Explore Renewable Energies: Professional Development for STEM Teachers

Thursday, May 8

Lunch will be provided by National Grid Renewables at the solar sites.

Jessica Short is an educator and advocate for STEM learning with deep roots in southern Ohio. She grew up in Chillicothe, graduated from Unioto High School, and continued her education at 花季传媒 Chillicothe earning a Bachelor of Science in Education and continuing with a Master鈥檚 degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati.

For seven years, she taught high school science and social studies in Ross County, where she developed a passion for making learning meaningful and engaging for students. That passion led her to serve as a high school principal at one of Ohio鈥檚 initial five independent public STEM schools, where she spent five years integrating STEM, Project-Based Learning, Work-Based Learning, and Industry Recognized Credentials into the curriculum. Under her leadership, the school earned recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2019.

Now, as the Director of the Dayton Regional STEM Center and the Coordinator of Operations for the DO STEM Ecosystem, she is focused on expanding access to high-quality STEM education and building strong partnerships between schools, industry, and the community. She also serve as the organizational lead for the Dayton hub of the Department of Defense STEM Education Consortium, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills they need for future careers.

While her work has taken her across the state, Chillicothe remains home. Her son attends Chillicothe Intermediate School, and she is proud to continue contributing to education both locally and regionally. She believes that every student deserves opportunities to explore, innovate, and dream big鈥攏o matter where they come from. 

Read More About Jessica Short

In this session we explore the relationship between electricity and magnetism, including building an electromagnet, using magnetic fields to generate electricity, and discussing how these mechanisms central to our energy infrastructure.

Presenter Information

Dr. Michael Koop, Assistant Professor of Physics, 花季传媒 Chillicothe

Dr. Michael Koop teaches a variety of classes in physics, physical science, and astronomy, and is also involved in several public outreach programs including producing an 鈥淓xpansive Ideas鈥� program designed to help encourage and engage students of all kinds in scientific inquiry.

Learn a form of fun interactive cognitive exercises that stimulate the brain. Neurobics is a form of brain exercise to maintain its agility and flexibility. It breaks the automative mental schemes in order to wake up those areas of the brain that might be dormant, potentially enhancing your brain capacity. It鈥檚 good to take care of your body and overall appearance, don鈥檛 forget your brain is like a muscle and requires workouts too!

Presenters

Jeanie Dalton, Instructor, 花季传媒 Chillicothe
Jeanie Dalton retired from Paint Valley and Zane Trace School Districts after 35 years of teaching. She also worked for United Way of Ross County's Map Your Future program for three years. Jeanie has served as an adjunct and clinical educator at 花季传媒 Chillicothe for the past 10 years. More recently, she has been a pickleball instructor for two years. Jeanie earned her Bachelor of Arts at 花季传媒 and The Ohio State University for her Master of Arts.

Renee Coffland, Retired Teacher
Renee Coffland retired from Chillicothe City Schools after 12 years in Special Education and 22 years in Intermediate. She now works at the Chillicothe Athletic Center. She attended Muskingum University to earn her Bachelor of Arts and Mary Grove University to earn her Master of Arts. 

Explore the foundational principles that empower all learners to succeed, from problem-solving and critical thinking to creativity and collaboration. Through an interactive ideation activity, participants will engage in the process of generating and refining ideas, a key skill for innovation in any field. 

The session will also provide time for attendees to share and discover regional resources and opportunities that support STEM learning and workforce development. Join us to rethink what it means to "DO STEM" and how we can collectively foster a culture of curiosity and growth.

Presenter Information

Jessica Short, Director of the Dayton Regional STEM Center

Jessica Short is an educator and advocate for STEM learning with deep roots in southern Ohio. For seven years, she taught high school science and social studies in Ross County, where she developed a passion for making learning meaningful and engaging for students. That passion led herto serve as a high school principal at one of Ohio鈥檚 initial five independent public STEMschools, where she spent five years integrating STEM, Project-Based Learning, Work-Based Learning, and Industry Recognized Credentials into the curriculum. 

Under her leadership, the school earned recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2019. Now, as the Director of the Dayton Regional STEM Center and the Coordinator of Operations for the DO STEM Ecosystem, she is focused on expanding access to high-quality STEM education and building strong partnerships between schools, industry, and the community.

Take your instruction to new levels with the power of co-teaching! This session will provide you with strategies and tools to successfully provide intervention, enrichment and core instruction to your students. Increase support and student engagement through a team approach to enhance student outcomes. Participants will explore the practical application and benefits of delivering targeted instruction and intervention to support diverse learners. 

As general education teachers and intervention specialists work together, a multitude of co-teaching approaches can be used to foster an inclusive, unified learning environment. Explore the various co-teaching models while learning practical tips for implementation. We will also delve into the integration of all subject areas, social and emotional learning, and executive functioning based activities into our carefully crafted weekly schedule. 

If you are interested in working with your peers using a collaborative, flexible, and student centered approach while breaking down barriers and creating a more equitable and engaging classroom environment, then join us to learn more about this dynamic model!

Presenters

Heather Bryant, 4th Grade Teacher, Unioto Elementary School
Heather Bryant (grade 4, ELA and social studies) has been teaching for 27 years at Unioto Elementary. She earned her BSE from Otterbein University, her Master of Science degree in school administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, and attained National Board Certifi cation as an Early Childhood Generalist in 2007.

Shannon Messer, 4th Grade Teacher, Unioto Elementary School
Shannon Messer (grade 4, math and science) earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in education from Cedarville University and her master鈥檚 degree in educational leadership from Jones University. She spent 5 years teaching in Florida and has been teaching the past 5 years at Unioto Elementary.

