Continuing Education
PR Newswire | September 28, 2023
Today, Vernier Science Education, a leading provider of innovative science and STEM education solutions, announced a significant organizational shift that will chart the course for its mission and values for the foreseeable future. The company will evolve from partner-owned to being owned by a Perpetual Purpose Trust. This allows Vernier Science Education to ensure values-aligned ownership succession and uphold its core mission and values indefinitely, ensuring that its social and charitable objectives remain a priority in perpetuity, securing the futures of its valued employees, and reinvesting profits back into the business while sharing benefits with employees, customers, and communities alike.
The Perpetual Purpose Trust is a bold and innovative approach that aligns perfectly with Vernier's vision of serving educators, students, the STEM community, and communities at large. The decision to reevaluate and reimagine Vernier's ownership model and long-term commitment to its mission comes as John Wheeler, the CEO of Vernier Science Education, prepares to step back from day-to-day activities, ushering in a new era of innovation and purpose-driven sustainability for the company.
"Our decision to reevaluate our business and establish a Perpetual Purpose Trust stems from our unwavering commitment to STEM education and sustaining the values and principles that have defined Vernier for decades. This transformational shift will enable us to secure the future of our employees, reinvest in our business, and continue our mission of creating a STEM-literate society," said Wheeler. "I am honored to continue to guide our work during this transition, and I look forward to the remarkable achievements that lie ahead for Vernier Science Education."
Wheeler will remain in his position as CEO until a nationwide search identifies a replacement. He will continue to be active in Vernier Science Education providing guidance and leadership to the organization and supporting the new CEO.
The transition from partner-owned to Trust-owned will be funded by both gifting and purchase of shares from current Partners. Dave and Christine Vernier, the company's co-founders and key figures in its success, will remain actively engaged in the Vernier Science Education family, offering their invaluable insights and support as the company embarks on this exciting new chapter.
"Vernier Science Education has always been driven by a deep commitment to advancing STEM education. As we transition to a Perpetual Purpose Trust, we're reaffirming our dedication to our mission and values, and commitment to staying a local independent Oregon-based company for generations to come," said Dave Vernier. "Christine and I are excited to continue contributing to the Vernier family and witnessing the positive impact this strategic move will have on educators, students, and the STEM community. This is how we pay back the years of success our organization has had and give back to our community."
By establishing a Perpetual Purpose Trust, Vernier Science Education joins other socially-conscious organizations, foundations, and companies committed to long-term sustainability, fostering a sense of purpose that extends far into the future.
About Vernier Science Education
Vernier Science Education is a leading provider of innovative solutions for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. For over four decades, Vernier has been dedicated to supporting educators and inspiring students to explore and understand the world of science. With a commitment to quality, Vernier's comprehensive range of data collection and analysis tools, along with its educational resources, empowers educators to facilitate engaging and hands-on learning experiences. To learn more, visit vernier.com.
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Continuing Education
Businesswire | August 11, 2023
Research shows that safety in school science labs and classrooms is a national concern. More than half of schools have had an injury or litigation, and more than three-quarters of accidents involve students. Accelerate Learning and Science Safety Inc. have exclusively partnered to increase safety in STEM education programming nationwide.
Accelerate Learning now offers Science Safety products and services to enable districts to improve safety policies and practices, reduce risk, and support ongoing compliance requirements.
“Safety is essential for hands-on learning, and it’s an integral part of Accelerate Learning’s STEM curriculum and professional development programs,” said Kent Donges, chief revenue officer for Accelerate Learning. “Through this partnership, our team now provides districts with comprehensive, preventative safety programs to meet the most current professional standards and regulatory requirements while making their STEM programs safer and more successful for all.”
Science Safety’s scalable, cloud-based mobile apps provide exceptional compliance capabilities for Facilities-based Safety Inspections, Student Safety Acknowledgment Forms, and STEM inventory management. Online Science Safety Training gives administrators, educators, and students access to STEM safety learning Pathways and Modules that are role, grade level, and subject matter specific, and can be customized to meet the local jurisdiction’s compliance requirements. Upon completion, learners receive verifiable micro-credentials and certificates. Professional expert safety services include in-person training and inspections, workshops, safety document services, and safety inspection report validations.
