MaineScience

Newsletter of the Maine Science Teachers Association

May 2005

Dear MSTA Members,As many of you “wind down” for theend of school and graduation festivities,the MSTA will be “winding up” plansfor the upcoming school year. AsMaine’s statewide professionalassociation of science educators, theMSTA board and committee membersvolunteer countless hours to support our membership. Reflecting back on this past year, the MSTA has accomplishedseveral successes in recognizing,supporting, energizing, and networkingteachers throughout Maine including:our first ever Iron Science Teacher

President’s Letter

This transition to a two-day optionwas informed by our survey. I also polled other state associationsthroughout the U.S. and over 80%of the responses I got back indicatedother states have a 2 or 3 dayconference. This format will providelonger sessions and more in-depthopportunities for professionaldevelopment which was also amembership request indicated by thesurvey (results of the survey are posted on the MSTA web site atwww.mainscienceteachers.org).competition; the Fall Science Conference at Gardiner HighSchool,

NCLB- Nothing Connects Learning Better;

the PhilMarcoux Award; The Lou Lambert Award; MSTAMinigrants; Dine and Discuss nights at the Auburn Land Laband the Challenger Learning Center; statewide survey of membership needs; three newsletters; the Boston Museum of Science October field trip for members and their families;science safety information; and MSTA representation at theCAGS functions during the NSTA National Convention. Ithas been a busy year!It is my responsibility as MSTA President to ensure thatMSTA is fiscally sound and able to carry out its function.Our organization was dealt a financial blow due to the lowattendance at our October statewide conference. Thestatewide conference is our major revenue generator for This year’s conference will be held on the Friday andhalf-day Saturday, before the Martin Luther Kingholiday at the University of Maine- Farmington.January is the month that seems to avoid the mostconflicts and is actually one of the winter monthswith the least snowfall, one of our concerns for moving the date to winter/early spring. Many thanksto our new Board member, Dr. Andrea Freed, professor of science education at UMF, who ishelping us with the site arrangements andorganization of the conference. You will hear moreabout the conference and several excitingopportunities planned over the two days in our Fallnewsletter.As a result of the lost revenue, the Board had to make

covering our Board operating expenses and members’services. The survey sent to members this winter helped usunderstand why the attendance was so low. The major factor was the date: the traditional October inservice day, which isincreasingly becoming a mandatory day when teachers arenot released to attend other activities. As a result, combinedwith the feedback we received regarding the availability of professional development days and suggested dates and toavoid a conflict with the NSTA Regional in Hartford thisfall, the Board decided to change the date of the 2005-06conference to January and offer a two-day option.difficult decision to postpone minigrants and awardsto make sure our budget will carry us through untilthe next conference. We will let members know whenthe minigrants and nominations for awards become

Inside this issue:MSTA & Maine News .......................Pp 2-8NSTA and Other National News.......Pp 9- 13Professional Development..............Pp14-16Teacher & Student Resources……..Pp17-18