<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">We are very excited to announce the release of the first public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) today through Achieve.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">You are cordially invited to review the standards and provide feedback to the writers. Reviewers will be able to select the standards they would like to review.  Feedback will be given to the writers using an online survey via the Achieve website </span><a href="http://www.nextgenscience.org/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">http://www.nextgenscience.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> . When you get to the website, click in the section next to the blue arrow #3 in the middle of the screen. This will take you to a page with access to documents and the survey.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Some helpful hints include: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(1) read the documents titled “How to Read the Standards” and “NGSS May Front Matter” before anything else,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(2) click on the “Go to the NGSS Survey” link to register and begin your review,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(3) read all directions thoroughly, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(4) provide meaningful feedback that addresses ways in which to improve the standard, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(5) write in complete sentences and avoid acronyms.  </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">You are welcome to sit with colleagues and submit your comments together. We also encourage you to direct some attention to the engineering standards which are completely new.  The <strong>deadline</strong> for providing feedback is <strong><span style="color: red;">June 1, 2012</span></strong>.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Thank you so much for your help and your professionalism. Your feedback is vital to strengthening science education in Washington and in the United States.  More information will be available through the OSPI Teaching and Learning Science website: </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.k12.wa.us/Science/Standards.aspx">http://www.k12.wa.us/Science/Standards.aspx</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> . </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></p>