School district seeks input on HS science texts

Parents, students, teachers, and the community will have the opportunity to view science textbooks possibilities for the 2004-2005 school year beginning Oct. 1. The textbooks will be available for review at Arcadia High School, Desert Mountain High School, Chaparral High School, Coronado High School, Saguaro High School, Sierra Vista Academy, and the Mohave District Annex Library.

Persons seeking to view the textbook offerings may make arrangements with science department chairs at the high schools. No appointment is necessary if viewing at the Mohave District Annex Library, which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 8505 E. Valley View Road, Scottsdale. Comment cards will be available.

“We encourage the community to give us their feedback regarding the selection of science textbooks for use in our high schools,” said Janey Kaufmann, science and social studies curriculum specialist. “This decision will affect future students of the Scottsdale Unified School District for years to come,” she said.

Additionally, each high school will have individual committees consisting of four teachers and one parent who will review the textbook offerings. The committees will complete two evaluation forms for each publisher. They also will evaluate science content, durability of the text, how the text is organized, and whether it is inquiry based. Selected students at the high schools also will be involved in the evaluating process by viewing the overall features of each book and comparing it with each publisher, Ms. Kaufmann noted.

After input is gathered from the individual committees, an adoption committee is scheduled to take the textbook adoption recommendations to the Governing Board in January. The Board will look at adopting supplemental materials at the same time. Funding for textbooks comes from the Capital Textbook Fund.

Textbooks are replaced every seven years to stay current with the ever-changing field of science, said Ms. Kaufmann. In addition, the state will be implementing new science standards, and there will be a science section on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test in the future, she said.

Science textbooks scheduled for replacement include earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, human anatomy/physiology, advanced placement, and honors courses.

For more information, contact Janey Kaufmann at 480-484-5052.
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