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September 2023

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EDUCATE
Keeping current with news in science education.

President's Message

I am looking forward to this year as President of the National Science Education Leadership Association! We are heading into the upcoming year on the heels of two fantastic face-to-face Professional Learning events.

The first, the 2023 NSELA Leadership Summit was held in Atlanta in March, the day before the NSTA National Conference on Science Education. We had over 150 science education leaders gathered together to share ideas, successes, and to learn as a community.

The networking opportunities were tremendous, and it was exciting to see our professional colleagues face to face for one of the first times in 3 years! One participant said, “The energy at the conference was electric and powerful from all of the attendees and it was invigorating to be back in a room with so many talented individuals!” We hope you will join us for the Leadership Summit in Denver in 2024!

Our second professional learning experience of the year was in late June, when over 110 NSELA members gathered for two and a half days in Providence, Rhode Island to meet with science education leaders from around the country. The NSELA 2023 Summer Leadership Institute was a fantastic event, including the “NSELA Night on the Town” with opportunities to join Board members and fellow science education leaders for a meal at one of the many local dining establishments; lunch outside in the hotel park; remarkable leaders; and the chance to explore lobster rolls on the side!

NSELA has a strong and energetic Board, and I am looking forward to working with this team to accomplish the goals NSELA has set.

NSELA will continue to work to ensure Elementary science education remains a focus in science education leadership; submit Science Education Leadership articles to the NSTA Elementary journal Science and Children; and to collaborate with our affiliate organizations to ensure science education expertise is shared with our colleagues from across the United States and our International members as well!

NSELA is gearing up for the upcoming educational year, and will be offering several webinars starting in August to help science education leaders gather ideas that are pertinent to our work. Keep an eye out for announcements!

Based on the recommendations of a Task Force that reviewed NSELA’s Board structure NSELA will be restructuring the Board, and setting up modified committees to accomplish the work of our organization.

NSELA is happy to announce we now have an Executive Director, Sephali Thakkar, who will be guiding NSELA as we head into the 2023-2024 educational year. Sephali brings science education experience, enthusiasm, and a broad perspective to our organization.

Peter McLaren, a native of Rhode Island, warmly welcomes everyone to Providence. Have any of you had the chance to try some delicious coffee milk?

We were delighted to have the 2023 VESELS award winners at the SLI. We extend our thanks to Vernier for their continued support of this program. Thank you to Gary and Ann from Vernier for their warm hospitality towards everyone.

One of the highlights of every SLI is having presenters join other sessions as participants. There were so many great opportunities for networking and making new friends. Thank you to all of our presenters!

Newly appointed professional learning chair, Matt Christiansen, took on the moderator role, leading a panel of Rhode Island leaders in a thought-provoking discussion about the importance of high-quality instructional materials. The discussion was engaging and insightful, providing valuable insights and perspectives.

The plenary sessions left participants with so much to dig into and ponder for the future. Did you have a favorite takeaway?

Trisha Herminghaus, the recently elected President of NSELA, assumed her new role enthusiastically and warmly welcomed all attendees. Her interactions with those present left a lasting impression, showcasing her inspiring leadership and unwavering dedication to NSELA's mission.

Insights and Innovations in Science Education: New Volume of Science Educator Journal Now Available

We are excited to announce that the latest volume of the Science Educator Journal is now available, featuring two insightful and thought-provoking articles. This edition presents cutting-edge research and innovative perspectives to enrich your understanding of science education. The articles cover diverse topics, from building teachers capacity to understanding informal advice networks. We encourage all members to explore these valuable contributions, as they offer valuable insights and practical implications for improving science education. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and stay updated with the latest developments in our field. Happy reading!

Articles:

• Making Waves & Building Knowledge: Developing K-8 Teachers’ Capacity for Teaching Marine Science & Climate Change
• Mapping Teacher Informal Advice Networks as a Tool for District Administrators: A Case Study

NSELA Bylaws Changes

On March 22nd, NSELA held its Annual Membership Meeting, in conjunction with our Leadership Summit. During that meeting, recommended changes to the NSELA bylaws were presented to the membership. Members who were unable to make the meeting were sent a message explaining the proposed changes to the Bylaws, and the opportunity to vote to accept or reject them as written.

The Bylaws vote closed on July 20th, and the recommended changes to the Bylaws passed.

Below is a summary of the changes. A link to the exact language in the changes can be found on the NSELA webpage.

Article IV. Officers, Section 1: Describes the elected officers as a President, a President-Elect, a Retiring President, and a Secretary. This section also describes the Executive Committee as the elected officers, an appointed Treasurer, and the Executive Director.

• Section 2: Discusses the length of Executive Committee terms. A President serves on the Board for a period of three years. Over the three years, he/she will serve as President-Elect, President, and Retiring-President, The Secretary is an elected position with a three-year term. The Treasurer is an appointed position with a three-year term.

