Print

[Chips]

COSI staff shifts focus to outreach programs
Museum closed, but mission continues


By KATE GIAMMARISE
BLADE STAFF WRITER


At COSI Toledo, the doors are shut. The lights are off. The hands-on science museum that once drew up to 250,000 visitors annually is officially closed to the public.

But inside, with space heaters to keep the offices warm, a small staff is working. Four full-time and two part-time employees are there, closing down the museum - while at the same time, working on continuing COSI's distance learning and outreach programs for local schools.

They have not given up hope that the facility can reopen. Some members of the staff, while staying on to work, have taken 5 percent to 8 percent pay cuts.

[MomEm]

 

On behalf of the entire COSI team, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to the extraordinary community that we called home for the last 10 years. We have welcomed more than three million children and their families through our doors to witness astonishing demonstrations, explore hundreds of interactive exhibits and become inspired by science. National awards for community service and numerous distance-learning awards for outstanding educational content have recognized COSI. As you are aware, unfortunately the science center closed the doors to the public on December 31, 2007.
What you don’t know is we are working very hard to keep our educational programs in the schools. Since you can’t come to the science center, we will come to you!
We offer a variety of programs that you can reserve today to bring the COSI experience into your classroom.

Extreme Science Day
This interactive, mind-blowing experience for your entire school includes an amazing 45-minute demonstration, 9 hands-on activity stations, and follow-up activities to create a WOW for all your students. Your school chooses the topic: Structures or Forces and Motion!

Distance Learning
Give your students the opportunity to participate in a live, interactive experience between your students and a COSI Educator through video conferencing. This award-winning, entertaining, engaging program is the perfect way to integrate STEM curriculum into your classroom

Workshops
It’s learning made easy! COSI comes to your classroom with all the materials needed for one hour of exciting hands-on learning. We know you’re busy! We provide pre-activities and post-activities to make a larger impact and reduce your time planning lessons.

Family Science Nights
Students and parents have the opportunity to be scientists with 9 different hands-on activities. A perfect evening event to excite families about science and prepare for testing!


CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR LEARNING EXPEREINCE!
www.cositoledo.org
419.244.2674

[kuzco_77]

There ya go give the people giving us our jobs one more reason to move some place other then the USA. 

I do not want my tax rate to go to or above 50% so that the poor can get taken car of even more then we already do.  Here is an idea we take away every other social service and then use that money to pay for health care.  The only way that a national health care will work is by the govt steps in and set prices on all health care and that is totally against what this country stands for. 

I’d start by increasing the taxes of the recipients of the breaks that Bush gave…..businesses and the rich but I wouldn’t mind paying more to improve society.

The long range payoff of universal health-care will be worth it.

So Griff……..You think taxation is the most important discussion we could be having?

[lordfly]

The only way that a national health care will work is by the govt steps in and set prices on all health care and that is totally against what this country stands for. 

What does our country stand for, nowadays?

[marilyn.monroe]

There ya go give the people giving us our jobs one more reason to move some place other then the USA. 

I do not want my tax rate to go to or above 50% so that the poor can get taken car of even more then we already do.  Here is an idea we take away every other social service and then use that money to pay for health care.  The only way that a national health care will work is by the govt steps in and set prices on all health care and that is totally against what this country stands for. 

American companies that want to take their business & jobs to other countries, should do just that. Let them go be Mexican & Chinese companies and their owners can go live there, too. They should be treated like foreigners, too, and we should quit treating foreign companies like American companies. The only reason American companies take their business out of America, is because they are trying to take advantage of cheap (and I mean that in every sense of the word) foreign governments, and yet still enjoy all the rights and privileges of America.
I am tired of corporations shopping around America trying to score the best corporate welfare, too, and in most cases this aid seems to be given to mega multinational corps, not the small businesses that could really use it!

[marilyn.monroe]

Well Jefferson still has busing for k-6th grade.  Also I am pretty sure that they still have a music program. 

That's pretty sad, the middle/high schoolers get to live by FERMI NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, and they have no school transportation. Any school that has a nuclear power facility in their district should not be having school bus issues. How would they be evacuated in case of an emergency?

[marilyn.monroe]

On behalf of the entire COSI team, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to the extraordinary community that we called home for the last 10 years. We have welcomed more than three million children and their families through our doors to witness astonishing demonstrations, explore hundreds of interactive exhibits and become inspired by science. National awards for community service and numerous distance-learning awards for outstanding educational content have recognized COSI. As you are aware, unfortunately the science center closed the doors to the public on December 31, 2007.
What you don’t know is we are working very hard to keep our educational programs in the schools. Since you can’t come to the science center, we will come to you!
We offer a variety of programs that you can reserve today to bring the COSI experience into your classroom.

Extreme Science Day
This interactive, mind-blowing experience for your entire school includes an amazing 45-minute demonstration, 9 hands-on activity stations, and follow-up activities to create a WOW for all your students. Your school chooses the topic: Structures or Forces and Motion!

