September 2021
Monthly News
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IN THIS ISSUE
STEM Council's STEM BEST Program to Emphasize High Demand Job Sectors This Fall
Experimental Computer Science is Elementary Project Re-Shapes Grade School
STEM BEST Program Gets Boost from Expert Mentors
Transforming Education for the Workforce
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October 11, 2021 - 1:00 p.m.
Northwest Regional STEM Advisory Board Meeting
October 13, 2021 - 12:00 p.m.
Northeast Regional STEM Advisory Board Meeting
October 29, 2021 - 10:30 a.m.
North Central Regional STEM Advisory Board Meeting
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STEM Council’s STEM BEST Program to Emphasize High Demand Job Sectors This Fall |
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High school students from Saint Albert Catholic Schools, a STEM BEST Program model, code with robotics. |
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This year, the Iowa Legislature authorized a special appropriation to the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council channeled through the Iowa Economic Development Authority expressly to expand the Council’s STEM BEST® (Business Engaging Students and Teachers) Program. Eighty such partnerships are now flourishing across Iowa, each sharing a common goal of connecting classrooms to commerce in the community. A new Request for Proposals is soon to come, designed to connect teachers and learners to the most high-demand job sectors. Thus, the opportunity is dubbed the STEM BEST H.D. (High Demand) Program.
This special RFP differs from the traditional STEM BEST Program opportunity offered next Spring in three significant ways:
- The grant amount is increased from $25,000 to up to $40,000.
- The timeframe for expenditure is 19 months – February 2021 to August of 2023 (an increase compared to 10 months, traditionally).
- The cost-share requirement of applicants is reduced from a 1:1 match to a 2:1 match, thus for a $40,000 grant the cost-share expected from the awardee would be $20,000..
The goal of this STEM BEST H.D. Program fund is to support the launch of up to 20 new or expanded STEM BEST Program K-12 models specifically focused on high-demand job sectors of (a) technology, which includes computer science and information technology; (b) health-related fields or (c) advanced manufacturing school+business partnerships (Iowa: Education and Workforce Trends Through 2025, luminafoundation.org/files/resources/iowa-workfrce-2025.pdf). Both new applicants and past awardees in good standing are invited to compete for these funds.
Interested in exploring this opportunity? Connect with Project Coordinator Tanya Hunt for more information at Hunt@IowaSTEM.org.
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Experimental Computer Science is Elementary Project Re-Shapes Grade School
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Computer Science is Elementary Project schools recently met at the Iowa Department of Education in Des Moines to share ideas, set goals and develop blueprints for implementing computer science education across Iowa. |
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In 2019, twelve high poverty elementary schools were selected to take part in the Computer Science is Elementary (CSE) project. The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and the Iowa Department of Education have been partnering with business and industry on the project to transform the elementary schools into innovative models of computer science instruction. Early access to computer science builds confidence that leads to more opportunities later.
The project was initially designed to span two years, which included planning and implementation. Unexpected delays due to the COVID pandemic set the schools back and the project was extended into a third year.
The CSE schools recently convened to share strategies, set goals and work on blueprints unique to their school’s program. The day opened with guided conversations addressing what is working, challenges, goals and more. Job-Alike conversations were held in groups of teachers, administrators and instructional coaches to collaborate and share ideas.
Each table participated in a standards activity where they wrote a sample CSE lesson that meets the standard for a particular grade level including things that have already been done or schools would like to do in the future. The lessons were shared for other attendees to review and ask questions.
CSE teams also had time to work on their blueprints and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals. While CSE schools will wrap up the project requirements by the end of the academic year, the outcomes are expected to impact students for years to come, while seeding the idea of computer science embedded in to students’ school days K through 12.
