In an effort to create a pipeline of students ready for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Curriculum and Instruction (Science), is providing one week of STEM experiences, from June 16-20, for teachers at St. Thomas University.  

One hundred and eighty M-DCPS K-12 science teachers were selected to participate in this institute where they are having the opportunity to meet with other teachers in their feeder pattern (the high school and the elementary and middle schools that feed into it).

During this week they will develop a plan to prepare students to succeed at all levels of their K-12 experience and in order to be college/university ready.  

Professors from local institutions of higher education are meeting with these teachers to collaborate in the implementation of the plan which will include mentoring K-12 teachers and students.  

As part of the week’s activities, teachers will be immersed in inquiry-based explorations, engineering activities such as building solar cells and robotics training, high-order questioning strategies, and scientific literacy.

The end product of this institute will be a stronger vertical collaboration to generate students ready to enter STEM careers and to compete in the global economy.  This initiative is being unfolded by the administrative staff of M-DCPS Curriculum and Instruction (Science): Ms. Colleen Del Terzo, Administrative Director, Dr. Gladys A. Barrio and Dr. Cyd Heyliger-Browne, Executive Directors, Ms. Ava Rosales, Ms. Paula Nelson-Shokar, and Mr. Juan Sebastian Oddone, Secondary and Elementary Science Supervisors.

“St. Thomas is very gratified for this event because we want to help strengthen our younger students in the areas of science and math…they will come to our School of Science much more prepared,” said Dr. John Carpenter, a professor at St. Thomas University’s Institute of Education who has been involved in organizing the conference along with the Institute of Education’s Chair Dr. Edward Blackwell.  

This is the second conference on science education to take place inside the St. Thomas campus in the past month. This May, the Florida Department of Education presented an on campus conference on the new science standards for the State of Florida.

More than 200 science teachers attended the conference.

St. Thomas’ Provost Dr. Gregory Chan, District Director at Miami-Dade County Public Schools  Colleen Del Terzo, and Dr. John Carpenter, professor at St. Thomas University’s Institute of Education

Panel of scientists from Florida International University, Miami Dade College and St. Thomas University’s Dean of the School of Science, Technology & Engineering Management Dr. Edward Ajhar