January 2019
Monthly News
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IN THIS ISSUE
Apply Now for Computer Science is Elementary Project Planning Grant
STEM Scale-Up Program Application Opens to Educators Statewide
STEM Innovation Fund Awards Four Stellar STEM Programs
STEM Teacher Externs Connect Classroom to Careers, Community
Tanya Hunt Joins STEM Council as Part-Time Program Coordinator
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February 9, 2019 - 8:30 a.m.
Dordt STEM Fest
February 21, 2019 - 9:00 a.m.
Southeast Regional STEM Advisory Board Meeting
February 23, 2019 - 10:00 a.m.
Southeast Iowa STEM Festival
February 26, 2019 - 4:00 p.m.
Linn County STEM Festival
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Apply Now for Computer Science is Elementary Project Planning Grant
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Governor Reynolds announced the opening of the Computer Science is Elementary project application, alongside Lieutenant Governor Gregg and private-sector partners.
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The Computer Science is Elementary project is taking a crucial next step by inviting eligible Iowa schools to apply between January 22 and March 29, 2019, for $50,000 one-time planning grants.
The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and the Iowa Department of Education are partnering with business and industry on the project to transform six high-poverty elementary schools across Iowa into models of innovative computer science instruction. Six schools will be selected – one in each of the six STEM Council regions. This will offer their students opportunities to learn a new basic skill. The six also will serve as a statewide resource for teaching computer science in early grades, building on the work that has already started in some elementary schools.
To be eligible, school districts and nonpublic school systems must have at least one elementary building with at least 40 percent of students taking free- or reduced-price lunch. Stand-alone nonpublic schools may also apply.
A total of $350,000 in private support funds has been raised to provide $50,000 one-time planning grants for each of the six schools. Loess Hills Computer Programming School in Sioux City, which is the inspiration for the Computer Science is Elementary project, also will receive $50,000 to serve as a project resource, including consulting related to curriculum development.
Many generous private-sector partners made this project possible, including Collins Aerospace as the lead sponsor, Principal Financial Group, MidAmerican Energy, Kemin Industries, Microsoft, Google, ITC Midwest, Alliant Energy, Technology Association of Iowa, Verizon, Paragon IT, AT&T, School Administrators of Iowa, Workiva, Pella Rolscreen Foundation, Merchant Bonding and Bankers Trust.
Awards will be announced by summer 2019 for implementation by the 2020-2021 school year.
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STEM Scale-Up Program Application Opens to Educators Statewide
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Ten programs are available on the STEM Scale-Up Program menu, now open to educators statewide.
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A top priority of the STEM Council is to help improve learner interest and achievement in STEM subjects. To help meet this goal, 10 exemplary STEM programs have been selected to be available on the STEM Scale-Up Program menu in 2019-2020. The application is now open for educators across the state interested in implementing these programs in the classroom and out-of-school.
The impact of the STEM Scale-Up Program continues to grow year after year. In addition to students scoring higher on Iowa Assessments, past STEM Scale-Up Program educators shared that programs had positive impact on their students in other ways, including:
- An increase in excitement, engagement and motivation in STEM content areas.
- Developments in personal and educational areas, such as critical thinking, problem solving, confidence and perseverance.
- Improvement to their ability to work in groups and collaborate with other students on various STEM-related projects.
Impacting more than 543,000 students since 2012, the STEM Scale-Up Program once again offers strong STEM programming in 2019-2020. The ten programs available on the STEM Scale-Up Program menu include:
- Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) Food and Science Safety
- Computer Science Discoveries
- Computer Science Fundamentals
- Computer Science Principles
- Engineer Your World
- Light and Shadow
- Making STEM Connections
- Pint Size Science
- STEM in Action
- STEM Innovator
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STEM Innovation Fund Awards Four Stellar STEM Programs
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Through private-sector support, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council has awarded seed funding through the Iowa STEM Innovation Fund to four exemplary programs to potentially scale their STEM efforts across the state. The STEM Innovation Fund supports STEM programming across the state to develop programs of promise for inspiring and engaging youth in STEM activities and careers.
