Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year

The Oregon Department of Education’s newly-named director, Dr. Charlene Williams, is awaiting confirmation from the Oregon Senate in September. Dr. Williams shared with staff the tenets upon which she bases her leadership, and they are good reminders as the start of the school year approaches. You can read more about her vision for K-12 education in this recent OPB interview.

And as Oregon’s students return to their classrooms, the Oregon Department of Education is here to ensure our students are recognized for their brilliance, strength and resiliency and that they receive the personalized support and care that they need to succeed. Care, connection, and community are the heart of education. Each is essential for promoting health, safety, and well-being, and creating the conditions where students can learn, and staff can teach and nurture our youth.

Please visit the ODE's Care, Connection, and Community website to find tools and resources to support the mental health and well-being of Oregon students and their families.

ODE's K-12 Science Resources & K-5 Learning Standards Webpages

The vision of K-12 science education in Oregon is to ensure that each and every student has access to high-quality, three-dimensional instruction that includes thoughtful and coordinated approaches to inspire future generations of scientifically literate students.

There is no doubt that science - and therefore, science education - is central to the lives of every community member. Never before has our world been so complex and scientific literacy so critical to making sense of it all. Science is also at the heart of each community’s ability to continue innovating, leading, and creating jobs for the future. That's why each and every student - regardless of whether they pursue college or STEM careers - should have access to a high-quality, three-dimensional science education.

Please visit the ODE science resource page for newly added resources and tools. In addition, ODE has launched a K-5 Learning Standards webpage. This site hosts all of the K-5 standards in one location.

Science Instructional Materials Update

The State Board of Education adopts instructional materials on a seven-year subject matter cycle prior to October 31 each year. Traditionally, the adoption results in a seven-year contract with publishers for the content area proposed for adoption. 2023 is the adoption year for K-12 science. 

During the summer of 2023, the Science Instructional Materials Evaluation Committee, composed of K-12 science educators, reviewed 34 total submissions. Based on the science criteria, evaluations were conducted by the Science Instructional Materials Evaluation Committee.

ODE staff will bring forth a recommended science instructional materials list (28 of the 34 submissions) for a first-read requesting consideration of adoption by the State Board of Education on Thursday, September 21st. The agenda and attachments can be found on Boardbook prior to the meeting.

OSTA 61st ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The Oregon Science Teachers Association is hosting their annual conference on October 13-14th at Gresham High School in Gresham, Oregon. Come to listen, learn, share, and celebrate 10 years of the Next Generation Science Standards with colleagues and peers. Registration is open for the OSTA Annual Conference. Here are the specific focus areas for each day:

• Friday, October 13th: Workshops and Field Trips
• Saturday, October 14th: Concurrent Conference Sessions

Nominate an Outstanding K-6 Educator

The PAEMST program is pleased to announce that nominations and applications for the 2023–2024 awards cycle are open.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K–12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teaching.

Anyone—principals, teachers, parents, students, or members of the general public—may nominate exceptional STEM teachers who are currently teaching grades K-6 for the 2023 –2024 award year. Teachers may also apply directly at www.paemst.org.

The nomination deadline is January 8, 2023 and the application deadline is February 6, 2024.

High School Science for All - Fall/Winter PD

The Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP) and Greater Oregon STEM Hub (GO STEM) will be holding numerous professional learning opportunities for the High School Science for All, aka "Patterns" courses (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Thanks to the WRAP (Well-Rounded Access Program) grant, stipends of $50/hour are available to each Oregon high school science teacher participant to attend school year PD sessions.

Participants must register for the course(s) through Wild Apricot. Payment will occur two times this school year, once in February (For courses taken between August - January) and the other in June (for courses taken between February - May). There is no cost to register for these courses.

2024 OUTDOOR SCHOOL GATHERING

Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service Outdoor School program, Friends of Outdoor School, and Gray Family Foundation ask you to save these dates for the 2024 Oregon Outdoor School Gathering at the Oregon 4-H Center near Salem, Oregon!  

• Tuesday, January 30, 2024: Optional pre-conference workshops/events 
• Wednesday, January 31 and Thursday, February 1: Gathering

The goal of the Outdoor School Gathering is to deepen commitments, relationships, and learnings. The Outdoor School staff encourages educators and partners from around the state to submit proposals for sessions they would like to offer. Works in progress are welcome and encouraged! Session formats include field trips, facilitated panel discussions, presentations, networking events, and more. Session proposals will be accepted through Monday, September 11, 2023.

Oregon Science Leaders - Join Today!

Oregon Science Leaders is a free, regional network for K-16 science educators and science leaders. This organization is co-led by multiple Oregon ESDs and school districts.

This year, OSL will offer:

• Monthly, online meet-ups with science educators and science leaders 
• Both virtual and in-person PD, which will focus on centering equity in science classrooms - Upcoming PD on September 28th.
• A free, statewide book study on "Ambitious Science Teaching"
• Supports for districts involved in science instructional materials adoption

To join, click this link and "ask to join".

A Closer Look at Tribal History/Shared History Curriculum

This year, Indigenous Peoples’ Day will be recognized on Monday, October 9, and National Native American Heritage Month will take place in November. Although these are key time markers, integrating resources on Indigenous peoples and topics is important to do year-round.

In a recent article published today by the Oregon School Boards Association, they take a closer look at ODE's Tribal History/Shared History curriculum and why it's important. 

For a clear overview of the value of “Tribal History/Shared History,” watch this video. The Tribal History Shared History webpage is also a wonderful resource.

The highlighted open resources below were developed in consultation with Oregon’s Tribes and are part of the Tribal History/Shared History curriculum. These resources are housed in the Office of Indian Education group on the Oregon Open Learning Hub.   

EAC Council Director Recruitment

The Educator Advancement Council (EAC) needs your voice! Are you an experienced K-12 educator serving in a public school in Oregon? The EAC is currently recruiting for a practicing, K-12 licensed educator to serve on the Council. To learn more about the requirements or to apply, please visit the EAC website.

Moon Tree Seedlings

NASA’s Next Gen STEM project in partnership with USDA Forest Service is excited to kick-off the upcoming school year with a unique opportunity. Nearly 2000 tree seeds traveled to the Moon and back to Earth aboard the Artemis I, Orion space capsule! Education and community organizations are invited to submit a proposal for an Artemis Moon Tree Seedling through NASA’s Artifacts Module Program.

Instructions for submitting a proposal, and information on Moon Tree seedling criteria, is available online. NASA and USDA Forest Service will review submitted applications to determine the viability to successfully host a seedling; the Forest Service will identify the seedling species for selected recipients based on geographical region in the contiguous United States. The application period closes Friday, October 6th.

Professional Learning Survey

The Oregon Open Learning team is looking for input from educators as they plan for professional learning offerings in the 2023-2024 school year. Please take two minutes to participate in this brief survey and share your thoughts on the topics and formats you'd like to see us offer in the future.

Also, check out the Oregon Open Learning Hub and contribute to this community by using these resources, providing feedback, or joining a group to create and share resources for use across Oregon!

Join the Oregon OER Professional Learning group to learn more about OER and how to get started on the Oregon Open Learning Hub and visit the Science Group for science specific OER resources.. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Deb Bailey or Kama Almasi, STEM Education Specialists, Mariela Salas Bao, Science Assessment Specialist, or Jamie Rumage, Science Education Specialist, if you have any questions or concerns.