Natalie Stulley, Intervention Specialist, Unioto Elementary School
Natalie Stulley (Intervention Specialist) started her career as an exercise physiologist specializing in outpatient rehabilitation for 9 years after earning her degree from 花季传媒. She then earned her post bachelor鈥檚 degree in mild/moderate intervention (K-12) from Notre Dame College and her masters degree reading/literacy from Walden University and has been teaching at Unioto Elementary for 16 years.

Learn how Eastern Elementary has developed a K-5 coding program that allows students to create and explore a variety of coding experiences including Code.org,  scratch, game design, Beebot, Ozobots Lego Education, and more.

Presenters

Matt Hines, Eastern Elementary School Principal
A 2001 graduate of Eastern High School, Matt earned his Bachelor of Arts in Middle Childhood Education at Marietta College in 2005 and his Masters in Educational Leadership at the University of Rio Grande in 2010. He has been an educator for 20 years, with nine years of service as elementary principal at Eastern.

Tishina Brown Harris, Eastern Elementary Technology Teacher
Tishina graduated from Eastern High School in 2000, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education in 2004 and before earning her Master in Instructional Technology. She has been an educator for 20 years and a technology instructor for 11 years.

Science often takes a backseat in primary grades, as the focus is primarily on building foundational literacy skills. Teachers recognize the excitement and curiosity that science 鈥� especially life science 鈥� sparks in young learners, yet finding time for it can be a challenge. 

In this session, a second-grade teacher will demonstrate how to seamlessly integrate science into reading and writing using AI. You'll walk away with practical strategies and tools you can implement in your classroom right away, making science a meaningful and engaging part of your students' daily learning.

Presenter 

Ali Vesey

Ali Vesey is a dedicated educator with nine years of teaching experience in PreK-2nd grade. A 2007 graduate of Greenfield McClain High School, she earned her teaching degree from Urbana University and later completed her master鈥檚 in Educational Leadership and principal coursework at the University of Dayton. 

Passionate about fostering a love for learning and community service, she incorporates hands-on, service-based lessons into her classroom. Beyond teaching, Ali is deeply involved in her community as a Growing Home Fellow with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. Her dedication to education and community engagement has earned her recognition, including the Citizen of the Month Award and the Local Luminary Award from the Masonic Lodge.

We will explore creative and practical ways to extend STEM learning beyond your classroom walls. We will focus on strategies for utilizing local resources, developing community partnerships and designing real-world experiences. From place-based learning experiences to personalized learning, we will brainstorm how to tap into your community's potential and bring STEM to life for your students.

Presenter Information

Heather Tarlton, Chillicothe STEM Facilitator

As a passionate STEM facilitator for Chillicothe City Schools, Heather fosters innovation and curiosity in students throughout their school career. Her home base is Chillicothe Primary School, an Ohio STEM-designated elementary school. 

To facilitate STEM education holistically, a facilitator must wear many hats, including but not limited to (no limits in STEM!) curriculum development, place-based education programming, community partner collaborations and teacher professional development. She believes in the limitless potential of STEM to inspire, challenge, and empower students and educators, creating a thriving learning ecosystem. 

In this session we discuss the basics of solar power, including using the properties of light to build a solar oven and generating electricity using solar panels.

Presenter Information

Dr. Brenda Miller, Professor of Instruction, 花季传媒 Chillicothe

Dr. Brenda Miller teaches general and organic chemistry and is also involved in educational opportunities for middle to high school students including StemStart at the Athens campus, STEM Discovery Day at OHIO Lancaster and several different District and State science fairs.

We will explore the fascinating field of aeronautics and examine how advancements in flight technology have shaped our world. From the pioneering inventions of the Wright Brothers to drone technology, we will discuss innovative ways to integrate aeronautical studies into your STEM curriculum. You'll also have the opportunity to pilot a drone and leave with resources to help you incorporate drone technology into your classroom with confidence!

Presenter Information

Danielle McDaniel

A dedicated STEM educator with 13 years of experience, Danielle is serving in her fourth year as a STEM Facilitator at Chillicothe City School District. As part of her commitment to advancing STEM education, she was tasked with developing a drone program for the district. 

In 2022-2023, she participated in a year-long fellowship with the PAST Foundation, where she deepened her expertise in drone studies, including the history of aviation, current and future applications of drone technology, FAA regulations and curriculum development. In 2023, she earned her TRUST Certificate through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and launched the drone program at Chillicothe Primary School, an Ohio STEM-designated elementary school. 

What began as an introductory drone-flying experience for 1st and 2nd graders has since evolved into a comprehensive Aeronautical Studies program extending through 5th grade, providing students with foundational skills in aviation and drone technology. While aeronautical education is one of her main specialties, she also has expertise in delivering age appropriate, hands-on, technology-infused instruction in history and engineering.

Presenter Information

Dirk Foglesong and Chad Barrows

Dirk Foglesong is the Agriculture Science Teacher at Huntington Middle School. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati he was awarded his M.B.A. from the University of Dallas. He worked for a decade as Chemical Engineer/Plant Manager for the Valspar Corporation before beginning his teaching career. He has taught at Huntington for 14 years in Chemistry, Physical Science, 7th grade Math and Middle School Ag Science.

Huntington Local School District Smartlab Facilitator (STEAM Teacher) Chad Barrows, has 23 years teaching experience. He began his teaching career in Miamisburg City Schools, but came back home to Chillicothe and has taught at Huntington the past 14 years. He has taught all core subject areas from grades four through eight. He has taught Career Tech and digital arts.