“Iowa has many outstanding organizations that provide innovative and inspiring STEM programs and activities for today’s youth. Some of those programs need access to additional resources in order to have an impact beyond their local community. The STEM Innovation Fund helps provide support to local programs of promise for possible scaling across the state and beyond,” said Jeff Weld, Executive Director of the STEM Council.
The STEM Council opened the application for the STEM Innovation Fund to all six Iowa STEM regions in September 2018. After completing the review process, four awardees were selected out of a pool of 20 applicants based on their innovation, scope of work, evaluation metrics, community collaborations and financial sustainability. The 2019 Innovation Fund awardees are:
- Iowa Conservation Education Coalition
- Iowa Tech Chicks
- St. Theresa Catholic School
- University of Iowa Department of Computer Science
STEM Innovation Fund awards are made possible through generous contributions from private-sector partners.
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STEM Teacher Externs Connect Classroom to Careers, Community
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Sixth Grade Teacher Carly Sis from Grinnell Middle School spent part of her summer as a STEM Teacher Extern with Jasper County Conservation.
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Hundreds of Iowa STEM educators have invested a part of their summers in connecting mathematics, science and technology instruction with the world of work that awaits their students. Since 2009, bridges have been built between schools and workplaces through Iowa STEM Teacher Externships – six-week paid immersions in local businesses and agencies that apply classroom concepts to making and doing things that drive the economy and improve lives. Employers benefit by the talents of on-loan teachers, and teachers return to school in the fall better equipped to inspire and guide learners toward careers in STEM.
Participants report the experience made them more aware of what employers are seeking in new hires and as a result they can better prepare students to compete for jobs. They more confidently incorporate job skills into class work and connect lessons to authentic applications. They can more readily craft lessons relating to community realities. And, two-thirds of participants over nine years feel that an Externship actually increased their enjoyment of teaching.*
Applications are now being accepted for summer 2019 at some 150 sites across Iowa, adding more all the time. They range from the major (e.g., John Deere) to the family-owned (e.g., Rosenboom Machine & Tool) and from the areas of Medical (e.g., Allen Hospital, now UnityPoint Health), to Defense (e.g., Iowa National Guard), to Environment (Department of Natural Resources), to Food (e.g., General Mills), to Fuel (e.g., POET Bio Refinery), to Agriculture (e.g., Crooked Gap Farm), to Tech (e.g., Webspec Design) and more, all within a short commute of STEM teacher-participants. For more information and to apply, visit
https://www.iowastem.gov/externships
. Direct questions to
Externships@IowaSTEM.gov
.
*All results from Iowa State University Research Institute for Studies in Education, “2018 Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Survey Results and Report,” June 2018. Mari Kemis, Director, and Kevin Hemer, Graduate Research Assistant.
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Tanya Hunt Joins STEM Council as
Part-Time Program Coordinator
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Tanya Hunt helps coordinate the STEM BEST Program on behalf of the STEM Council.
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Tanya Hunt answered the call for a focused effort to assist the STEM Council team on helping to further support and strengthen the state’s STEM BEST Program partnerships. Tanya brings a passion for facilitating and fostering collaboration that benefit those aspiring to enhance strategic partnerships in their communities, an important quality that benefits the now 50 STEM BEST Programs across Iowa.
The STEM BEST Program began in 2014 with five models and has grown significantly in five years. Today, the community collaborations involving school+business partnerships have impacted 54 schools and school districts, nearly 5,000 students, 453 community partners and approximately 200 educators.
Tanya’s background provides a natural fit for improving communication and growth opportunities for the STEM BEST Program. Tanya brings 20 years of experience in various educational settings. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy with an emphasis on community-based practice and child development from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Past roles include special education coordinator, family development specialist, parent-child home program lead coordinator and general education paraeducator.
A mom to four children, Tanya has volunteered in youth activities, including coaching a local FIRST LEGO League team.
“I love the nature of not knowing and learning how to fail and still coming away with knowledge and the desire to do better,” said Tanya. “Watching how the kids take ownership and become excited about learning is all I need to continue to donate my time. It fuels me to give more, and I learn so much from them as well.”
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Contact the Iowa STEM Operations Center by phone at (319) 273-2959
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