Having the opportunity to order $1000 in equipment for my school is such a gift in these difficult economic times. While pondering what to purchase, I was amazed that this amount really does not go very far when looking to increase my school's biotechnology supplies. We were fortunate to receive a grant this past year so the school purchased a few micropipettes. Unfortunately, they are all the same size so I will have to slowly increase our inventory. The decision needs to be made regarding whether it would be preferable to purchase kits and supplies that will be functional for all of my students or preferable to purchase a couple of more costly equipment, that can be used by the AP students, that would not be obtainable with science department funds.

Attending the PD course being held at JABSOM allows me to put a positive spin on the furlough situation with which we are dealing. Thus far, I have experienced two sessions and feel energized. The highlight of both sessions has been the sharing of the studies conducted by the researchers at the center. The focus of the talks have been enlightening and extremely interesting to hear. The quality of research appears to be top-notch and exciting to share with my students. The topics have been intriguing and the results obtained may one day be used in cardiovascular therapy.

Improving secondary science teachers' lab techniques is obviously an important step towards helping students attain higher levels of technical competence. This may also lead to higher levels of learning by increasing the options available to students who attend public institutions. Although I feel it is beneficial to offer these lab-type courses to all secondary teachers, I am not in favor of making them a requirement. As professionals, teachers should have the option of selecting the type of continuing education which interests them. One of the problems with HIDOE, as far as I'm concerned, is that PD is determined without teacher input. It is frustrating to sit through required talks that I perceive to be insignificant.