Greenville, NC – The National Science Foundation (NSF) Team is visiting East Carolina University this week to evaluate the management of the North Carolina Partnership for Improving Mathematics and Science (NC-PIMS) Grant. They arrived on campus Wednesday, June, 15th and will be in Greenville through Friday, June, 17th. The NSF team began their visit by listening to a presentation from the grant management team. Members of ECU’s higher education community including Marilyn Sheerer, dean for ECU’s College of Education; Molly Broad, President of the UNC System; and district superintendents were also present. Wednesday afternoon, faculty at other sites involved with the project met with the NSF team via video-conference.
The NSF team is meeting again on Thursday, June, 16th at J.H. Rose High School to observe NC-PIMS Lead Teacher classes. They will meet lead teachers, facilitators and other district members of the project afterwards. Feature presentations will be given by the math team and grant operators Thursday afternoon.
The NC-PIMS grant was established to increase mathematics achievement while decreasing achievement gaps in Eastern North Carolina school districts. NC-PIMS does this through school leadership, professional teacher development, student encouragement and parental involvement. A partnership among several institutions was formed to accomplish these goals. They include: The University of North Carolina General Administration, NC Department of Public Instruction, NC Mathematics and Science Education Network, East Carolina University, Fayetteville State University, UNC Pembroke, UNC Wilmington and the NC Community College System.
NC-PIMS brings schools, universities and community leaders together to form leadership teams. These teams are in partner districts as well three Regional Leadership Teams in 17 counties across Eastern North Carolina. The teams work together to align resources that will support student achievement in mathematics.
NC-PIMS provides professional development to teachers through structured workshops and courses. University faculty design and teach graduate-level classes. Teachers selected from various districts are designated as “Lead Teachers”. The Lead Teachers receive training for workshops they will teach to teacher-colleagues in their home schools. The workshops are designed by facilitators with NC-PIMS to aid teachers with tools to increase student achievement. The facilitators continue to support Lead Teachers throughout the school year and summer.
The NC-PIMS partnership also focuses on parent involvement. In addition to teacher training, the grant also provides workshops for parents to learn how to engage their students in mathematics at home.
For more information, contact Dr. Ron Preston, Mathematics and Science Education Chair, at 252-328-9353 or Jessica W. Davenport, Director of Communications, College of Education at 252-328-2179.