• Section 6: Discusses the procedure that will be followed if the President is unable, for any reason, to complete his/her term of office.

Article V. Board, Section 1: Defines voting and ex officio members of the Board.

• Section 6: Changes Discusses the voting status of the Standing Committee Chairpersons

Safety Article Feature: Potential Dangers Associated with Lithium-ion Batteries

As educators, we are constantly reminded of education’s ever-changing nature. In the past few years, educators have had to learn how to teach remotely, become more aware of their students' social and emotional needs, address new standards and requirements, and develop safety protocols to keep everyone safer in an intruder-based emergency. Now, a new safety concern is being recognized as a threat to safety in our society involving the use and storage of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. This serious safety threat must be addressed in our schools.

Be sure to check out this important safety topic!

ADVOCATE
Connecting with NSELA committees, events, and leaders.

Leadership Spotlight

This month we are excited to feature Sephali Thakkar, NSELA's Executive Director! Sephali has a varied background, starting her education career as a middle and high school science teacher and spending 18 years in New York City Public Schools before transitioning to Texas where she has worked in one of the largest and one of the smallest districts in the state.  In her 25 year career, Sephali has served as a master teacher, instructional technology coach, STEM instructional specialist and a leadership consultant.

Throughout her time as a campus and district leader, and now in her position as Executive Director, Sephali is focused on collaborative leadership. Just as she worked to engage all levels of partnerships and include diverse voices and perspectives from her local community as an educator, one of Sephali's first goals as ED is to build and foster relationships and networks. Her second goal is to build the capacity of our membership by "discovering the strengths of individuals and figuring out how to support and lift them up".

When asked what advice she'd give to science leaders, Sephali stated "Everyone brings their own unique experiences or ‘flavor’ - think about how we can use this uniqueness to benefit everyone. It's important to show up as you are and be authentic in the work. If it is your passion, never give up on the vision. And, never give up on something that brings you joy!"

Do you have someone in mind for the Leadership Spotlight? Self-nominations are welcome! Click the button to access the submission form.

Join an NSELA Committee and Help Shape National Science Education!

At NSELA, collaboration and shared expertise are crucial in driving positive change in science education. We invite you to become a committee member and contribute to shaping our organization's direction while advancing national science education. Our three standing committees - Communications & Marketing, Membership, and Professional Learning - provide incredible opportunities for experienced educators, enthusiastic advocates, and dedicated professionals like you to share your unique skills and insights. By joining us, you can make a meaningful impact on the future of science education. Come and be a part of something meaningful! Join us today and become a valuable member of NSELA, where your contributions will shape the landscape of science education nationwide. Together, let's create a brighter future for science education.

VESELS Scholars Welcomed at the 2023 NSELA Summer Leadership Institute

With generous funding support from Vernier, NSELA’s VESELS (Vernier Emerging Science Education Leadership Scholarship) program provides $500 scholarships and complimentary registration for up to six science education leaders within their first five years of a new leadership role. This year’s six VESELS scholars, Lottie Peppers, Lisa Kiel, Halim Sakarya, Jessica Pritchard, Christine Sudzina-Schut, and Linnea Gibson, have leadership roles in New Jersey, Texas, North Carolina, and Michigan schools and districts. They came together in June for NSELA’s annual 2.5-day Summer Leadership Institute (SLI), held in Providence, Rhode Island.

When asked why they applied for the VESELS scholarship, several VESELS scholars described how they currently benefit from a community of support in their district and state but were seeking an opportunity to amplify their leadership by interacting with leaders throughout the U.S. The VESELS opportunity opened doors for them to learn and collaborate with others, receive high quality professional development from national leaders, and meet with a mentor at the institute to establish an ongoing mentor/mentee relationship for support at the institute and throughout the year. Jessica Pritchard sees being a VESELS scholar and NSELA member as “Letting me strengthen my core values - connecting me to science advocates and leaders at the national level, and allowing me to learn from the many, amazing individuals of NSELA and from my own NSELA mentor.”

Lisa Kiel described the challenge of her role as, “Curriculum leadership can be a lonely position. As a new supervisor, you often do not have the experience to know what questions to ask or what opportunities and expertise are available to you. My early experiences with the NJSELA community helped me to grow and learn in a safe and welcoming environment. The VESELS opportunity opened yet another door for collaboration and professional development with leaders across the country. To be able to personally discuss ongoing research and development with authors of high-quality curricula has given me an opportunity to deeply understand and evaluate their intentional decision-making in the design process.”

