A New School Year and A New Name!

Greetings all and welcome back to the start of a new academic school year and the start of a new beginning at NCSTA. The board of NCSTA proudly announces the renaming of our annual conference to The NCSTA Professional Development Institute. Changes in how No Child Left Behind (NCLB) money is spent allows the conference committee to encourage teachers to apply to the “Institute.” Apply this November and earn up to 1.5+ CEU credits. Empower yourself and ask for the NCLB funding to attend the NCSTA Professional Development Institute.

A huge thanks is extended to Jayson Duncan and Carolyn Elliott, Co-Institute Chairs, who have worked hard this spring and summer to bring you an “Institute” you will never forget. NASA participation in hourly sessions and guest speakers for our luncheon and closing business session will truly “Celebrate Flight From Kitty Hawk to the Universe.” Exhibits are the best we have seen in years, again enhancing the services to our members of NCSTA. We have heard your concerns from last year and will mail to you a printed copy of the preliminary program with an Institute registration form. We learned that several members were not being able to download forms or information from our web site due to computer problems. We will still provide the preliminary program and registration forms online for your convenience. You have spoken and we have listened.

We all know that The Department of Public Instruction has recently unveiled the revisions to the new science curriculum. These were presented on their web site as well as in public hearings across the state of NC. The team of DPI consultants will be present at the “Institute” to answer any questions from science teachers, supervisors and administrators about the upcoming science testing in 2006-2007. You can check out all the current information from DPI online. During DPI’s summer Science Leadership Conference, NCSTA was present to encourage membership in the organization and to provide opportunities for members to run for offices and have a voice. NCSTA will continue these efforts by providing services at any function where science teachers are present.

In the last newsletter, my focus was the NCLB issues and making sure that “no teacher was left unsupported” in NCSTA. At the NCSTA Professional Development Institute, we would like to recognize science teachers, professors and supporters during the annual Presidential Awards Ceremony. Please notify Beverly Lyons or Kim Alix with any recommendations for awards. Awards include: Outstanding Student Teaching in Elementary, Middle and High School, District Awards, Distinguished Service Awards in Elementary, Middle, High School, University, and Non-Traditional Science Education, and the Vi-Hunsucker Award. This year we would also like to recognize our Study Grant and Innovative Curriculum Grant recipients at the Awards Ceremony.

As your president, I would like to better serve the science teachers by providing a letter in your support of our Professional Development Institute this fall. In mid-September I will develop the letter. I will address it to all principals encouraging each to send science teachers to the Institute to learn of the curriculum changes and to allow the teachers to gain important reading CEU’s needed for a teacher’s certificate. If you have any concerns or motivating ideas that will enhance the services provided by NCSTA, please email them to scarboa@pitt.k12.nc.us. Thank you for allowing me to serve you.

Ann Scarborough
NCSTA President 2003