President's Message

NSELA is an organization that leads with enthusiasm, excellence, and an unwavering commitment to supporting science education for all. I have been an NSELA member for almost 25 years and am eager and proud to begin my term as NSELA President. Whether you are a recent NSELA member or a long-time one, I welcome you to our vibrant and collaborative community of science leaders and hope you will join me in supporting the work ahead of us this year. For those who may not know me, you can read more about my background at https://www.uncoveringstudentideas.org/author.

 This is our year to set an ambitious and exciting path forward as we emerge from more than two long years of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is much to be done as we work together through the framework of these three lenses:

 Learn: Finally, we will come out from behind our Zoom screens and resume our face-to-face professional learning events this year. Join us for the 2023 Leadership Summit in Atlanta, held the day before the NSTA National Conference begins. Our 3-day 2023 Summer Leadership

Institute will be held in Providence, Rhode Island. Plan on coming to the beautiful Ocean State for what promises to be an outstanding conference! Throughout the year we will continue to offer webinars and other opportunities to learn together. Our conferences and webinars keep us linked together even when we are physically far apart. Please consider presenting at our events or webinars or joining our Professional Learning Committee to help make these events happen.

 Advocate: We will continue to advocate at the national level for high quality science education and support our membership on how to advocate at the local, state, and regional level. One area of advocacy we will focus on this year is supporting elementary science in the K-16 system. I believe this is the responsibility of all of us to ensure science is being taught K-5 and that elementary science leaders have what they need to support science. It is a systemic problem that affects all levels of the K-16 system, not just elementary leaders. I welcome hearing from you on ways we can all work together this year to support elementary science and not place the burden primarily on the shoulders of our K-5 leaders.

 Communicate: We will continue to foster communications between our Board and our members as well as member to member. As leaders, we have much to share. Reach out to your NSELA Regional Director and share what you as an individual or your organization is doing to support science education. Submit articles, resources, or updates and happenings to our monthly newsletter that are of interest to our membership. Consider publishing in our Science Educator journal or writing a short article for our soon-to-be “Leadership in Elementary Science” column in NSTA’s Science and Children journal.

 This year I would like us to commit ourselves to broaden our outreach and bring in new members, expanding our membership to reflect diversity as well as experience at all levels of leadership, especially emerging leaders. NSELA is only as strong as its members. Please encourage NSELA membership among your colleagues. To be effective, we must continue to keep our membership numbers high. Consider taking an active role in NSELA. One way to do this is to volunteer to serve on a committee or run for an elected position on the NSELA Board.

I look forward to working with you this year, hearing your concerns and suggestions, and spending time with you at our 2023 Leadership Summit and Summer Leadership Institute. Together we can all make a difference. Have a safe, restful, productive, and fun summer!

Best,

Page Keeley

NSELA President 2022-2023