Dear STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Educator,
Supporting your work in bringing quality STEM learning opportunities to Iowa youth, we offer the following new program. In July 2011, Governor Branstad signed Executive Order #74, which formed the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. A top priority of the Council is to help improve learner interest and achievement in STEM areas. To help meet this goal, twelve STEM programs were selected through a competitive process to be “scaled-up” in Iowa. Our state has been divided into six regions each headquartered by a “Hub.” Each Hub houses a Regional Manager and an Advisory Board, and it is their job to get these great programs into the hands of educators and learners within their regions.
The scale-up programs will be awarded to local educators, both formal and informal, on a competitive basis. A brief application follows. [Please note this is not a monetary grant application. All financial arrangements are taken care of by the Regional Managers.] A scoring rubric follows the application, for your information.
Briefly, the programs span elementary, middle and high school levels; many can be implemented during the school day while several of the others are best suited for before or after-school programs; some programs provide either stipends for teachers/coaches or curriculum materials or both; and many of the programs also provide a level of training related to the provided materials.
The application deadline is September 14, 2012. Selected applicants will be notified by October 1, 2012, and can immediately commence implementation.
If you have questions about the program, please contact your Regional Manager. Additional information about this Scale-Up program and other aspects of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council may be accessed at www.IowaSTEM.gov.
Please help us spread awareness of this program throughout your professional network.
Jay Staker, Acting North Central Regional STEM Managerjstaker@iastate.edu515.294.8417
James Hoelscher, Northeast STEM Regional (interim) Managerjames.hoelscher@uni.edu319.273.7397
Dr. Kris A. Kilibarda, South Central STEM Regional Managerkris.kilibarda@drake.edu515.271.2403
Beth Kulow, Southwest STEM Regional ManagerKulow@swcciowa.edu641-782-1520
Kari Webb, Northwest STEM Regional Managerkwebb@ilcc.cc.ia.us712.362.8341
Rebecca Whitaker, Southeast STEM Regional (interim) Managerrebecca-whitaker@uiowa.edu319.335.5706
Jeffrey Weld, Executive Director, Governor’s STEM Advisory CouncilJeff.Weld@uni.edu319.273.2723
Overview: The top priority for the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is to improve interest and achievement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) for learners throughout the state. The mechanism for doing this will be to grow proven programs through a STEM Network of six regions managed by regional hubs. The twelve eligible programs may be viewed www.IowaSTEM.gov. The six Iowa STEM regions and their corresponding hubs and managers may be viewed at http://www.iowastem.gov/hubs/.
Public and private school K-12 teachers, youth organization leaders, informal education professionals, and others who deliver STEM education programming are invited to submit applications for bringing one or more of these programs to local schools, clubs, informal learning centers and other educational entities. Costs are borne by the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council for selected applicants. No cost sharing is required in the first year. Eligible educators will work closely with the Regional Manager to scale up programs within their regions.
Application deadline: September 14, 2012. Notification date: October 1, 2012. Completion date: May 31, 2013.
