TSIN Workforce Fellowship
MCPS is excited to share that two teachers from Randolph Howell Elementary STEM School were accepted into the TSIN STEM Workforce Fellowship. Scott Peaster and Austin Little were accepted and will be part of a cohort of 45 educators across the state working with TSIN this year. You can find out more information about the Workforce Fellowship here: https://www.tsin.org/SWF
The STEM Workforce Fellowship seeks to equip Tennessee educators to develop future-ready talent. SWF seeks to address the growing STEM skills gap in STEM industry sectors by engaging K-12 Tennessee educators in paid winter externships with local companies in STEM industries. The specific schedule for the externship experience is flexible based on educator and provider preference.
For the past 4 years, TSIN has partnered with the Office of Naval Research to provide an externship opportunity to Tennessee teachers with the Manufacturing and Engineering Externship Program [MEEP]. This program has provided opportunities to over 350 teachers across the state to expand their knowledge of project and problem-based learning and become immersed in manufacturing trades and skills through an on-site externship. The Manufacturing and Engineering Externship Program is coming to an end because the grant from the Office of Naval Research will end in September 2022. However, as this particular program ends, a new program emerges. We, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education and the Future Workforce Initiative, developed the STEM Workforce Fellowship.
The STEM Workforce Fellowship seeks to equip Tennessee educators with the skills and knowledge to develop future-ready talent by addressing the growing STEM skills gap in the STEM industry sectors. Experts believe the skills gap will get much worse before it gets better. A study conducted by Deloitte for the Manufacturing Institute estimates that, over the next decade, 4.6 million manufacturing and STEM jobs will need to be filled. Engaging K-12 Tennessee educators in a paid winter externship with local companies in STEM industries will help Tennessee bridge the gap by building educator capacity to prepare the workforce of tomorrow.
The SWF is a competitive program and will require educators to complete an application. Educators are encouraged to apply in teams of two, with each educator filling out an individual application. In conjunction with the application, educators are asked to seek principal support to participate in the cohort because educators are required to be out of the building multiple times throughout the fall/winter semester. Having principal support will help prepare for those absences required by the externship. All Tennessee educators are eligible to apply and will be trained by TSIN staff in problem based learning best practices and authentic development of community industry partnerships. At the conclusion of the externship experience, educators will develop a PBL curriculum unit that exposes their students to industry skills and career opportunities. Educators who complete the required expectations for the cohort will receive a $1,500 travel stipend.
To learn more about the program timeline and expectations, please visit the SWF page.
Shout Out from Hampshire Coach Stephen Kelley
Shout Out to the Mt. Pleasant Middle School Volleyball team. Hampshire played at Mt. Pleasant in late September. It was the MPMSVA 8th-grade night. They not only honored their girls but also honored the Hampshire 8th-grade girls too. We live in a world where sports can cause people to get a little crazy at times. This was a game between two rival schools. The gesture to think about the opponents let alone recognize them and give them roses was extremely kind. It truly meant a lot to our girls and fans. As a coach doing this for a long time, this also meant a lot to me. A little act of kindness displayed a whole lot of class & sportsmanship!
Shout Out to Mr. Eady and Mr. Dugger for our appreciation of your coaches and parents. Good leadership is reflected in acts like this.
Shout Out from Ashley Dugger-Lauer for Jordan Lauer
Shout Out to my husband, Jordan Lauer - a high school history teacher at Hampshire Unit School who successfully defended his dissertation over Fall Break!! Congratulations to now Dr. Lauer!
Ashley Dugger-Lauer,
8th grade Social Studies teacher at SHMS
Message from MCPS School Nutrition
Maury County School Nutrition accepts meal applications throughout the school year. Meal applications are only good for the school year you submit. The best way to apply is online at SchoolCafe (www.schoolcafe.com/maurycps). You can also submit a paper application or go to Maury County School Nutrition website and select either option. If you have questions please reach out to the School Nutrition Department
Miss Tennessee 2022: Lauren Dickson visits Riverside Elementary
TDOE, TSIN Launch "Reach Them All" to Support Computer Science Education at Schools
TDOE, TSIN Launch “Reach Them All” to Support Computer Science Education in All Tennessee Public Schools
Free Computer Science Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers and District Leaders
Nashville, TN—Today, the Tennessee Department of Education, in collaboration with the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN), launched the “Reach Them All” initiative to highlight the importance of computer science instruction for all students and provide Tennessee educators and district-level leadership professional development that integrates computer science practices into and across academic subjects and content.
