2006 Shackleton Memorial Symposium Announced

Second Early Childhood Institute Concludes May 2006

PIMMS To Conduct Two MSP Program Grants for 2006-07

The Connecticut State Department of Education announced in January the awarding of six grants in its Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) Program. Two grants, totaling over $350,000, awarded to lead partners Ansonia and Hamden Public Schools, will support PIMMS-directed Mathematics Leadership Academies for middle and high school teachers. PIMMS will be leading a consortium of nineteen partners to conduct the two 18-month projects involving thirteen school districts – Amity, Ansonia, Bolton, Cromwell, East Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Newington, Seymour, Shelton, Stamford, Stratford, and Waterbury. Additional partners include the School of Education of Southern Connecticut State University; The Connecticut Academy for Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology; the Connecticut Technical High School System; and the Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES).

To the twenty-seven teachers involved in each project, PIMMS will offer more than 100 hours of training to enhance their content knowledge in mathematics, as well as to improve pedagogical and leadership skills. PIMMS will place emphasis on the use of technology to enhance instruction. Activities will include a Summer Institute and academic year coaching and mentoring sessions. Wesleyan University’s Graduate Liberal Studies Program (GLSP) will provide participants with graduate credit. Grant funds will also provide laptop computers to be used for classroom instruction as well as for conducting professional development activities for other teachers in their schools and districts.

This is the second consecutive funding cycle for which PIMMS received support to conduct MSP projects. For the 2004-06 Program, PIMMS conducted teacher training for middle school mathematics teachers in Hartford (Mid-STEP), high school science teachers in Waterbury (Waterbury Genetics Engineering Project), and middle and high school projects with Hamden, Ansonia, Shelton, and the Technical High Schools (Learning Teams in Mathematics).

Mike Zebarth, Director of PIMMS, commented, “It is gratifying to see the confidence the State is expressing in PIMMS by awarding these recent grants. These grants will help us revitalize the Fellowship program with our first cohort of Fellows since 2001.”

Upon successful completion of these intensive sessions and pending receipt of additional funding, teachers will be given the opportunity to begin a second year of training as a part of the new PIMMS Fellowship program, Instructional Leaders in Mathematics.

Over its 26-year history, PIMMS has graduated more than 600 Fellows -- in Mathematics, Science, and Technology -- who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the educational community throughout the State. Twenty-seven PIMMS Fellows have been named Presidential Awardees,  through the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
 

Second Early Childhood Institute Concludes May 2006

Thanks to a generous grant from the Braitmayer Foundation, PIMMS hosted a second cohort of teachers for the 2005-06 Early Childhood Mathematics and Science Leadership Institute, drawing participants from Waterbury, Middletown, Meriden, Windham, and East Hartford.  

The Institute began with a one-day orientation session in early July 2005 followed by a week-long workshop in early August, and two full-day professional development follow-up meetings during the academic year. Sets of materials for many of the hands-on activities in math and science that were explored in the summer workshops were given to participants through the support of the Braitmayer grant.

Following the summer workshops, one teacher wrote, “While I taught all of the curriculum required by our District and State, I never realized how important this period of exploration and discovery was for our children as a foundation for skills needed later on…”

Echoing that sentiment, another teacher offered, “I wish more of my colleagues were involved with this Institute; it was a very motivating experience.”

Fall 2005 on-site visits were conducted by PIMMS Early Childhood specialists, Ann Spinelli, Director of the EC program, and Ann Clark, PIMMS Mathematics Consultant. They observed teaching, provided coaching and assisted participating teachers with the collection of data for project evaluation. One-day sessions in December and in April, held at Wesleyan University, provided opportunities for teachers to share their classroom experiences and to receive additional instruction in both math and science.

The success of the year-long Institute will be measured both by the evaluations completed by participants at the beginning and end of the year and through assessments of student progress measured against State benchmarks in math and science for children ages 2 to 6 years. The summary of those findings will be available after June 2006.

The Braitmayer Foundation, located in Marion, Massachusetts, was established in 1964 through a gift from Marian S. Braitmayer, mother of John W. Braitmayer, Wesleyan ’57.  The Foundation is interested in K-12 education throughout the United States, with a focus on curricular and school reform initiatives, teacher preparation, and professional development opportunities for teachers.

2006 Shackleton Symposium Set for November 9

2005 Vanguard  Book Awards

The texts of the book-plates are as follows:
 

Terri Clark, in recognition of your thoughtful philosophy coupled with your realistic pragmatism, which make so effective your efforts to improve mathematics, science, and technology education in Connecticut.
 

Tim Craine, in recognition of your leadership, exerted in a gentle but unmistakable manner.

Martin Klein, Your scholarship and writing on the history of science, demonstrating how careful research and engaging exposition can contribute significantly to science education.

Mari Muri, in recognition of the distinction of your professional and personal talents that enable you to render your extraordinary service on the local, State, and National scenes, toward the goal of “mathematics achievement for all.”

David Scrofani, in recognition of your contributions to excellence in the teaching and learning of the physical sciences, through your exemplary activities in classroom and laboratory, and collegial associations with teachers across the State.

The annual Vanguard Fellows’ Book Awards, established in 1985, are funded by donations provided by the members of the first PIMMS Fellowship program, 1984-85.

Lorraine Karatkewicz Recognized for 30+ Years of Dedicated Service
Bob Rosenbaum, Chairman, PIMMS

Beginning her work in the office of Wesleyan’s Provost while still a high school student, Lorraine Karatkewicz shifted her allegiance to PIMM when that organization was founded in 1979, and has been our steadfast bulwark as Office Manager throughout PIMMS existence.

Capable and reliable, punctilious and flexible, cheerful and ever gracious – the list of adjectives describing Lorraine goes on and on, all in the superlative mode!  Lorraine took short times off for the early rearing of her sons, Teddy and Matt, who are now stalwart college graduates of whom we are all proud. PIMMS is fortunate that Lorraine soon returned to help our organization grow and flourish.

Because her work as Office Manager calls for Lorraine to interact with many Wesleyan departments, she and her talents are known across the campus. It was a surprise to her to receive generous recognition by Wesleyan on her thirtieth anniversary with the University, but it was no surprise to those of us in PIMMS!

We are immensely grateful to Lorraine for her colleagueship and friendship, and we trust that our association with her wonderful family will long continue!