Grade-schoolers lagging in math, science
While U.S. grade school students have made gains in the past 12 years in math, their performance still falls short of their peers in Europe and Asia, an international study found.
The Fourth Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) 2007, released last Tuesday, tested about 20,000 American fourth- and eighth-graders on math and science skills.
For both subjects, students are tested on various topics and cognitive skills they are expected to have developed.
In math, the content covered in fourth grade includes, number, geometric shapes and measures, and data display. In eighth grade, algebra, geometry, data and chance are focused on. Cognitive tested in both grades are knowing, applying and reasoning.
In science, fourth-graders are tested in life science, physical science and earth science. Eighth graders are tested in biology, chemistry, physics and Earth science. Like math, cognitive skills are knowing, applying and reasoning.
The average scores of both groups of students were higher than the tests's scale average. 2007 test scores also showed gains of 11 to 16 points in math compared to the 2005 test, but no noticeable gains in science. Scores on this year's test were lower than four of 35 other countries in science and eight of 35 other countries in math. Students from Hong Kong, China and Singapore scored the highest on both exams. For more details, visit www.nces.gov.
Party on, Sycamore readers: Students and teachers alike know it's tough to reign in excitement the day before a holiday break begins. It'll be even tougher this afternoon at Sycamore Trails Elementary in Bartlett.
After winning U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres' Library Card Challenge in November, students and staff at the school will be treated to pizza, milk, and a show by the Gail Borden Book Cart Drill team. The school will also receive $250 worth of books for their library.
To win the contest, all 525 Sycamore Trails students registered for a library card. For coming in second and third in the contest, Bartlett Elementary in Elgin and Centennial Elementary in Elgin will both receive $175 in new library books.
Elgin Rotary donates to hurting food pantries: Elgin's Rotary Club recently donated $1,000 to three area food pantries.: All People's Interfaith Food Pantry, The Salvation Army, and the Centro de Informacion.
"There has been a huge increase in demand for food in Elgin during these tough economic times," said Paris Donehoo, president of the Rotary Club of Elgin. According to a news release, Salvation Army officials have seen a 43 percent increase in the number of families requesting food assistance this year. The All People's Interfaith Food Pantry has also seen an increase in the number of families being served, from 175 families in March 2007 to 211 families in March 2008. The need is expected to rise further this holiday season.