This document summarizes an education program called Innovate NJ that was presented on April 22, 2015. It involved three school districts - Long Branch, Springfield, and Spotswood - developing after school programs where parents and students learn science, math, and ELA standards together. For Long Branch it focused on science, for the others it was math and ELA. It described the student selection process, curriculum, and family information sessions. It provided highlights of hands-on learning, transportation, incentives, and partnerships. Survey results from parents found the best features were experiments and one-on-one learning. Most felt it improved classroom learning and were interested in expanding the program to other subjects like art and music.

1. Innovate NJ:
Presented by:
Bridgette Burtt
Jena Valdiviezo
Long Branch Public Schools
Springfield Public Schools
Spotswood Public Schools
April 22, 2015

2. Project Focus:
• Development of a
student/parent program in
which parents and students
learn and work together to
master content standards.
• Springfield/Spotswood- Math
and ELA
• Long Branch-Science

3. Long Branch
• Development of a
student/parent program in
which parents and students
learn and work together to
master next generation science
standards.

4. COLLABORATION
COMMUNICATION

5. DEDICATED
TEACHERS
*PLANNING
*CREATIVITY
*HANDS ON
LEARNING

6. TEAMWORK MAKES THE
DREAM WORK

7. Identification of
students:• New Jersey ASK Science is
administered in 4th and 8th grade.
• 4th Grade GLC students & 8th grade
MS students.
• The following data was analyzed for
student selection:
• 4th grade-NJASK Science Pretest
• 8th grade-NJASK 7th grade Math & ELA
and 4th grade NJASK Science

8. CURRICULUM
• Aligned with the 4th & 8th
grade next generation Science
Standards
• A syllabus for each grade
level was developed

9. Student
Informatio
n Session

11. Parent Information Session

12. Parent Information Session

13. Highlights of the Program:
• Childcare for younger siblings
• Homework tutoring for siblings
• Dinner
• Transportation
• Day and time selection based
upon parent needs
• Weekly Incentives

14. Weekly Incentives:
• Barnes and Noble
• Amy's Omelette
House
• Scala's Pizzeria
• AMC Movie Theatre
• Fine Fair

15. CHILD CARE
& HOMEWORK
HELP-
TEACHERS &
NJHS

16. DINNERS EACH SESSION

18. COLLABORATION &
PARTNERSHIPS

19. Presentation to the
BOE

20. SYMBALOO-
RESOURCES FOR
PARENTS & STUDENTS

21. EXPERIMENTS:

24. Roller Coaster
Experiment

29. COMMUNICATION & BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS
AND THEIR FAMILIES

30. DATA ANALYSIS &
RECORDING OF RESULTS

31. STUDENT LAB BOOKS:

32. Parent Survey
April, 2015
How has Innovate NJ developed you and your child’s science knowledge?
Responses:
•Helped me improve my science grades. It made science more interesting. It also helped me understand
different problems.
•It has increased our knowledge of science and how my son has learned. He is learning in school and is
doing way better in test and quizzes.
•I believe that my child and I enjoy learning about science. We have learned a lot.
•I think the program made science more interesting for my daughter with the hands on concepts and
having me here with her made her more confident.
•It has helped her learn much more about the things she likes in science.
•It has helped him in science class.
•By introducing new science subjects that we were not familiar with.
•It is knowledge and fun. I liked the program. We have learned a lot. He also liked the program and it was
interesting and educational.
• I liked the experiments that we did, exploring objects, and science. We can comprehend things better.
• It was very good, I am satisfied with what me and my daughter learned.
• You taught us many experiments and we learned a lot of interesting things.
Excellent.

33. Parent Survey
April, 2015
What do you consider to be the best features of the Innovate NJ Program?
Responses:
• The science experiments.
• Learning, fun
• Doing the activities in class.
• I like the hands on aspect and the one on one time with my daughter to get her to think.
• The time I get to spend with my child one on one.
• The interaction with the science teacher and lab.
• My son likes when we are able to perform messy labs.
• The best feature is the hands-on aspect of the program. It allows a different level of learning
besides just listening or reading.
• The experiments, it’s nice to do as a group.
• I consider the explanations that the teacher gave us about the experiments are very important for
my child to complete the experiment.
• All of the experiments were great.
• We can share ideas and complete the experiments together with the children, parents and
teachers.
• Everything.
• The Class.

34. Parent Survey
April, 2015
What improvements would you make to the Innovate NJ Program?
Responses:
• Keep it the same
• More kids and activities
• None
• N/A
∀ None
∀ Not that I can think of
• Maybe a later starting time to allow parents who work later to participate.
Experiments out in the community…maybe the ocean front
• More experiments and maybe a short movie. And stuff like volcanoes.
• Everything is good.
• Nothing
• More experiments. ( Two parents answered the same)
• Earlier time to start

35. Parent Survey
April, 2015
Do you think learning with your child is vital for the improvement in the
everyday classroom?
Responses:
• It boosts me up a whole new level of understanding.
• Yes, way better, now he is doing way better than last marking period, he
got a 93.
• I do believe that it helps my child understand about science and it teaches
her things.
• Yes, I can be there to push her and get her to use her head vs. her say I
don’t know.
• Yes
• No, I think when I am here they rely too much on parents.
• It helps him to improve.
• Yes
• Yes, it makes her feel comfortable with her parent.
• I learned and it was interesting. I would like to see more experiments.
• Yes
• It is a motivation to learn more.
• My daughter learned a lot.
• Yes

36. Parent Survey
April, 2015
Would you be interested in a similar program in other subject areas?
Responses:
• Yes, I think a music class would be nice.
• Yes
• Yes, maybe with animals and music
• Yes, we would
• Yes, Math, Reading
• Yes
• Yes
• Yes, for Mathematics
• I would like for them to talk about animals and art.
• More art.
• Art and Music
• Music program
• Yes.

37. Parent Survey
April, 2015
Is there anything you would like to share with us about the program that is not asked above?
Responses:
• No
• No
• Loved the program
• No
• Nothing
∀ It has been a great experience. It was very generous of the local merchants to donate gift
cards for the raffles.
The teachers and directors as well as the student volunteers have put forth great effort for a
great
program.
• You guys did a good job
• Thank you for making all of this possible for our children and their learning experience. They are excellent people
and teachers.
• This was a good motivation to work with the teacher, students and parents. I hope this works with different
programs.
• The teachers are very professional.
• The teachers are very nice.

38. April 22, 2015
• Our Innovate NJ Field Trip to
Liberty Science Center!!!