In 2016, we shifted our delivery model, adding regional FieldSTEM Coordinators to our staff. Our FieldSTEM program is dependent on these Regional Coordinators who work to customize the model to the needs of each school and district and who support teachers during implementation year-round.
FieldSTEM Coordinators serve as the point of contact in their respective regions with school district personnel and community-based organizations (CBOs), agencies, businesses and industries in the renewable natural resource sectors. This includes:
- attending relevant networking meetings to align the FieldSTEM program to regional educational priorities.
- participating in meetings to ensure that community collaborators are aligned and working to support preK-12 educators in their communities as part of a systemic and sustainable FieldSTEM program.
- preparing for and facilitating FieldSTEM workshops and Institutes
- conducting follow-up support and coaching for classroom teachers, principals and district personnel.
These workshops target specific STEM-related instructional skill sets and focus on topics like creating high impact field experiences, hosting field investigations on school grounds, fostering outdoor observation skills, tools and tactics that integrate English-language arts with science, and more. FieldSTEM Coordinators work closely with the regional facilitators, the Program Coordinator and the Associate Directors to communicate needs and provide input for FieldSTEM communication outreach and reporting.