HUNTERDON CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

- Snow Pit analysis - tools and techniques
- Quinzee construction
- Thermochron use for temperature data collection
- Color of Ice - polarized light analysis to categorize ice formations
- Lake ice sampling
- Deep Ice Core Drilling (lecture) by NASA scientists
- Global Snowflake Network and photographing/analyzing snowflakes
- Tour of Adirondacks WILD Center
Earthwatch Expedition: In the summer of 2010, Thomas Mistele received a Geraldine Dodge Foundation grant
to attend an Earthwatch Expedition. The expedition involved nine days of field research in the Teton Mountain
Range of Wyoming, comparing the effects of residential and commercial development on populations of wild
songbirds.
Several members of the Science Department successfully completed the in-house Facilitator Training that was
offered. As a result of this training, these members led groups of peers on Project Based Learning and
Standards-based Curriculum Design as a Group Pathways Facilitator throughout the school year.
All of the members of the department also participated in informal professional learning communities in which
they were to study various pathways necessary to accomplish our District vision. This involved research and
collegial inquiry. As we move toward the implementation of 21 st Century Skills, it will become imperative to
offer professional development in the implementation of teaching strategies, problem-based learning, and
assessment. It will also become increasingly important to implement professional learning communities. This
will take a major commitment by the school community.
Special Recognitions
The Aviation Science elective was involved in bringing the Garrett Morgan Technology & Transportation
Education Program Grant. This resulted in a partnership with Alexandria Airport, the FAA, and DelVal High
School. As a result Hunterdon Central and Alexandria Airport received a Federal grant for $100,000.
As part of the Grant the following activities took place:
• A Grant “kickoff” at Central in November 2010.
• A new Aviation Science Club run jointly by Delaware Valley High School and Hunterdon Central.
• A series of video-taped projects and activities explaining how the activities met the goals of Project
Based Learning.
• On two successive dates, the Aviation Science class conducted hands-on learning sessions at JP Case
Middle School. During these sessions, Central’s Aviation Science class taught the middle school
students the fundamentals of the forces of flight and how to actually fly a simulated helicopter and fixed
wing aircraft that the Central students built themselves.
Sean Chappe was recognized as the 2011 Hunterdon Central Teacher of the Year and the 2011-2012 Hunterdon
County Teacher of the Year. This is a tremendous honor for Sean and Hunterdon Central. Congratulations
Sean on this very worthy recognition of your practice.
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