Achieve Announces New Members on Science Peer Review Panel

Washington, D.C. — March 8, 2018 — Achieve today announced the addition of 13 new members to its Science Peer Review Panel (PRP) for its second year to expand its work evaluating lesson sequences and units designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and sharing high-quality examples online.

Out of 300 applicants from 39 states, Washington D.C., and international locations, these applicants demonstrated extensive knowledge of the NGSS and a critical eye for high-quality materials designed for the NGSS. The new peer reviewers will join the network of 38 other passionate educators on the Science PRP with whom they can build a powerful community and share ideas and resources. The 13 new peer reviewers selected to join the Science PRP are from ten states: Arkansas, California, Illinois, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, and Washington, with rural, urban, and suburban school communities and grade bands represented. Over half have identified engineering as an area of content experience, which is a high need area for the focus of the Science PRP’s work, and about half of the new peer reviewers have spent over a decade as classroom teachers.

Throughout the year, peer reviewers will receive free and meaningful professional learning experiences run by experts in the field and designed to deepen understanding of the NGSS and the EQuIP Rubric for Science evaluation process for instructional materials.

Not only is this a great opportunity for professional growth, but peer reviewers play a major role in advancing science education across the country. One of the biggest challenges in NGSS implementation around the country is a lack of high-quality instructional materials designed for the NGSS. The Science PRP addresses this problem by evaluating free and publicly-available materials with the nationally-respected EQuIP Rubric for Science, identifying high-quality examples, and posting them publicly for the education community — both teachers and publishers — to see what materials faithfully designed for the NGSS actually look like.

Those who were accepted to the Science PRP will receive recognition on the Achieve website; at the end of the year-long commitment, peer reviewers will be recognized with a certificate of excellence.

To learn more, check out the Science Peer Review Panel website.

New Science PRP Members
Alexandra Bartfield, Science Teacher, East Brunswick Public Schools
Jen Brown-Whale, Resource Teacher, Elementary Science, Howard County Public School System
Debbie Gordon, Elementary Science Specialist and Project Director for K-12 CA NGSS Early Implementers, Palm Springs Unified School District
Justin Harvey, Physics Teacher, Dacula High School
Lori Henrickson, Secondary Science Project Facilitator, Clark County School District
Holly Hereau, Science Department Chair, Biology and Environmental Science Teacher, Thurston High School
Marshall Hunter II, General and Regents Physics, Greece Arcadia High School
Jacqueline (Jacqui) Lovejoy, 5-8 Science Specialist, Bentonville Schools
Chris Embry Mohr, Science and Agriculture Teacher, Olympia High School
Jesse Semeyn, Science Instructional Coach, District U46, Elgin, IL
Kimberly Weaver, STEM Coordinator, Olympic Educational Service District 114
Barbara Woods, Curriculum Coach; NGSS Early Implementer Project Director, Galt Joint Union School District
James Yoos, Science Teacher/ Science Fellow, Bellingham High School

Current Science PRP Members
Kimberley Astle, Teacher, Fisher's Landing Elementary
Jennifer Brooker, K-12 Science Supervisor, New York
Chris Charnitski, Science Education Specialist, North Carolina
Melissa Collins, Teacher, Shelby County Schools
Christine Depatie, Teacher and STEM Coach, Swanton Schools, Franklin Northwest Supervisory Union
Joyce Depenbusch, Teacher, Skyline Schools, Unified School District #438
Terri Eros, Teacher and Science Co-Chair, Red Clay Consolidated School District
Jean Flanagan, Science Education Research Specialist, Washington DC
Carolyn Frost, Sr. Content Specialist, NWEA
Kathy Gill, Retired Teacher, Davis Joint Unified School District
Amy Hilliard, Lead Teacher, Western Heights Middle School, Washington County Public Schools
Missy Holzer, Teacher, Chatham High School Science
Valerie Joyner, Freelance Elementary Science Writer, California
Diane Johnson, Regional Teacher Partner, PIMSER at University of Kentucky College of Education
Shannon Kenyon, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Lewiston Independent School District
Liz Lehman, University of Chicago STEM Education, School Development Manager
Traci Loftin, K-5 Science Teacher on Special Assignment, Washoe County School District
Emily Mathews, Senior Program Coordinator, Northwestern University
Edel Maeder, District Science Coordinator, Greece Central
Kristen Moorhead, Professional Development Provider, Professional Learning Innovations (PLI), LLC
Bama Medley, Teacher on Special Assignment, Math and Science Specialist, Santa Maria-Bonita School District
Marisa Miller, Assistant Director of Science, Mastery Charter Schools
Janet MacNeil, PreK-8 Science Coordinator, Brookline Public Schools
Aaron Mueller, Teacher, Scullen Middle School
Jeanne Norris, K-8 Curriculum Coordinator, Washington University in St. Louis Institute for School Partnership
Kristin Rademaker, Teacher Leader, Harlem High School
Brianna Reilly, Teacher, Hightstown High School, East Windsor Regional School District
Ryan Revel, Teacher, Sussex Central High School, Indian River School District
Melissa Rogers, Science Curriculum Developer, Washington DC
Dianna Roy, Teacher, South Windsor Public Schools
Nancy Shellenberger, Science Resource Teacher, Monroe 2 Orleans BOCES
Katherine (Kate) Soriano, Curriculum and Professional Development Specialist, Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Beth Pesnell, K-8 Math & Science Curriculum Specialist, Rogers Public Schools
Amy Sandgren, Science Education Consultant, NextGen Consulting
Nelly Tsai, 7th Grade Science Teacher & Secondary Science Mentor, Irvine Unified School District
Megan Veldhuizen, STEM Coordinator, Lawton Public Schools
Brandi Williams, High School Teacher, Edmond Public Schools
Cari Williams, Computer Science and Engineering Teacher on Special Assignment, California

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