Engineering the Future
January 30, 2023
Senator Ben Ray Lujan
A Tour of Rio Grande
Discussing a Shared Vision
School Updates
ETF: The Office of Innovation team has been working hard to expand magnets in the APS school district. APS was recently awarded a grant for a few south valley schools. The Cultivating the Future Getting Started project was included and funded at $275,000 in the omnibus package for Fiscal Year 2023. Senator Ben Ray Lujan stopped by Rio Grande High school along with Superintendent Scott Elder, Associate Superintendent Dr. Antonio Gonzales, and APS Board President Yolanda Cordova to talk about possibilities for the future.
Thee Office of Innovation is also excited to be extending into the 2023-2024 school year to support APS magnets.The APS School Board approved our plan to utilize ESSR Funding to support magnet schools.The focus of money will be used to address learning loss in ELA, Math and College and Career Readiness. This funding will help provide sub pay, stipends for planning, coaching, National Magnet Conferences, Data Driven work and National Conferences that address learning loss.
All three school have been hitting the recruitment trail. Valley hosted an 8th grade night and went out to visit the middle schools to talk about Engineering the Future. Garfield and Mission joined Valley at the NM School Choice Fair at the Convention Center. The Garfield Orchestra took their skills on the road and visited elementary schools last week. Planing is in the works for students to visit the next phase of their educational experience in the ETF Pathway.
Mission Avenue STEM Elementary: Mission Avenue students have been busy experimenting with augmented reality and the Merge Cubes in the Digital Learning Lab. New green screens arrived, so the morning announcements that students produce and run through the school YouTube channel will be better than ever!
Garfield STEM Middle School: Garfield has started a school wide STEM DEN PBL! Students began with a simple STEM challenge in their first session, and will be moving on to a PBL where students will identify natural disasters and create innovative solutions utilizing the design process. We can't wait to see their ideas come to life!
Valley High School: Welcome to Matthew Steinkraus our new Computer Science Teacher! The students are already working on website design and game development, with some students wanting to engage in parametric 3D printing (programmatically describing how objects look in space). Computer Science Principles students will take part in a low-code game jam in order to model development processes. Jonathan Lucero Woods and Andres Saavedra were chosen as the Engineering the Future Students of the month for January. These students were recognized by Valley staff for displaying the Engineering Habits of Mind! Thank you to Rio Grande Jewelers who donated 6 Jewelers tables. They also supplied VHS with multiple hand tools to make jewelry. Valley is in the process of introducing small metals and jewelry making into the metals program. The first project will be a coin ring. Students have been asked to keep their eyes open to try to find silver quarters that are pre 1960’s so they can make a “silver” coin ring. If you have any lying about the students would love to use them to create a work of art.
Professional Development Opportunities
Code.org
Applications are now open for Code.org’s Professional Learning Program for middle and high school educators! If you’re interested in teaching computer science for the 2023-2024 academic year, this is your time to explore the CS curriculum and collaborate with educators of all experience levels to develop lesson plans and teaching strategies.
Elementary teachers can sign-up for a one-day workshop near you! Applications are not required for Computer Science Fundamentals workshops and take place throughout the country, year-round.
Middle and high school teachers will begin with a 5-day workshop on Computer Science Discoveries, Computer Science Principles and Computer Science A in the summer, with academic year workshops thereafter.
Teaching with Tinkercad
Join Tinkercad for a new series of free Teaching with Tinkercad webinars! This series is designed to help educators successfully integrate Tinkercad into their classroom.
We have an exciting schedule of topics and speakers lined up for you to help your students discover the thrill of invention, learn by doing, and pursue STEM careers with confidence. Register now
Explora
An in-person workshop for educators and staff at schools, libraries, and out-of-school time programs. Recommended for instructors of grades 3-8. Develop coding skills, creativity, critical thinking and more in this fun, unique approach to applied coding! We’ll utilize a project-based learning approach to design, test, and construct irrigation systems controlled by micro:bits, which are tiny computers that can be connected to different types of sensors. No previous coding experience required. register here Participants will leave with resources, a classroom set of materials, and ready-to-implement ideas. These workshops are provided at no cost because of generous support from AFRL.
Sundary, February 11
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Onsite at Explora
Opportunities for Students
Code.org has student challenges and competitions! check them out here!
Explora Math Happens!
Saturday, February 4, 10am - 1pm
Saturday, February 18, 10am - 2pm
Find math in the everyday! UNM students will be onsite at Explora with fun and engaging math activities for your entire family. This event is hosted in collaboration with @mathhappens and @cyfemat FREE with Explora admission! Reserve tickets here
Discover STEAM Day at the National Museum of Nuclear Science is February 18th! Doors open at 10:00 am.
Office of Innovation
Email: innovation@aps.edu
Website: https://www.aps.edu/innovation/engineering-the-future
Location: 6400 Uptown Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Phone: 505-855-9053
Twitter: @APSInnovates