Passed unanimously by the Tennessee General Assembly, Chapter 979 of the Public Acts of 2022 ensures all Tennessee school districts will implement new computer science requirements to ensure all students are fully prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
“Governor Bill Lee’s computer science law will ensure all Tennessee students—in any grade and studying any subject— can develop the essential computer science skills that support success in school and in life,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Now, through the department’s partnership with TSIN, Tennessee teachers will have additional incentive and support to implement this work for their students and in their districts.”
As a result of the new legislation, all elementary schools must provide each student with grade-appropriate computer science education, all middle schools must provide students access to computer science instruction for a minimum of at least one grading period of one school year, and all high schools must provide all students who pursue a traditional diploma with at least one course credit of computer science education. Subject to state board of education approval, computer science credits will count as either a 3rd-year science or 4th-year math.
To support this work, TDOE and TSIN’s “Reach Them All” initiative offers a train-the-trainer model for professional learning to develop communities of practice within every district, promote integration of computer science into all Tennessee classrooms, understand new computer science legislation, expectations and best practices, and create a network of best practices seen in districts regarding computer science statewide.
Each Tennessee school district is encouraged to name one Computer Science delegate to serve as a “Reach Them All” liaison to earn a $500 stipend and support their district in offering professional development opportunities in computer science.
Districts will have until October 7, 2022, to nominate their delegate here.
"The most important task we have as 21st century educators are teaching all students, even our youngest learners, how computer science relates to all aspects of their lives,” said Brandi Stroecker, Director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. “That task begins with supporting educators in understanding that computer science is foundational. It is essential that we begin there and build the strongest of foundations."
To learn more about the new computer science legislation, an overview is available here and FAQs are available here. For additional information about the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, click here.
For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, email edu.mediainquiries@tn.gov.
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Chili Cook-Off this Saturday!
Kindness Rocks Shout Out from Dawn Scott!
A success story related to Kindness Rocks and the good feelings people had has emerged. One of the second-grade teachers caught me and told me a story about one of her students who told her that after they had completed their rocks and talked about the project, he told his family, and they did the project for their neighbors (in their trailer park). They didn’t have paint or stickers but wrote kind words on rocks and left them for their neighbors to find. If that doesn’t tell you that this left an impression on 7-year-old students, I don’t know what would.
* Original story republished below...
Kindness Rocks the Fe!
Thanks to Dawn Scott for sharing this great program.
The rock project started because I care for the Santa Fe School gardens and the Santa Fe Unit School kindergarten teachers. I wanted some rocks in the gardens for color and asked the lower grade teachers if they would be interested in painting rocks if I furnished everything they needed. One evening, my granddaughters and I gathered the smooth, small rocks from a creek bank. I purchased small paintbrushes and paint for the teachers. Mrs. Massey's kindergarten and Mrs. Kennedy's first grade painted garden rocks. Soon after, the second-grade teachers, Mrs. Adkison and Mrs. Crutcher wanted to participate. That meant I had a lot of rocks, so I had the idea to make them into a "kindness rocks project." The sticker on the back of the rock explains the project. Each student in the second grade painted a rock, and a kindness word or phrase was written on the rock. Afterward, I glued the sticker on the back and sealed the rocks to make them weatherproof. Then, the rocks were hidden in prominent places in the Santa Fe School Zone. The spread of kindness started with social media posts showing up in multiple local community groups and with the hashtag "#KindnessRocksTheFe."
The third-grade classes are painting kindness rocks, which will be hidden in Santa Fe soon. The art club will be painting rocks too. I have enjoyed spearheading this project so much. It has been fun, uplifting, and a bonding experience for students and community members. Students have seen their rock spread kindness as social media posts are made. One person said, "Look what I found this morning. It made my day!" Historical places in Santa Fe have been highlighted, and the kindness of Santa Fe has truly Rocked.
Upcoming Community Events and Services
- October 22, 2022 – Walking for Women 1 mile walk to raise funds for the Young Survivors Coalition! Register HERE!
- October 29, 2022 - The Family Center Food Pantry will be open at 921 Beckett Street in Columbia, TN 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Must be a Maury County Resident – Bring ID
- October 29, 2022 - The Well Mobile Food Pantry Spring Hill High School at 9:00 am
- November 7 through the 11 - James Patterson Foundation for Veterans Blood Drive - The Columbia Breakfast Rotary and Blood Assurance each will be donating $10.00 for your blood donation to the James Patterson Foundation for Veterans. To schedule an appointment visit: bloodassurance.org/jamespattersonfoundation.
This week we are highlighting….5 Foods You Should Never Store in the Refrigerator Door: Plus, find out what foods can be stored there.
