PowerSave Schools- now available through the online emPowered platform- enables students to solve real-world challenges by giving them knowledge and tools to help their schools and communities reduce energy consumption, therein moving toward a greener future.

Last year, 38 schools throughout New Jersey participated in the Alliance to Save Energy’s PowerSave Schools program.  This school year, South Jersey Gas is giving (30) new schools the opportunity to take part  at NO cost to the school .

Look at the website to learn more about what the program can do for your school: https://www.ase.org/projects/powersave-schools

Schools are invited to fill one of these open spots!   

Please find additional information and the application at: https://www.ase.org/resources/welcome-back-2019-2020-school-year

This is a Sustainable Jersey for School Program. http://www.sustainablejerseyschools.com/grants-resources/resource-opportunities/sjg-power-save-schools/

The deadline for the application has been extended, so you have time to apply.

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to announce that the 2019 application for the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards Program is available.

Applications must be received at the DEP by Friday, October 4 at 5 p.m.

Each year, the DEP receives several applications for consideration from NJ school leaders, teachers and students.

Please see the press release at: https://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2019/19_0068.htm

 Visit https://www.nj.gov/dep/awards/ for more information. 

 

• This free PD on Saturday, September 21, 9-12 a.m. will include the hands-on activity, Enzymes Help Us Digest Food, the analysis and discussion activity, Introduction to the Functions of Proteins and DNA, and a talk on Protein Structure and Function in Archaea. The registration deadline for Philadelphia teachers to be guaranteed supplies is September 4; the final registration deadline is September 18.  Additional information about the location on the University of Pennsylvania campus and a link to register for this PD are available at https://sites.google.com/site/biologypd/home/professional-development.

  
  

Are you experienced with the NGSS? Are you committed to quality instructional materials? If so, APPLY TODAY for an opportunity to share your expertise and review instructional materials with EdReports.

Who is EdReports looking for? EdReports is a by educator, for educator organization. Currently, classroom educators, district specialists, state specialists, non-formal educators, retired educators, and those pursuing advanced science education degrees participate in review. 

What are the requirements? The profile of a science reviewer includes expertise in the NGSS and a commitment to quality instructional materials. 

What can I expect if selected to be a reviewer? K-5 reviews will have two teams dedicated to each program (K-2 and 3-5 teams), with five reviewers per team. Reviewers can expect the following: 

·          Each reviewer spends about 5-10 hours per week throughout the process, including attending a one-hour virtual call each week with their team.

·          Each review typically lasts between 4-6 months.

·          Reviewers receive more than 25 hours of online and in-person professional development, a stipend ranging from $1,750 - $2,500 depending on the role on a review team, opportunities to learn with national experts in the field, and much more. 

·          An in-person event will be scheduled during the review to provide calibration and in-person support for the K-5 review. Expenses will be paid by EdReports.

Who is EdReports? EdReports is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower educators with independent, credible, evidence-rich information about instructional materials to ensure students have what they need to be college and career-ready. Visit https://www.edreports.org/ to learn more about EdReports and its mission.

How do I apply? Visit the EdReports website to learn more about becoming a reviewer and complete an application. 

Once you apply, an application task will be sent requesting demonstration of your NGSS knowledge. Following receipt of a satisfactory application task, EdReports will schedule a 30 minute interview to learn more about you and share more about the upcoming review. 

As we gear up to begin another school year, don't forget about these great resources that are freely available to support high-quality, three-dimensional science learning!  

• NGSS Parent Guides: A suite of parent resources (also available in Spanish) that illustrate how the standards are a powerful foundation to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time. The parent guides are available for Grades K-2, Grade 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. 
• NGSS Overview for Principals: This document introduces principals to the NGSS and provide a general overview of the key instructional and conceptual shifts required by the NGSS.
• NGSS Appendices: The NGSS Appendices provide a wealth of background and detail about the standards, along with some implementation models. 
• NGSS Quality Units and TAPS: Using the quality units that have been vetted by the Science Peer Review Panel and the detailed feedback that goes along with each unit (15 great units across K-12 and more coming soon!), or the resources that are a part of the Task Annotation Project in Science (TAPS) is a great way to up your NGSS game for the upcoming school year!

TJ McKenna of the University of Connecticut and ngssphenomena.com is hosting a slow book chat on twitter this summer about How We Teach Science, a book by John Rudolph, which examines the history of science education, what's changed, and why it matters. Join the hashtag #HowWeTeachScience twice a month on Twitter to follow the conversation or participate in the online book club. If you're interested in another book study targeted to science educators, check out this opportunity to read and discuss How Climate Change Comes to Matter.