Parents' Formula: Boost Science

Jun 25, 12:39 PM

Current Headlines: By Hiroko Sato, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Jun. 25--GROTON -- Lee Davy, who operates Hubba's Club House in Littleton, a science summer camp, says he would love to volunteer his time and knowledge to help local students build robots.

Janet Shea is a nurse, but she says she wants to do whatever she can to help aspiring scientists, including her son, who designed a handicapped-accessible window with his sophomore classmates in high school last year.

Their professional expertise may vary, but Davy, Shea and dozens of other parents who recently signed up for the Groton-Dunstable Science and Technology Booster Club have a common goal -- helping children explore science.

"We are really looking for parents to take it and run," said Ellen Barkhuff, science curriculum coordinator at Groton-Dunstable High School, describing the goal of the booster-club initiative.

A group of parents from the school district are in the process of setting up the Groton-Dunstable Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Booster Club, following in the footsteps of other similar

organizations, such as Acton Parent Involvement Project.

Burkhuff and Dorothy Dwyer, a K-8 science curriculum coordinator, spearheaded the project after some people said they wanted to get involved.

About 50 parents have so far expressed interest, and nearly half of them have met three times. They are still in the planning stages, trying to figure out what activities to coordinate and whether they should help classroom activities or focus on extracurricular projects. But their vision includes hosting a robotics competition.

Chris Dulaney, chairman of the club, has also proposed hosting a trade show, where manufacturers of high-tech gadgets demonstrate how science can be applied to everyday situations.

The state Department of Education has advocated for parental involvement in science for the past decade. In addition, there has been a growing number of education foundations formed across the region, and they raise money to help school purchase science equipment, according to Linda Froschauer, retiring president of the National Science Teachers Association.

Froschauer said districts across the country struggle to fund science programs, particularly at the elementary level, as No Child Left Behind Act has forced them to pour resources into reading and math programs.

Burkhuff said fundraising is not the Groton-Dustable Science Booster Club's goal, though the parents do hope to help schools buy some equipment. The group will be completely independent from the district, and parents will organize their own activities. The group's sole intention is to provide students with more opportunities to explore science, and Burkhuff said she hopes schools will be able to tap into the expertise of many local parents who work in the high-tech industry.

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