It is time for the Fall NCSTA Professional Development Institute! We have a great variety of presentations planned for the Institute. There will be 36 elementary and early childhood, 59 middle school, and 66 high school presentations. This year the strands are Inquiry, Safety, Science Literacy, and Technology. We have reading sessions that will meet the reading requirements needed by the middle school teachers.

We have big plans for this year’s institute. Many new features have been added beginning with a ribbon-cutting/wine and cheese to open the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday night. Each day will begin with a general session featuring a speaker. Coffee and donuts will be available each morning. This year we will not have a luncheon. This is textbook adoption year and the institute will use the entire ballroom for exhibits. We are planning a swap shop. Bring items that you are not using so other teachers may have these items. This would be a great opportunity for you to clean out your closet. These items can be used by new teachers or anyone needing these resources. This is the year “rock samples” will be distributed, so plan to collect your rocks.

We will begin each day with a General Session and a featured speaker. On Thursday the feature speaker will be Dr. Padella, President Elect of NSTA who served as a writer of the National Science Standards. Friday’s General Session will feature Dr. Vasquez, past president of NSTA. Other feature speakers include Merrie Southgate, Joe Levine of Miller/Levine’s Biology, Edward Waterman , and Dinah Zike with “Foldables”.

Please plan to join us in Greensboro on November 11 and 12. This year you will be able to review the new textbooks, learn about the new curriculum and the support documents, and earn continuing education units (CEUs). Please register now for the institute.

I would like to thank Ann Scarborough, past president, and Ruth Page, conference coordinator, for all their hard work to make this institute the best ever. See you at the North Carolina Staff Development Institute.