, through Darwin Day and other programs, help K-12 teachers bring this core concept to their classrooms. Find out more […]
MySci: Transforming K-12 science education
The Institute for School Partnership has supported the Jennings School District in its remarkable turnaround. Through its signature MySci program, ISP has provided the district professional development, a proven inquiry-based science curriculum and the materials they need to conduct hands-on experiments. Once teachers see the results, they never go back to worksheets, says ISP Executive […]
When STEM education meets African-American culture
Brown School’s Butler-Barnes helps African-American middle school girls gain confidence in themselves while honing math, science skills.
Brown Urban Education Initiative: Ready to learn
The Brown School’s Urban Education Initiative promotes K–12 student success by forging community connections and focusing on the whole child.
Weaver presents at STEM Summit
In a world of evolving technologies and complex problems, training children as young as kindergartners to think like engineers may be the key to helping them prepare for the future, says Kimberly Weaver, engineering educator at Washington University’s Institute for School Partnership (ISP).
Institute for School Partnership Case Studies
Delve into case studies of ISP’s partnerships with Brittany Woods Middle School in the University City School District, KIPP Inspire Academy and the the Hazelwood School District.
TESLA introduces young students to engineering
Founded by Washington University engineering student Nicholas Okafor, TESLA (Teaching Engineering to St. Louis Adolescents) connects more than 50 Washington University engineering students to K-12 students across the region. Read more about TESLA.
Inspiring future STEM leaders
Washington University students shared their loves of science, technology, engineering and math with University City middle school students at University City’s First LEGO League Warm-Up.
The Each One Teach One program at the Gephardt Institute
Founded in 2000, Each One Teach One is the signature tutoring initiative of Washington University in St. Louis. More than 200 trained students provide weekly tutoring to hundreds of local K-12 students.
Chancellor Wrighton visits KIPP Inspire
Oct. 22, 2015: Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton demonstrated the magic of chemistry at KIPP Inspire Academy. Photo by James Byard
Washington University volunteers build a new KIPP playground
Nov. 7, 2015: Madison Yang (left) and Nola Waill (right) joined 100 volunteers from Washington University and the St. Louis community to build a new park and playground for KIPP Wisdom Academy, an elementary school in south St. Louis. Photo by Danny Reise/WUSTL Photos
Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls launches with help from WashU
Launched in August, 2015, Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls offers sixth and seventh-grade girls a rigorous education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
KIPP St. Louis is proud to partner with Washington University in St. Louis
KIPP St. Louis’ unique partnership with Washington University ensures excellence in our basic operations, but more importantly, it allows KIPPsters in St. Louis immediate access to a college preparatory education, arming them early with the skills, experiences and expectations necessary for college. Read more about our partnership with KIPP St. Louis.
Gephardt Institute launches Investigirls
The Hawthorn InvestiGirls program is the Gephardt Institute’s newest program, which provides tutoring and enrichment experiences for young women at the Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls.
Building a School Culture of Trust and Respect
Through a unique partnership with University City High School, Rowhea Elmesky is helping to empower both administrators and students.
One School, 16 languages
How Washington University helped boost scores at St. Louis’ most diverse school
Wendt Fellowships Promote Holistic Change in Urban Education
The Brown School has announced the Wendt Fellowship Program in St. Louis School Leadership, a new initiative to attract and educate the future leaders of urban public schools in our region.
Helping local high school students think big
The College Prep Program is an immersive, on-campus learning experience at Washington University. Incoming scholars live on campus for two weeks the summer after freshman year and three weeks the summers after sophomore and junior year. College Prep scholars also attend workshops, lectures and campus activities throughout the school year. Graduates of the program leave ready to excel — academically and socially — in college.
Navigating the college application process
Some 120 Washington University students help mentor local high school students through the college application process in a national mentoring program called Strive for College. The program was started on the Washington University campus in 2007 by a group of Rodriguez Scholars and today thrives under the leadership of alum Michael Carter.
Closing the gap: How one school district went about fixing standardized science test scores
A unique, long-term partnership between Washington University and the Hazelwood School District is showing eye-popping, unprecedented success in elementary and middle school science test scores — and in the process providing a roadmap for other districts to follow.