The VESELS scholars viewed the SLI as an amazing experience surrounded by talented and accomplished leaders that invigorated and readily, recharged them. The atmosphere of being welcomed and included by everyone, the positivity of their interactions, and the confidence building was felt throughout the three days. Christine Sudzina Schut describes her experience as, “The conference itself was so valuable and different from others I have attended as I needed to focus through a leadership lens. All the speakers brought so much knowledge, experience, and resources with them. I am excited to share these resources with my colleagues as well as try them out in my own classroom, school and learning community.”

Being in a cohort of VESELS scholars, coming together for the first time, meeting and learning with each other and with their specially selected mentor was a valuable experience. As described by Christine, “Our VESELS cohort bonded so well and so quickly! The wealth of experience and competence in our VESELS group due to our different backgrounds and leadership roles is incredible. We have exchanged phone numbers and email addresses so that we can call on one another for ideas and support when we need it. Additionally, we plan on meeting virtually to stay in touch and support one another, as well as hopefully seeing one another in person at the next NSELA conference.”

The VESELS scholarship award will be available again for 2024. Are you a science education leader within your first 5 years in a new leadership role in which you can benefit from this scholarship? Do you know a new or emerging science leader? Consider applying or encourage others to apply. Information about the VESELS scholarship will be available on the NSELA web site in the fall. As Lisa Kiel summarized, “I made the decision to apply because I had a clear goal: I want to be the kind of leader who is authentic, connected, and efficient, working in a strong network to promote excellent science education. And I’m lucky to say that, with NSELA and being a VESELS scholar, I really feel a part of a true professional community built of those very types of leaders in a way I haven’t before.”

Save the Date! 2024 NSELA Leadership Summit

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

the Curtis Denver - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel

Denver, Colorado

Webinar: Getting Teachers and School Administrators Ready for the Upcoming Solar Eclipses 

Science education leaders will play a critical role in helping to make these rare celestial experiences meaningful to the students by informing teachers about the details of the eclipses in advance. Equally important will be to connect to school administrators, helping them understand the value of using the eclipses as a teachable moment and showing them how easy they are to observe safely.

Join veteran astronomers and science educators Dennis Schatz and Andrew Fraknoi to learn how to make the most out of these celestial events, including key messages for school administrators, where the eclipses will be visible, how to view them safely, what learning activity resources are available, what causes them, and why they are such rare events (or are they?).

To prepare for the webinar on September 13 5:30-6:30pm ET, check out this resource from the presenters. 

COLLABORATE
Highlighting the work of our members, partners, and other organizations.

Featured Free Resource

The instructional materials review ecosystem provides a variety of resources and information to stakeholders. Two organizations providing some of this information are NextGenScience and EdReports.

NextGenScience

Looking for materials to support today's science standards? High-quality science instructional materials are a necessary component of the successful transition to today’s science standards. NextGenScience, a project at WestEd, works with a cadre of highly trained expert educators to review and provide independent, third party feedback to developers to improve the materials. When materials are highly rated, they are shared as Quality Examples of NGSS Design on nextgenscience.org, and are linked off of each corresponding standards page. Materials with the top rating also earn the NGSS Design Badge.

For more information, contact nextgenscience@wested.org.

EdReports 

EdReports is an independent nonprofit designed to improve K-12 education. EdReports.org increases the capacity of teachers, administrators, and leaders to seek, identify, and demand the highest quality instructional materials. Drawing upon expert educators, our reviews of instructional materials and support of smart adoption processes equip teachers with excellent materials nationwide. EdReports recently released its first round of high school science reviews with more on the way for all grade bands. The website also contains other helpful resources such as the 2022 Data Snapshot for K-12 Science Instructional Materials and Key Adoption Steps when selecting high quality instructional materials. 

Announcements

Astronomical Society of the Pacific: Solar eclipse online PD with stipend and materials for teachers and other educators along the path of totality for the April 2024 eclipse. For more information go to http://bit.ly/ASPeclipsestars.

NextGen Science: New free kindergarten resource: In this kindergarten Great Minds unit, students make sense of how tugboats maneuver massive ships through crowded harbors. See the unit and the corresponding NextGenScience EQuIP Rubric for Science evaluation report online.

Pennsylvania Science Education Leaders Network (PennSEL Network): This resource shares four vignettes of PennSEL Network teams engaging in key strategies for transitioning to new learning goals for science. View the resource here. 

Advertise in the NSELA Newsletter

Would your organization like to reach the science leadership audience that is NSELA? Or do you know of an organization that would like to advertise? View this brochure to learn more! Please pass along to your colleagues.

SAFER LABS: Be Protected!
By Dr. Ken Roy, NSELA Safety Compliance Officer

Gearing Up Instructional Spaces Safety-Wise for the New School Year, Part II

In last month’s blog post, we discussed preparing for the new school year, highlighting the assessments that must take place and four of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that must be put in place to ensure a safer science/STEM environment. In this month’s blog post, we will continue the discussion about SOPs and summarize the discussion.

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