I would like to introduce myself to the members of the Connecticut Science Teachers' Association. I've already meet some of you as I have attended your state conference and the NSTA Hartford conference as a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers whom I am currently serving as president.

 

I have been a middle school science teacher in Massachusetts for over 30 years. This July, I was appointed to be the NSTA District I Director. This appointment was made by the NSTA Board at the request of the NSTA President to fill a vacancy. As District I Director, I am the direct link between NSTA and the science educators of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. I also serve on the NSTA Council, a governing body which makes recommendations to the NSTA Board of Directors.

 

One of my first actions as a council member was to vote on the selection of Boston as the site of the 2014 NSTA Annual Conference on Science Education. It was amazing to me to see how far in advance NSTA has to prepare for these conferences. Of course many of us are currently busy preparing for this spring's Boston NSTA Conference.

Remember to save the dates: NSTA in Boston--March 27-30, 2008!

It's not too early to be thinking about securing professional release time for the conference. If you need talking points for your request, go to http://www.nsta.org/ go to Conferences and Institutes and click on Funding Your Professional Development.

 

I am currently working with the District II Director, Kathy Renfrew, to schedule an evening reception for all New England teachers attending the conference. Hopefully I will have final details when I attend your state conference on October 27^th. It will also be listed in the NSTA conference program.

 

In case you are not aware, NSTA has a very active awards program aimed at a wide variety of educators. Many of the awards do not receive many applicants each year. The deadline for all awards in October 15^th. For descriptions of each award go to www.nsta.org/awards. Another NSTA Program you should be aware of is the Toyota Tapestry Grants for Science Teachers. Fifty large grants of up to $10,000 and twenty smaller grants of up to $2500 are given annually to K-12 science teachers. Grants are awarded for innovative projects that enhance science education. The deadline is Jan. 28^th, 2008. For more information go to www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry. If you have any questions/ideas relative to NSTA, please contact me (marilyn@pcom.com).