Amber Quirk

Regional Superintendent

DuPage County Schools

Regional Office of Education

421 N. County Farm Rd

Wheaton, IL 60187

630.407.5800

The STEM Insider

March 2026

NEWS

Another Strong Finish for the Wood Dale JH Future City Team

This amazing team, sponsored by Dan West, teacher at Wood Dale JH, took 1st at the Illinois Regional Competition. At the International Competition, they received a special award for "Best Futuristic City" from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and finished in 7th place overall. Congratulations!

How Schools Handle the Pushback Against Screens

Read how school leaders and parents are reverting to pencil and paper tasks at a time when students remain fixed on their screen time.

The National STEM Week Act Unamiously Supported by the U.S. Senate.

The bill, awaiting House action, promotes STEM skills to increase the United States' competetiveness in innovation and technology. By connecting students with real-world industry career pathways, this effort will help strengthen the pipeline between schools and employment. Take a closer look.

EVENTS

Building Postsecondary and Career Awareness in Middle School - March 16, 2026; Virtual

How can we help middle schoolers see college and career pathways as attainable and have the self-advocacy and planning skills they need to succeed? The session will focus on this and other related topics.

Coach Training for Code.org - March 27, 2026; Webinar

This in-depth training sets up coaches for success using facilitation models and strategies aligned with developing computer science teaching competency. Learn more and register.

Women and Girls Shaping a Sustainable Future - March 31, 2026 at 6:00 pm; Webinar

Tune in to a powerful panel of young women from the National Girls Collaborative Project Youth Advisory Board, as they share their perspectives on how STEM is central to solving urgent global problems.

Saturday STEM at IMSA - March/April, 2026

The Illinois Math and Science Academy is offering Saturday STEM sessions for 3rd through 8th graders. Session are held at the Aurora Campus.

NEED Energy Exchange Hour Webinar - April 22, 2026

Join the NEED Curriculum Team for a monthly webinar. Each month features a topic to highlight or demonstrate a set of activities. Participants may register for as many as they are interested in.

Discovering Cats and Dogs: Deepening Inquiry through Comparison - April 28, 2026; Brookfield Zoo

During this exciting day of learning, teachers will explore the unique characteristics, behavioral adaptations, and ecological roles of these predators while practicing strategies and tools to ignite inquiry and critical thinking. The session is designed for grade 3-8 teachers and all educators are welcome.

DuPage ROE Tech/AI Conference - June 18, 2026

SAVE the DATE! This year's summit focuses on strengthening schools through technology and partnership ensuring every educator has the support needed to thrive. You might also consider submitting a presentation proposal. More information here.

RESOURCES

Product Review of Online Math Platforms for Education

Tech & Learning presents the results of several online math platform reviews designed for K-12 math instruction.

Middle School Matters: Laying the Foundation for College and Career

Middle school represents a critical window for shaping students’ academic trajectories and expanding their sense of what’s possible for their futures. This curated collection of ISTE+ASCD Educational Leadership magazine articles explores how educators can make the most of these pivotal years.

Discover Engineering Activities

Begin your work exploring the Discovering Engineering activities with the Launch It Rocket Activity in celebration of Goddards's 100th anniversary of the first liquid fueled rocket. Watch NASA engineer Margaret Dominguez introduce the challenge and the activity instructions. Looking for more ideas? Explore 170+ activities at DiscoverE.org.

New Book - Next Time You See a Star

The book invites readers to step outside, look up, and rediscover the wonder of the night sky. With poetic language and vivid imagery, Next Time You See a Star transforms the science of stars into an inspiring journey of discovery. Designed for grades K-5, the book encourages observation and inquiry and is available through various vendors.

What If AI Gets It Wrong? Teaching Students to Detect Errors and Misleading Models

Students, and most educators, are learning to navigate the AI world. This blog introduces some ideas about the opportunities provided educators to help students assess their assumptions, consider variables, and proceed with caution and confidence.

DuPage ROE STEM Squad Is Here to Support You

It is never too early to being planning for next year! The STEM Squad can partner with you in a number of ways, from planning to implementation. Explore a few of these listed below. Thinking of something not included? Simply ask and we will do our best to help. Email Dr. Mary Biniewicz.

STEM - It's Elementary - various topics for grades K-5
After School Outreach - various topics for grades 6-8
STEM Trunks - geared toward K-12
Plus we offer a website with numerous resources. can assist with activities when you plan a STEM event, or host and facilitate an activity at your STEM event.