ISP partnership brings agriculture into Missouri classrooms

How do plants grow? Where does food come from? Who grows your food? Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Missouri. The state is home to 95,000 farms, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, covering two-thirds of the state’s total land acreage, with the top commodities being soybeans, corn, cattle, hogs, and turkeys. But despite […]

Disrupt to Rebuild: TLI and SLPS Redefining Traditional Models of Leadership and Accountability

The Transformational Leadership Initiative has partnered with two Saint Louis Public elementary schools, Ashland and Meramec, to challenge traditional educational models of top-down leadership. More common in schools serving low-income and minority communities, these long-standing models enforce rigid, test-focused leadership which makes them less able to cope with day-to-day stressors and pushes educators away from […]

Pivoting & Partnering: ISP’s response to help educators in the face of COVID-19

There was a lot to be excited about. A trip to partner with teachers in Uganda. Promoting an upcoming speaker series. Planning a water workshop. Prepping for professional development sessions. But in mid-March, with fears growing over the coronavirus, the pause button was  pressed on normal life, halting everyday activities, shuttering offices and closing schools. […]

STEMpact highlighted in Connected Science Learning journal

By 2022, employment in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) in the St. Louis region is projected to grow by 12.4%, according to the most recent State of St. Louis Workforce report focused on STEM. But St. Louis employers are struggling to fill these positions. In 2018, 41% of St. Louis companies cited a […]

Audio: ISP efforts spotlighted on 'St. Louis on the Air'

Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton spotlighted the work of the Institute for School Partnership during a recent appearance on “St. Louis on the Air” on St. Louis Public Radio. When asked by St. Louis Public Radio editor Maria Altman what WashU is doing to engage the wider St. Louis community, Chancellor Wrighton highlighted the work […]

New book explores history of ISP’s innovative mySci program

Think back to your elementary and middle school science experiences. What were you taught? How were you taught? Chances are, you may not remember much about science in your elementary school. In middle school, you might remember your textbook and taking turns reading the textbook out loud in class. Maybe you remember the occasional egg-drop […]

ISP celebrates Darwin Day, names new Kirk Teacher Fellow

There was cake, balloons and a rousing singalong of Happy Birthday. The man himself – Charles Darwin – stood off in a corner ready to pose for selfies. A birthday hat sitting atop his head. OK, it wasn’t the real Darwin, but a life-size cutout. However, the celebratory feel was real as 60 educators and […]

Obituary: David L. Kirk, professor emeritus of biology, ISP faculty fellow, 84

David L. Kirk, professor emeritus of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, died Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, at Dougherty Ferry Assisted Living in St. Louis after a long illness. He was 84. Kirk, who was an active and passionate member of the university community for nearly 50 years, spent a […]