“Appropriately documented safety training is an annual requirement for educators in every district. Yet, many schools lack the proper tools, training, and expertise to mitigate the risks and legal liability of delivering highly engaging science and STEM programs,” said James Palcik, CEO of Science Safety. “Science Safety is excited to join forces with Accelerate Learning to elevate safety awareness and help schools build a culture of continuous safety.”
About Accelerate Learning Inc.
Accelerate Learning provides STEM curriculum and professional development solutions that empower teachers, increase scores, and inspire students to become tomorrow’s STEM leaders. Its STEMscopes, Collaborate Science, and Math Nation curricula and resources are highly adaptable, accessible, and support instruction in any learning environment.
About Science Safety Inc.
Science Safety’s mission is to elevate STEM safety awareness in schools and create a fundamental culture of safety that can mitigate unforeseen risks and liabilities.
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Talent Development
Businesswire | August 21, 2023
Age of Learning, leading education technology innovator and creator of the widely popular ABCmouse® Early Learning Academy, today announced the launch of Homeschool+™, a new program that provides home educators with resources and tools to guide their child’s education and inspire a lifelong love of learning. Developed for children ages 4-8, Homeschool+ offers a comprehensive curriculum, adaptive math and reading learning programs, and robust home educator tools for planning lessons and tracking progress, customizable to meet each family’s unique homeschooling needs.
The Homeschool+ curriculum features Age of Learning’s research-validated digital learning solutions My Math Academy®, and My Reading Academy™. Based on well-established principles of learning science research, these programs enable young children to master essential math concepts and build foundational literacy skills. They help accelerate learning by identifying each child’s strengths and growth opportunities, then dynamically adapting the selection and sequence of learning experiences to meet each child’s needs.
In addition to math and reading, Homeschool+ offers art, science, social studies, language arts, music, and Spanish. These additional courses, all designed by education experts, feature content from ABCmouse’s award-winning, research-validated curriculum, augmented by lesson plans that take full advantage of the learning opportunities of the home environment. Home educators can select from a broad variety of lessons to address their children’s interests, each one offering online and offline learning activities.
“Age of Learning spent more than a decade developing research-based programs that engage children and accelerate learning,” said Cailin Sandvig, Vice President of Marketing, Homeschool Division, Age of Learning. “Designing a platform that meets the specific needs of home educators is an important next step in addressing the educational needs of all children. Homeschool+ brings together Age of Learning’s proven programs to deliver effective and engaging homeschool experiences for every family.”
In addition to its curriculum, Homeschool+ supports home educators with tools that enable them to effectively manage their child's learning journey while providing insights into their child's progress. This includes a Lesson Planner that gives educators complete control of their child’s program, with options to create custom lessons to complement their child's interests and needs, to reassign incomplete lessons, and to repeat lessons for extra review.
Homeschool+ also features a Progress Tracker with individualized dashboards that include detailed information about each student’s progress. The math and reading dashboards provide insights on each child's progress, including time spent, skill mastery, and areas of struggle. The Arts, Sciences & General Knowledge Dashboard tracks lesson progress and completed activities.
Prior to release, Homeschool+ was extensively tested with veteran homeschooling families, earning very positive reviews. As one parent put it, “It was just so simple. It didn't just fit in our day, it made our day easier. And there is so much there that he's learning that I want to teach him.”
About Age of Learning
Age of Learningis the leading education technology innovator, creating engaging and effective learning resources to help children build a strong foundation for academic success and a lifelong love of learning. The company’s research-based digital education programs have been developed by an experienced team of education experts and have proven efficacy in increasing children’s learning gains. Age of Learning’s flagship product, ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy, is an award-winning comprehensive curriculum for children. The company’s school solutions programs include My Math Academy®, an adaptive, personalized program proven to significantly accelerate math learning outcomes, and My Reading Academy™, an adaptive program designed to help young learners build a foundation for reading comprehension and literacy and become fluent readers. With over 11 billion learning activities completed by more than 50 million children worldwide, Age of Learning is a global leader in efforts to advance equity, access, and opportunity for all children.
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