by Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes
Last week, I had the opportunity to work with three dedicated, highly skilled, seasoned high school science teachers who teach 11th and 12th grade science classes in the Binghamton City School District in upstate New York. Ryan Marchewka and Matt Ferrero teach Regents Earth Science and Environmental Science, and Audrey Hamilton teaches Environmental Science.
Binghamton City School District is the largest public school district in the central Southern Tier of New York State. Their diverse student population represents more than 44 countries and their families speak more than 47 native languages.
More than 100 courses are offered at Binghamton High School with Career and Technical Pathways offered in Business, Accounting, and Culinary Arts. Binghamton High School is home to the internationally acclaimed Rod Serling School of Fine Arts and has a fully accredited International Baccalaureate School. The district partners with community leaders and organizations to facilitate cutting edge educational research and state of the art practices in the classroom.
During the instructor training, Mr. Ferrero remarked that, while science teachers teach the water cycle all the time, the greater necessity is helping students understand why the water cycle is important and how they can use it in their future, the way it is presented in Roots of Success. Mr. Marchewka appreciated how the curriculum focuses on the needs and contributions of students that may otherwise be overlooked or underserved. Mr. Ferrero added that he was impressed that Roots of Success works well for all types of students. Ms. Hamilton reflected on how important the Roots of Success environmental curriculum is for students in the city, because of its focus on the environmental jobs and careers the students can access.
We are so excited to have these three new instructors, and to partner with Binghamton City School District!