After a trip to the grocery store, unloading food into the refrigerator might seem like a simple process, but it's not as straightforward as you may think. From the shelves to the drawers and the refrigerator door, where things go in the fridge matters for proper food safety and storage. Read on to learn about the five foods that should never be stored in the refrigerator door—and find out what can go there instead.
Understanding the Temperature in Your Fridge
- Before you store anything, make sure that your fridge is the proper temperature. Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40℉ or below. Depending on your fridge, it may already include a built-in thermometer to help regulate the temperature, but if yours doesn't have that function, you can buy an appliance thermometer.
- While the ambient temperature of the shelves and drawers tends to remain constant, the door of the fridge is susceptible to temperature fluctuations. Each time the refrigerator door is opened, its contents are exposed to warm air. Foods stored there are at a higher risk of spoiling, so it's important to store foods in the door that can handle the temperature changes.
5 Foods You Should Never Store in the Refrigerator Door
- Milk - While it may seem like a convenient place to store large gallons of milk, the door is the worst option. Warm temperatures allow bacteria to grow, so storing milk in the door, where it will be consistently exposed, will only increase the odds of spoilage. Instead, storing milk in the back of the refrigerator where the temperatures are coldest. Or, if you're looking for a longer-term storage solution, you can freeze milk.
- Eggs - Although some refrigerators feature a special, egg-shaped shelf in the door, it's not in the right location to maintain proper egg-storage temperatures. Eggs are best stored on an inside shelf where the temperature is more consistent. Eggs should also be kept in their original carton, as the carton will prevent moisture loss and protect the eggs from absorbing any odors or flavors from other foods.
- Meat and Poultry - Whenever you're cooking with raw meat or poultry, it's important to handle it safely so no one gets sick—and that starts with storing it correctly. Raw meat and poultry have juices in the packaging which can contaminate other foods if they come into contact with it. Storing these foods in the door isn't smart because juices may easily drip down. Plus, the inconsistent temperatures of the refrigerator door aren't safe either. The best place for raw meat and poultry is on the bottom shelf of the fridge, wrapped tightly in plastic or in a sealed container to prevent juices from leaking.
- Fruits and Vegetables - If you're looking to grab a handful of grapes or carrot sticks for a healthy afternoon snack, the refrigerator door provides easy access. But there's a better place for fruits and vegetables: the crisper drawers. The specialty drawers provide an optimal storage environment for fruits and vegetables, Most crisper drawers allow the humidity level to be controlled, so you can designate separate compartments, one for fruits and one for vegetables (FYI: fruits need lower humidity while vegetables need higher humidity).
- Cheese - Like fruits and vegetables, there's a special place for cheese in the fridge, and it's not the door. Instead, the slim drawer (depending on your fridge's layout, it may be in the middle or at the bottom) is designed to store cheese. Additional cool air is directed into the drawer to keep items very cold without freezing, which is perfect for cheese. This drawer is also a good location to store deli meats.
3 Foods You Should Store in the Refrigerator Door
- Condiments - The refrigerator door is the perfect place to store condiments. From maple syrup to ketchup and mayo, go ahead and store those bottles in the door. These ingredients have a longer shelf life, so they can handle the fluctuating temperatures of the door (FYI: condiments like maple syrup and ketchup don't need to be refrigerated in the first place, but many people choose to do so for taste). In fact, some brands like Hellmann's provide instructions to store their product in the refrigerator door directly on the bottle!
- Salad Dressings - Like condiments, bottles of salad dressing can be stored in the refrigerator door. Opened bottles of salad dressing can be refrigerated for up to two months, but be sure to check the date printed on the bottle. And if you're storing an oil-based dressing, don't worry if it looks like things have separated in the fridge. Just shake the bottle before using and the dressing will be good to go!
- Soft Drinks and Juice - Whether it's a can of ginger ale or a box of apple juice, the refrigerator door is perfect for soft drinks. In fact, most soft drinks don't even need to be refrigerated in the first place, but they often are for taste. If you prefer a chilled beverage, go ahead, and load those cans of soda or sparkling water onto the refrigerator door (and depending on your fridge, there may even be a designated shelf).
Give Where You Live Maury
The Philanthropy Hub of Maury County promotes nonprofits and helps donors learn more about our community. Find detailed information about local organizations, make informed charitable decisions and give all in one place. The Philanthropy Hub Giving Tuesday is on November 29, 2022, called Give Where You Live Maury.
Links:
https://unitedwayofmaurycounty.com/
https://www.philanthropyhubofmaurycounty.org/
www.givewhereyoulivemaury.org
United Way of Maury County, Inc.
About MCPS
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