Date:
10/11/2005
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
PORTALES—The New Mexico Science TeachersAssociation and New Mexico Council for Teachers of Mathematics willhold their annual conference on Nov. 2–4 in the Roswell ConventionCenter in Roswell, N.M. The theme is "Soar to Greater Heights: NewVisions for Science and Mathematics Education."
Accordingto Pat Young, president of New Mexico Science Teachers Association, "Wehave an unprecedented group of featured speakers, seven professionaldevelopment workshops, and more than 40 break-out sessions planned atthis time." Senator and Apollo astronaut Harrison Schmitt will be thekeynote speaker on Friday at 9 a.m. Schmitt is the last man to walk onthe moon, and also served as a United States senator from New Mexicofrom 1977–82.
Limited seating for Schmitt's presentation will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
MartaCivil, professor of mathematics at the University of Arizona, willprovide comments at the luncheon on Thursday. She is a nationallyrecognized math educator with expertise on hands-on instruction andparental involvement in mathematics.
SusieWelch of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines in Socorro and Sheila Hills ofNew Mexico State University have organized an impressive collection ofvendors that will display educational materials at the conference. Morethan 60 publishers and suppliers will attend. "This academic yearteachers across New Mexico will adopt new science textbooks andsupplemental materials," said Welch. "Textbook adoption alwaysgenerates a lot of interest in professional conferences and we hopethat school districts will take advantage of all publishers beingrepresented in a single location," she continued.
JerryEverhart, president-elect of the science teachers organization andassociate professor of elementary education at Eastern New MexicoUniversity, described the collaboration among agencies in Roswell as"extraordinary." He said, "New Mexico Military Institute, RoswellIndependent School District, Scott Foresman Publishing, Eastern NewMexico University, and the city of Roswell are all playing key roles inmaking the conference a success."
Whenasked about the upcoming conference, New Mexico State University'sCathy Kinzer (president of the New Mexico Council for Teachers ofMathematics) and Pat Young of Albuquerque (president of the New MexicoScience Teachers Association) agreed that the Roswell conference willexceed teachers' expectations by offering unique professionaldevelopment opportunities to New Mexico K-12 teachers.
Registration forms and conference information are available at www.nmsta.org and http://education.nmsu.edu/nmctm/.
For more information, call Everhart at 505.562.4311.