Six Lawrence Township elementary school teachers have been chosen to take part in The College of New Jersey’s (TCNJ) first group of Sustainable and Innovative STEM Master Teacher Fellows program.
The program is part of a statewide initiative to strengthen K-5 STEM (science technology engineering and math) education and climate change literacy through teacher leadership and innovation.
The selected teachers are Lea Ryan, who teaches at the Lawrenceville Elementary School, and Hillary Hargraves-Dix and Taylor Hickey, who both teach at the Ben Franklin Elementary School.
Peter Braynor, Monica Pontari and Amara Richardson, who teach at the Lawrence Intermediate School, round out the six teachers who will participate in the program, which begins later this month.
Lawrence Intermediate School teachers Andrew Cenci, Amelia Irmer and Yulieth Le are part of a second group of teachers who will take part in the program next year, school district officials said.
Superintendent of Schools Robyn Klim said school district officials are “beyond proud” of the nine teachers.
“Their passion, innovation and leadership reflect everything that makes LTPS (Lawrence Township Public Schools) such a special place for learning and growth,” Klim said. “This opportunity not only benefits them professionally, but also enriches the educational experiences of all the students they serve.”
Lawrenceville Elementary School teacher Cari Gallagher serves on the grant’s advisory board.
The Lawrence Township Public Schools teachers are part of a larger group of 24 teachers statewide who are participating in the program. The 24 teachers are divided into two cohorts, or groups. One group will begin the program in May and the second group will start next year.
The STEM Master Teacher Fellowship program is a five-year program that is being funded by a $2.9 million National Science Foundation grant.
It is being led by Laura Madden of The College of New Jersey’s School of Education in collaboration with TCNJ’s School of Engineering and School of Science. It also includes a partnership with the Special Education Department at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I.
In the first year of the five-year program, the teachers will complete the academic portion to earn a graduate certificate in Environmental Sustainability Education from TCNJ.
In subsequent years, they will work to develop a teacher-leader skill set. They will host student-teachers in their classrooms and serve as guest lecturers in teaching methods courses at TCNJ.
The STEM Master Teacher Fellows themselves will serve as leaders in their classrooms, schools and the community, Madden said.
It is not so simple to introduce complex ideas such as climate change to young children, said Madden, who is a professor of elementary science education at TCNJ.
“This project will help map the course for understanding best practices in this area,” Madden said.
It will provide a comprehensive model for preparing teachers to implement effective STEM and climate change instruction to all students, she said.
“Developing two cadres of these teacher-leaders will provide mentorship and guidance for their peers, colleagues and students,” Madden said. “It will help ensure that teachers in New Jersey are well-prepared to provide appropriate and effective STEM and climate change education to their students.”
