NSELA catalyzes leadership to maximize effective science teaching and learning in a complex and changing environment. If you are receiving this email and are not a member, we encourage you to join us and get involved!

March 2025

Contribute to the Newsletter!

We want to hear from you! Every month we'll be featuring a Leadership Spotlight to honor and appreciate the expertise in our NSELA community. Use the form below to nominate a colleague (or yourself)! Here are some interview questions to consider as part of your submission.

Do you have an announcement you'd like to share in the newsletter? You can also use the form to submit a short announcement.

Leadership Spotlight and Announcement Submission

EDUCATE
Keeping current with news in science education.

Board Corner

Derek McDowell - NSELA Membership Committee Chair

Secondary Science Coordinator - Frisco Independent School District, TX

What is your current NSELA board position? What responsibilities are involved with this position?

As the Membership Director, I chair the Membership Committee, which includes several subcommittees that support key NSELA programs. We oversee Nominations and Elections, select the OLISE Award recipient, facilitate

member mentorship through the VESELS program, serve as liaisons with NSELA Affiliate groups, and promote NSELA’s dual-membership opportunities.

Why did you want to volunteer for your current NSELA board position?

I became involved with my local science education leadership group in the Dallas-Fort Worth area about 10 years ago. This experience led to my service on the Texas Science Education Leadership Association (TSELA) board, where I also had the honor of serving in the Presidential chain from 2022 to 2024. Building on the skills and insights I gained through these roles, I sought to expand my influence and contribute to enhancing science teaching and learning on a national scale.

What is one goal you have for this year in your NSELA board position? How can the NSELA membership support you with this goal?

One of the key goals of the Membership Committee is to broaden our focus beyond just managing the organization’s programming and shift toward enhancing member engagement. To achieve this, we are actively working to strengthen our social media presence and create more informal opportunities for NSELA members to connect, engage, and build meaningful relationships.

What is one thing you’d like NSELA members to know about you?

NSELA members should know that in my work as a board member, I always focus on what’s in it for them. My goal is to ensure that NSELA membership holds significant value—where members can clearly see the benefits of being part of this community. I’m committed to making NSELA a place where membership is truly worth the investment, both professionally and personally. For me, leadership is about fostering connections and providing opportunities that make a meaningful difference in members’ lives.

Featured Member Resource

This month's Featured Member Resource shines a light on a crucial topic: climate change education. Dive into our webinar library and explore "Teaching Climate Change: Fostering Understanding, Resilience, and a Commitment to Justice (Feb 2024)." In this insightful conversation, Mark Windschitl guides us through the intricacies of research-informed climate change teaching, moving beyond core STEM concepts to encompass the broader societal implications. Through compelling classroom examples, he addresses essential topics like carbon cycles, the greenhouse effect, and sustainability, while also tackling the challenges of misinformation, the importance of decarbonization, and the need for equity and environmental justice. Don't miss this opportunity to gain a holistic understanding of how to effectively teach climate change. Please note that you will need to enter your NSELA credentials to access this resource, which is stored in our new NSELA CommUnity Hub.

Access the Featured Member Resource

ADVOCATE
Connecting with NSELA committees, events, and leaders.

Leadership Spotlight

This month is a feature of a VESEL Mentor, Holly Sullivan and Mentee, Kayla Boykin!

What has been a success of your leadership in your district/school/organization that you are proud of?

Holly
An example of leadership success in Lexington One was my district's voluntary implementation of a new middle school science curriculum. OpenSciEd is an Open Education Resource with high-quality units that fully address the Next Generation Science Standards and the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards. I recruited middle school teachers three years ago to pilot one or two units. Once they tried the units, they chose to teach all six for their grade level because the students were learning science at a higher level.

Other teachers began using the units and found them engaging and relevant to their students. During the 2023-2024 school year, at least one grade level at all eight district middle schools fully implemented the OpenSciEd curriculum. I was only one person in a district of over 28,000 students. I could not make this happen by myself. By creating small communities of grade-level teachers through Google Spaces and Schoology, I enabled teachers to mentor and support each other as more teachers tried this new curriculum. This year in Richland School District Two, I have been able to initiate a similar approach. There is a sizable cohort of middle and high school teachers who are excited to pilot the units.

Kayla
One of our greatest successes is the professional development opportunities we've provided for our teachers in the area of science education. When I took on this role in 2022, I was told that our teachers hadn't had any formal science training since 2018, which was concerning given the rapidly evolving science teaching methods. I recognized the need for high-quality professional learning to support our educators in providing effective science instruction. To address this, we developed district wide professional learning communities and designed hands-on training sessions that placed our teachers in the role of learners. This strategy allowed them to experience the type of engaging and interactive

learning experiences we want to provide for our students. This approach helped them develop a deeper understanding of the importance of “Exploration before Explanation” in the science classroom.

Save the Date! NSELA Summer Leadership Institute: Early Bird Pricing Now Available!

Mark your calendars for an enriching professional development experience! We are thrilled to announce the NSELA Summer Leadership Institute, taking place July 14-15 in beautiful Salt Lake City. This year's theme, "Place, Purpose, and Pedagogy: Fostering Science Leadership Through Local Contexts," will delve into the powerful connections between place-based education, climate science, data science, and emerging technologies.

Join us as we explore how to create meaningful, authentic learning experiences by integrating local contexts into science education. This institute is designed to empower science leaders with practical strategies and collaborative experiences that will inspire your work and deepen students' engagement with real-world phenomena.

