Jacksonville, Fla. – Three teachers have been picked from Holy Family and Annunciation Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Augustine to participate in the University of Notre Dame’s Trustey Family STEM Teaching Fellows Program, initiated in 2013.
The teachers are among 31 teachers who will participate in the second group and just two of nine schools picked nationally. The program will address two areas of concern seen nationally in our schools: it will develop strategies to recruit ambitious early-career STEM educators to participate in an innovative and comprehensive professional formation program to enhance their teaching skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics; and secondly, over time, the program aims to develop a national corps of professional educators who are committed long-term to continuing rigorous training in instructional leadership in STEM disciplines. Today many young educators are leaving the profession for more lucrative opportunities in the private sector.
The benefit to Holy Family and Annunciation Catholic schools is innovative teaching approaches that will help students engage and excel in STEM courses.
This month, July 17-29, Clare Giordano and Yanny Salom from Holy Family Catholic School in Jacksonville and Angela Lhotka of Annunciation Catholic School in Middleburg, joined their colleagues at a Summer Institute at Notre Dame where they began their training. They will have ongoing opportunities throughout the year to add to what they learn this summer as well as participate in research projects.
“Students at Annunciation already love their science classes, and the addition of the University of Notre Dame’s STEM program will enhance our lessons by allowing cross-curricular learning to take place,” said Angela Lhotka of Annunciation school. “When students can make connections between what they are studying in multiple disciplines, it strengthens their understanding of their work.”
DATE: July 25, 2016
CONTACT: Kathleen Bagg
(904) 262-1705/office
(904) 434-3909/cell