Sara Ward
Ohio Department of Development
Office of Energy Efficiency
P.O. Box 1001
Columbus, Ohio 43266

February 15, 2000

Dear Sara,
The Bluffsview School staff is pleased to report to you the positive impact on student achievement in math and science we are experiencing as a result of the "sun-sational" science our students are experiencing! As part of a total school and community focus on science and partnerships with AEP and the Foundation for Environmental Education, a 2,000-watt photovoltaic system of solar panels was installed at Bluffsview in the fall of 1998. An internet link through AEP’s Datapult system allows students to monitor the amount of power being generated by the panels compared to the amount of energy that is being consumed. Teachers identified instructional objectives in science and math related to the study of solar energy and meaningful lessons were developed to engage students in learning about solar and other energy sources.

Student achievement has been impacted by this initiative as measured on the fourth and sixth grade Ohio Proficiency Tests. The percentages of fourth (5% increase) and sixth (18% increase) grade students proficient in science showed statistically substantial improvement from 1996, when science was first assessed, to 1998 after the solar panel project was initiated. During this same time period, the percentage of proficient students remained relatively constant across the state of Ohio, and Bluffsview’s rate of growth far exceeded our school district’s. Math scores showed similar improvement increasing by 13% at the sixth grade level and 25% at the fourth.

The school staff’s efforts to integrate this technology into the curriculum along with an overall emphasis on a developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences that encourage children to develop questions, explore their ideas, and construct meaning is paying off for our students. Teachers facilitate learning by assisting students in making connections to their own experiences and discovering real life applications for the knowledge they have gained. Our students are engaged in learning that is fun and exciting, and the lessons they are learning today can be used to create a better tomorrow!

Sincerely,
Karen H. Groff
Assistant to the Principal

cc: Glen Kizer, The Foundation for Environmental Education