For immediate release                                                                                                                                                          Contact: Karen Ahearn

January 10, 2005                                                                                                                                                                 Communications Manager

                                                                                                                                                                                          412-481-7320

                                                                                                                                                                                          kahearn@assetinc.org

ASSET Teacher Leader Program develops leadership skills
within region's schools

PITTSBURGH — (January 10, 2005) — In response to school districts' needs, ASSET (Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching) Inc. is continuing its Teacher Leader Development Program to equip teachers with some of the skills and expertise needed to conduct teacher professional development sessions in their own districts. A total of 28 school districts in Southwestern Pennsylvania have committed to train 61 teachers during the 2004-05 school year. ASSET Inc. is an independent, nonprofit education reform initiative that provides teacher professional development aligned with standard-based curriculum materials to continuously improve teaching quality and student learning.

“This is the second year of the Teacher Leader Development Program, and more teachers are taking advantage of this opportunity to develop and support standards-based, accomplished teaching at the district level,” said Vince Valicenti, Assistant Director at ASSET Inc.

Each Teacher Leader develops an “Individual Training Plan” comprised of training, facilitating and shadowing ASSET professional development sessions in a designated science content or teaching methodology area. Teacher Leaders will then be available to share their selected area of expertise with other teachers in their district through inservice sessions, mentoring and study groups.

Teacher Leaders in ASSET member school districts include:

• Jeremy Gabbarin and Cindy Hines, Appolo-Ridge School District
• Julie Oberdick and Angela Schlumpf, Avonworth School District
• Mike Fisher and Joy Smith, Baldwin-Whitehall School District
• Sue Campbell and Lisa Machado, Bethel Park School District
• Pam Belczyk and Cynthia Matthews, Brentwood School District
• Beth Cooper and Dana Leyland, Butler School District
• Andrea Dreger and Deb Marshall, Clairton School District
• Marlo Drake and Melissa Miller, Duquesne City School District
• Paul Bigos and Christina Jordan, Gateway School District
• Jennifer Bell and Carol Fraser, Highlands School District
• Greta Pierce and Melissa Stone, Holy Family Alternative Education
• Robert Cusma and Renel Williams, Holy Family Learning
• Robert Keebler and Patricia Peterson, Keystone Oaks School District
• Dianne Evangelista and Debbie Mercier, Mt. Lebanon School District
• Ginny Hauk and Nicole Lewis, North Hills School District
• Jan Desko and Rick Torre, Northgate School District
• Kristy Bair, Jennifer Bresso, Ryan Osorio and Rhea Wilson , Penn Hills School District
• Sarah Lawentmann and Kristy Zelenz, Propell Schools
• Linda Rosenstock and Steve Rowe, Riverview School District
• Nancy Craft and Barb Guffey, Shaler Area School District
• Mary DiLonardo and Brenda Godzin, South Allegheny School District
• Kristin Deichler and Annette Fauth, South Fayette Township School District
• Mike Guipp and Chris Treemarcki, Sto-Rox School District
• Barb Helmeci and Kathy Hoedeman, Upper St. Clair School District
• Sharon Conte, Michelle Lukas and Takiyah Spivey, Wilkinsburg Borough School District
• Greg Egnor and Katie Friend, Woodland Hills School District

Teacher Leaders from nonmember school districts include:

• Allison Machusko and Stacie O'Toole, Chartiers Valley School District
• Zachary Price, Fred Rimmel, Janet Rimmel and Katy Wygant, Fox Chapel Area School District

For more information on ASSET's Teacher Leader Development program, visit assetinc.org or call 412-481-7320.

About ASSET:

Established by Bayer Corporation and other community partners in 1994, ASSET currently provides K-8 standards-based science materials and teacher professional development programs that directly impact 3,000 teachers and 63,000 students in 45 school districts, charter and private schools. Students in more than 180 ASSET member schools across Western Pennsylvania experience standards-based learning materials using an inquiry approach and are taught by teachers who receive professional development directly linked to the curriculum.

The largest program of its kind in the state, ASSET is the only one of 22 educational reform programs originally funded by the National Science Foundation that has achieved operational self-sustaining status. ASSET Inc. is an independent, nonprofit education reform initiative dedicated to continuously improve the abilities of teachers with initial efforts in K-8 science and technology education.