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STEM BEST Program Gets Boost from Expert Mentors |
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2021-2022 STEM BEST Program mentors play a critical role in supporting the expansion of work-based learning in Iowa, including Shawn Cornally, Iowa BIG Mathematics and Science Teacher; Joel Fox, Ankeny Community School District Orbis Project Mentor; Jeff Frost, Waterloo Schools Executive Director of Professional Technical Education; Ann Gritzner, Central High School Science Teacher; Mike Kuennen, New Hampton High School CTE Teacher; Nathan Van Zante, Lewis Central Middle School Science Teacher; Teri Vos, Director of Work-Based Learning - a community collaboration based at Central College; and Nate Wendt, Spencer High School Business Teacher. |
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From resources and webinars to workshops and handbooks, the STEM Council provides a strong support system to assist STEM BEST Programs throughout the year. These supports are made possible through the valiant efforts of the team, including STEM Council Program Coordinator Tanya Hunt and the STEM BEST Program mentors.
Eight Iowans work behind the scenes and are deeply embedded in mentoring STEM BEST Program applicants, designers and administrators across Iowa. The mentors (listed below) have distinguished themselves as adept and successful as forging the school-business partnerships that make STEM BEST thrive. They advise and coach from home base in their own communities while executing their own roles as educators, administrators and business partners:
- Shawn Cornally, Iowa BIG Mathematics and Science Teacher
- Joel Fox, Ankeny Community School District Orbis Project Mentor
- Jeff Frost, Waterloo Schools Executive Director of Professional Technical Education
- Ann Gritzner, Central High School Science Teacher
- Mike Kuennen, New Hampton High School Career Technical Education (CTE) Teacher
- Nathan Van Zante, Lewis Central Middle School Science Teacher
- Teri Vos, Director of Work-Based Learning - a community collaboration based at Central College
- Nate Wendt, Spencer High School Business Teacher
The STEM BEST Program mentors have been charged with facilitating conversations with school districts and communities interested in the STEM BEST Program. They are empowered to coach interested schools and business partners on design, partnerships, proposal submission, program launch and more.
“This is such a great group of people who are intensely interested in promoting the STEM BEST Program and the opportunities it creates across Iowa,” said Hunt, “Connecting with a STEM BEST Program mentor allows insight from a peer who has been through the application process and can attest to the value of this experience for students.”
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Transforming Education for the Workforce |
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The 2021 Future Ready Iowa Summit was held at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines on September 16, 2021. |
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The 2021 Future Ready Iowa Summit – Transforming Education for the Workforce was held for leaders across Iowa to amplify the public conversation about connecting education and the workforce with a focus on expanding work-based learning and computer science as critical aspects of STEM education, indeed education as a whole.
Governor Kim Reynolds opened the day with enthusiasm for a future-ready Iowa and a drive to prepare our youth for new and innovative careers. “Look at every student, every child and make sure that we’re connecting them with the amazing opportunities for them to be successful and reach their full potential and to do that right here in the great state of Iowa,” she said.
Students, educators,employers, nonprofit leaders and policy experts shared their first-hand perspective on what is needed to prepare students for high-demand careers in Iowa.
Langston Saint, a ninth-grade student from Sioux City West High School, shared his rich elementary school experience focused on computer programming. “I would like to see my story become the common story for all Iowa students,” he said.
Employers and educators, and state leaders provided examples of what is already working from an economic, education and workforce perspective, along with ideas for transformational action.
Keynote speaker Emily Calandrelli, host and co-executive producer of the Netflix Show “Emily’s Wonder Lab,” shared her journey in science-communication, emphasizing the importance of diversity around any table where design and execution of ideas takes place, and in so doing, the imperative for empathy and mutual respect.
Eight breakout sessions featured some of Iowa’s most innovative professionals who shared their experiences in work-based learning and computer science education.
Nearly 700 attendees were challenged by STEM Council Co-Chair Diane Young to identify one additional step to take to advance work-based learning in their local community and sphere of influence. For video and audio recordings from the Summit, visit iowastem.org/archive.
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Contact the Iowa STEM Operations Center by phone at (319) 273-2959
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