Early bird registration is now open! Take advantage of discounted pricing and secure your spot at this transformative event. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow science educators, expand your knowledge, and enhance your leadership skills.

Learn More About and Register for the 2025 NSELA SLI

Write for the Leadership Matters Column - Now in Two Publications!

NSELA members now have the opportunity to submit a column for Leadership Matters in Science and Children, NSTA's K-5 science publication, as well as The Science Teacher, the HS publication. Every NSELA member is a leader and you all have stories to tell about what is happening in K-5 and HS science in your district and how you and others are making science happen.

For HS: There is currently a call for papers. Email Shannon Wachowski at swachowski@edreports.org for more information and to submit a draft. Any science educator can write for the column. The goal is to share our stories and learn from one another.

For K-5: There is currently a call for papers. View the link below to learn more. Any science educator can write for the column. The tone of the articles is conversational in order to reach the reader of Science and Children, with the goal being that the reader takes the article to their building principal and says “We can do this!”

If writing feels too daunting right now, consider becoming a reviewer. The review team is looking for new members. A great way to prepare to author an article is to serve as a reviewer.

Contact column editor Kathy Renfrew at krsciencelady@gmail.com for more information and submissions.

K-5 Leadership Matters Call for Papers

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

Partner Feature

This month we are featuring ExploreLearning, the Platinum Partner with NSELA!

How does your organization define and measure the success of science education leadership?

ExploreLearning is dedicated to creating science learning experiences that build confidence and excitement in the classroom. Our goal is to develop research-proven solutions educators know they can count on, with a laser focus on the knowledge and skills that most impact students’ long-term achievement. Success happens when science leaders empower teachers with tools to meet students where they are.

What innovative approaches has your organization taken to empower science education leaders in K-12 settings?

In response to educators' demands for more high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in science, we've developed NEW Gizmos Investigations (launching this fall). Gizmos Investigations elevate our simulations within inquiry-driven, ready-made investigations that facilitate deeper scientific sensemaking practices. Targeting 6th-8th grade standards, these experiences prepare students for high-stakes assessments through enhanced engagement with core science concepts.

How has your partnership with NSELA helped amplify your impact on science education leadership?

Our partnership with NSELA has allowed us to collaborate with science education leaders and support teachers with content customized to their expressed needs. Our teams have learned alongside others, gained access to resources, and engaged with the latest trends in the larger science community. In-person sessions and webinar opportunities have allowed for real-time collaboration with science leaders.

Coming fall 2025, new Gizmos Investigations will elevate existing Gizmos simulations and support grades 6-8 with highly scaffolded and engaging pre-made lessons that engage students in science practices. Read more about a middle school teacher’s experience with Gizmos Investigations!

Announcements

Arizona State University: ASU has three FREE research-informed Modeling Workshops in physics and chemistry (June 2-20) for high school teachers. Courses can lead to an interdisciplinary Master of Natural Science (MNS) degree in physics, for which teachers in 15 western states can apply for 150% of in-state tuition; the deadline is APRIL 1. Learn more here or email Jane.Jackson@asu.edu.

Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network and the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education: CLEAN and ISKME are partnering to bring together climate researchers, K-12 educators, and climate literacy resources to build a community of leaders to collaborate in a webinar series in March and April. Participants will have access to resource sets, teaching supports, and a collaborative community for further engagement. Register here.

ETS: The Teaching Pathways research program at ETS is seeking feedback from Elementary educators on a vision and plan for a personalized, online platform that uses digital performance tasks and automated feedback to support teacher professional development (PD). Learn more here.

American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture: AFBFA is offering a unique Train-the-Trainer experience. As a participant, you’ll gain hands-on experience with agriculture NGSS units, develop facilitation skills to recreate this experience for other educators, and learn how to incorporate beef-related materials into your curriculum. You will also receive a $750 travel stipend covering travel costs to attend this event. Apply here by March 31.

Space Update

Enjoy this space update from NSELA member and Publications and Communications Committee member, Gotthard Janson, who is associated with NASA.

Why go to space?

Scientific Discovery---to understand the celestial bodies
Technology Advancements---—rotary phones to cell phones
Survival----mitigate risks from near-Earth objects
Resources--- Earth's resources being strained
Global cooperation----diplomacy

What programs are currently underway?

The International Space Station can be viewed as a platform from which a person can look down, look up into the darkness of space, or conduct experimentation in the microgravity environment.
The Artemis Program is a lunar exploration initiative to return humans to the Moon and maintain a sustainable presence there. New technologies will address spacecraft and habitats for deep-space exploration. The Moon will serve as a testing ground for the requisite advancements needed for human missions to Mars.
Long-duration space missions, such as the one being planned to Mars, must embrace innovative ideas for communication, crew health and welfare, and space vehicle development/maintenance. All are being worked.

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

Laboratory Instructional Space Safety Shower Station Safety Protocols

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) by reference requires employers to select safety shower stations that comply with ANSI/ISEA Z358.1: American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment. In this way, an emergency safety shower should provide a continuous flow of water for at least 15 minutes in the event of a chemical splash. This duration is important to ensure that any harmful substances are thoroughly rinsed out and to minimize potential damage to body tissue.

Remember that OSHA has specific requirements for safety showers in laboratory instructional space settings to ensure the safety of employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances. The following key OSHA safety protocols are not only applicable to instructional space teachers or other employees, but also to students.

Read the Blog Post