|  | Saint Paul Public Schools to receive additional $103,000 from Medtronic to fund inquiry-based science teacher training
5/14/2002 10:10 AMAt tonight’s Board of Education meeting, the Medtronic Foundation will present a $103,000 check to Saint Paul Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Harvey to support the professional development of Saint Paul teachers in the area of inquiry-based science, bringing Medtronic’s total support for districtwide science initiatives to $210,000.
Funding received from Medtronic will help to improve science education teacher training at the elementary and middle/junior high levels through the use of inquiry-based science, a hands-on approach to teaching science where students receive instruction by conducting research in ways that are similar to the ways professional scientists conduct research. Students learn by exploring or investigating the world around them by posing questions, collecting data and making discoveries.
As part of its 2002-05 Action Plan, Saint Paul Public Schools’ goal is to have each teacher trained on the inquiry-based science approach by 2004. So far, about 700 elementary school teachers have been trained to use this approach, thanks in part to funding from Medtronic. The new funds from the Medtronic Foundation will help support the training of elementary and middle school/junior high school teachers on inquiry-based science as well as provide inquiry-based science materials. The project will focus on a summer institute for teachers that will include training with staff from the Science Museum of Minnesota and follow up throughout the 2002-03 school year.
The grant will be presented tonight at the Saint Paul Public Schools regular Board of Education meeting at 5:45 p.m. at the school district administration building, 360 Colborne St.
Since 1978, the Medtronic Foundation has been helping people live healthy and productive lives by leading and managing Medtronic’s charitable contribution efforts. Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world’s leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. More information about Medtronic is available on the company Web site at www.medtronic.com.
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