Welcome 2022!  

We all feel the magic this season brings. January not only welcomes in a new year, but it also represents an opportunity for us to make a fresh start. A chance to do things better than we have in previous years. As we all find innovative ways to improve our work, be sure to do more than make resolutions. Set Goals. Establish timelines that are realistic. Partner with others who share your vision and maximize the resources that are available to guide your efforts.

NCDPI K-12 STEM wishes you a year of many successes. As you prepare for the success you want to achieve in STEM education, we hope that the STEM Schools Progress Rubric may continue to be an invaluable resource to that effort. Feel free to reach out to other schools within the NC STEM Schools of Distinction network and continue to look out for the partnerships and opportunities this newsletter shares each month. 

Curriculum Leader's Quarterly Meeting

The next Curriculum Leader's Quarterly Meeting will be held on February 3, 2022, in Pinehurst, North Carolina, from 3:45-5:00.  It will be occurring as part of the NCASD annual conference.  This is open to one curriculum leader per PSU (Charters included).  There is no cost for this meeting.  If participants want to participate in the rest of the NCASD conference, they will need to register for that.

New Websites for NCDPI Core Content Support

As of January 2022, the NCDPI Division of Academic Standards - Standards Course of Study Google Sites have moved to a new online home on the NC Department of Public Instruction website. Visit our new web pages starting from the NCDPI Standard Course of Study landing page.

A variety of resources and materials can be found on the subpages linked on the landing page including:

• Legislation & Policy
• Professional Learning
• Standard Course of Study & Supporting Resources

All content area Google Sites have been relocated and you can view this video to learn more about navigating the NCDPI Division of Academic Standards’ new webpages to find Arts Education, CTE, Computer Science, English Language Arts, English Language Development, Guidance, Healthful Living, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages.

Calling All STEM Reviewers!

The 2021-2022 North Carolina STEM Schools of Distinction Recognition Program is underway. With nearly 20 schools across the state having communicated their Intent to be recognized as a leading STEM program in North Carolina, we are asking those STEM educational leaders, who have familiarity with the STEM Schools of Distinction process, to assist with the review of this year's applications. 

Individuals presently leading within a NC recognized STEM school, or any individuals who have served as past SSoD reviewers, are asked to provide updated contact information by completing this Reviewer Application by January 14th.

There will be a required Virtual Reviewer training on January 25th repeated again on January 27th (you choose one) for those selected to participate. The applications will be shared the week following the February 4th deadline and then reviewers will have two weeks to complete their review and share feedback.  The number of reviewers assigned will be dependent upon the number of submitted applications.

Thank you for continuing to drive quality STEM programming in North Carolina!

Building Engineers in K-5 Classrooms:

Conference Registration Open!

Want to learn more about how to utilize high-quality STEM practices in your elementary classrooms? Want to see actual K-5 students in action, putting their programming and engineering skills to the test in real-time challenges?

The Event Includes

• FREE Registration - made possible through a partnership between NCDPI and the SERVE Center, hosted by Moore County Schools
• 2 Day Conference:
  • Day One = "traditional" conference setting with hands-on concurrent sessions.
  • Day Two = Elementary Robotics/Engineering Showcase with 250+ K-5 students + hands-on opportunities for attendees.
• Inspiring Keynote directly from the field and relevant to your classroom - Dante Poole: Principal, Aberdeen Elementary School
• 40+ hands-on concurrent sessions from teachers and other educators across North Carolina
• Ability to connect with like-minded educators across NC

Learn More here:  k5engineers.org/conference

PAID 2022 SUMMER CAMPS POSITIONS through LEARNING EXPERIENCES for TEACHERS

North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research (NCABR) Professional Learning Opportunity

Middle and high school science teachers and community college instructors are encouraged to apply for the 2022 NIEHS Science Teachers and Research Summer (STaRS) Experience. STaRS 2022 is a virtual one-week professional development (PD) program, designed and conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

The goals of the PD are:

• To enhance participants’ understanding of basic research in the environmental/biomedical sciences; and
• To enable participants to transfer knowledge received from this program into classroom applications and to better support their students, including those from underserved populations.

The 2022 virtual STaRS Experience will be held online by NIEHS and will be a one-week program. The program will run from Monday, July 11, to Friday, July 15, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. each day. STaRS participants are expected to attend the full one-week program. The program will contain many interactive lessons and activities with special topics relating to COVID-19. STaRS participants will receive a $1,000 stipend to cover their time spent during the program.

Requirements:

• Applicants must currently teach science in a middle school, high school or community college (Out-of-state educators are encouraged to apply); and
• Applicants must be available and fully engaged for the full one-week program (July 11-15)

 Women and individuals of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 25, 2022.

NIEHS STaRS Application

Announcing the launch of NC GreenPower Solar+ Schools!

Submissions are due by 11:59 pm on Monday, February 28, 2022

NC GreenPower is pleased to announce the 2022 Solar+ Schools grant! The application is open now and will be available through February 28, 2022.

Since 2015, donors have helped us provide grants for the installation of solar at 56 K-12 schools in 38 counties, reaching nearly 43,000 students! To date, the schools have collectively produced an estimated 615,798 kilowatt-hours of green energy, a savings of about $58,000.

Through the program, any North Carolina K-12 school may apply for a grant toward the installation of an educational solar array. In addition, awardees receive related benefits, including donated SunPower solar modules, a STEM curriculum, and teacher training. School fundraising goals will be fixed at $6,000, $9,000 or $12,000.

Submissions for the 2022 NC GreenPower Solar+ Schools program will be due by 5pm on Saturday, February 28, 2021.

School representatives wishing to apply should visit our website here for more information.

Water Writers Connecting students to water through writing Registration is open for the latest cohort of Water Writers: Water Education Pen Pal Program offered through the NC Division of Water Resources.  Register here by January 31, 2022, to sign your class up to exchange letters about your watershed! Classes will be paired and teachers will be notified by mid-February.  Feel free to share this email with any of your colleagues.  Open to all grade levels and all subjects areas that are interested in incorporating water resources into their content- and who doesn’t love water?!   Letter templates targeting 8th-grade hydrosphere standards will be provided in case students need extra support organizing their thoughts but can be customized by teachers for other grades.   Consider being a part of this program to help your students learn about their watershed through comparing and contrasting features shared with their pen pal.  Stir up a fun way to help your students learn about their own watershed and connect with their peers!   For more information contact Ms. Daniel at Lauren.Daniel@ncdenr.gov.

NC DPI STEM Consultant

Howard Ginsburg

howard.ginsburg@dpi.nc.gov

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