Distance Learning
Give your students the opportunity to participate in a live, interactive experience between your students and a COSI Educator through video conferencing. This award-winning, entertaining, engaging program is the perfect way to integrate STEM curriculum into your classroom

Workshops
It’s learning made easy! COSI comes to your classroom with all the materials needed for one hour of exciting hands-on learning. We know you’re busy! We provide pre-activities and post-activities to make a larger impact and reduce your time planning lessons.

Family Science Nights
Students and parents have the opportunity to be scientists with 9 different hands-on activities. A perfect evening event to excite families about science and prepare for testing!


CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR LEARNING EXPEREINCE!
www.cositoledo.org
419.244.2674

And getting back to topic!!
I am glad they are still able to do outreach to schools and kids!

[lordfly]

Even lordfly hasn't read everything he has posted on MT. 

If it goes without saying, then explain the current deficit spending practices and indebtedness of our government.

OK let's increase taxes--starting with you.

So you really won't mind paying more?

peace,
Griff

To be fair, the current 2009 Michigan budget has a 100 million dollar surplus.

That being said, about 98% of the total budget is appropriations. I reckon we can shave that down somewhat.

Let's see... $2.5 million earmarked for "promoting Michigan dairy and agricultural products worldwide". Do we really need that? I don't thnk the folks in Sudan care that we make tasty milk.

18 million for the racing industry (Nascar?) and state fairs. The Monroe County fair has been declining in attendance lately, and I doubt giving it a cut of the 18 million will do much...

175 million for airport safety improvements.

40 million for an "urban military training course" in Camp Grayling.

2.4 BILLION dollars (with a B) to provide local community mental health services. Are we really all that crazy? Or are we just overmedicated?

$489 million in health prevention and disease prevention programs.

Eastern Michigan got 79 million from the state this year. I go there, and they've squandered it terribly. There's plenty of room for cutting back the state budget for some universities, especially for such frivolous things as sports (EMU wants to construct a 40 million dollar facility for their absolutely horrible football team that nobody watches)

268 million for "licensing and regulating of businesses and for the prevention of workplace hazards." How can it cost a quarter of a billion to tell businesses to put caution signs everywhere and to make sure their employees don't stick their hands in the meat grinder? Regulation and licensing should be zero-sum; the licensing should cover all costs associated with regulation.

I could go on and on and on, and that's only going through 4-5 sections of the budget. There is plenty in there that can be cut. Just please don't touch the arts, education, or libraries. If anything, we need to focus on education more, especially for the soon-to-be-displaced auto workers. Free tuition in a public university for displaced auto workers would be a good start. If Florida and California can provide 100% free tuition to ALL residents through their lottery, we can provide it to our unemployed factory workers.

[kuzco_77]

Jefferson schools get the same amount from Fermi as a school that is in Grand haven or Saginaw.   

That's pretty sad, the middle/high schoolers get to live by FERMI NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, and they have no school transportation. Any school that has a nuclear power facility in their district should not be having school bus issues. How would they be evacuated in case of an emergency?

[Chips]

This thread should be move to Politics

And what program should we start with Chips?

Just a few....

How about a part time legislature, with the salary commensurate.

Privatization of all Government services that will result in less spending for taxpayers.

Deductibles and copays for Government health insurance, just like the rest of us.

Eliminate programs that reward those that will not work.

Adjust Government pension benefits to reflect the reality of the taxpayers.

And the best suggestion to save money, keep Government out of our personal business.

[kuzco_77]

Here here, good post and good points chips.

This thread should be move to Politics


Just a few....

How about a part time legislature, with the salary commensurate.

Privatization of all Government services that will result in less spending for taxpayers.

Deductibles and copays for Government health insurance, just like the rest of us.

Eliminate programs that reward those that will not work.

Adjust Government pension benefits to reflect the reality of the taxpayers.

And the best suggestion to save money, keep Government out of our personal business.

[Ryka]

I vote Chip for governor....

[lordfly]

This thread should be move to Politics


Just a few....

How about a part time legislature, with the salary commensurate.

I was thinking a part-time legislature with a salary ceiling that's tied directly to the lowest-paid state workers. If the legislature wants to vote themselves a raise, they have to give EVERYONE a raise.

Privatization of all Government services that will result in less spending for taxpayers.

STRONGLY disagree, unless you want Haliburton and Blackwater running Michigan. Libertarianism is running amuck in Iraq, and it's a complete disaster as a result.

[Griff]

I was thinking a part-time legislature with a salary ceiling that's tied directly to the lowest-paid state workers. If the legislature wants to vote themselves a raise, they have to give EVERYONE a raise.

STRONGLY disagree, unless you want Haliburton and Blackwater running Michigan. Libertarianism is running amuck in Iraq, and it's a complete disaster as a result.

The Founders felt that the reward for public service was simply the act of service with no need for compensation. So let's go to zero comp on the elected representatives.

I would have used political payback in place of Liberterianism, above.

peace,
Griff

[lordfly]

The Founders felt that the reward for public service was simply the act of service with no need for compensation. So let's go to zero comp on the elected representatives.

Which would make politics even more a playground of the rich. What working Joe can take time off work to debate a spending bill at 3 in the afternoon, uncomped?

Might as well anoint a king and be done with it.