Summer happenings are here.  It's time for lots of personal distractions peppered with well-intentioned work.  I hope everyone has use this relatively quiet month to reflect and restore.  In that spirit, this will be a short message to quickly share a few NESTA happenings to share. 

1) Kudos to Peg Steffen for a full-throttle effort working on Spring and Summer editions of The Earth Scientist.   Both are NOAA-sponsored issues that will be coming to members mailboxes in the upcoming months.  

2) I sat in at this year's National Congress on Science Education.  This yearly event brings science education organizations together in working groups to make recommendations to NSTA that provide a focus of needs that have been identified by those of us "on the front-lines" (so to speak).  The overall arching theme of the resolutions identified key needs addressing diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom.  The resolutions specifically acknowledged the following needs: (NOTE: all of the below stated are my wording/language and not the official language of the resolutions, but simply reflective of some of the ideas and focus statements)

- Guidance with Implementation of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) in the science classroom that includes equitable grading practices.. 

- Develop a clear and all-encompassing definition of DEI to foster "science education for all" and exemplars that showcase research based DEI strategies that equip all science teachers to support each student.

- Professional development and assets to address the topic of neurodivergent learners and for groups such as NESTA to share information and PD opportunities about this topic.

- Specific supports for groups like NESTA to build and support the professional community. 

- Language, training and tools to support state associations and continued work on advocacy for hiring practices to ensure a diverse science teaching workforce.

- Policy to address the critical need for all elementary students to have equitable access to high-quality science learning experiences in grades preK-5.

N. Macke
President (2022-2024)