PASCO, WA – The 2018-2019 school year will see brand new climate science learning opportunities offered by Educational Service District (ESD) 123, thanks to a $293,000 Climate Science Education Grant. Part of a statewide award of $3 million to the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD), the grant will allow ESD 123 to partner with community based organizations to facilitate professional learning and work with other ESDs across Washington State to develop standards for climate science education.
ESD 123 is partnering with the Mid-Columbia Basin Old Natural Education Sciences (MCBONES) Research Center and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to provide place-based professional learning that contextualizes global climate phenomena with regional examples. Trainings will include field experiences at the MCBONES Research Center for elementary teachers and at PNNL for middle school teachers recruited from Yakima Nations and Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) schools which serve historically underrepresented students. At the high school level, ESD 123 and PNNL climate scientists will be training teachers and providing equipment for using virtual reality technology in climate simulations.
ESD 123 Regional Science Coordinator Georgia Boatman says she is excited to see the amount of interest from teachers, as the elementary and high school workshop slots are already beginning to fill up.
“I sent invitations for the 'Understanding Climate Science with Virtual Reality' workshop and had teachers wanting to sign up immediately,” says Ms. Boatman.
In addition to these regional professional learning opportunities, statewide partners will work together on climate science education standards and how to more effectively work with underserved student populations around science.
For more information on this new grant and what it means for schools across Southeast Washington, contact Georgia Boatman at oatman@esd123.org">gboatman@esd123.org or 509.531.7052.
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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.
PASCO, WA – The Educational Service District 123 Board of Directors is now seeking applications to fill its Director District 6 vacancy, serving part of the Kennewick School District. The former Director for District 6, Stephen Maciboba, resigned from the position on May 24, 2018. Mr. Maciboba served on the ESD 123 Board since April 2003, and ESD 123 thanks him for 15 years of service to our school districts and community.
The Board is seeking a candidate to represent District 6 and our region’s school districts. Duties of the position include attending and participating in Board discussions and decision-making, establishing and approving agency policies and budgets, and communicating with school district and other agency partners and legislators.
Applicants cannot be current school district board members or employees, and must reside within the boundaries of and be a registered voter in District 6. Interested candidates should submit a completed application form to ESD 123, Attn: Kuniko Votaw at 3924 West Court Street, Pasco, WA 99301 or by email to kvotaw@esd123.org.
The deadline for applications is August 6, 2018. Interviews will be conducted in August after review of the candidates, with the selection date tentatively scheduled for August 23, 2018. Appointment to the position would begin immediately and run until the next election date in September 2019.
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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.