Math, Science Conference
Dear Editor: Just over two weeks ago over 200 educators from across the state, as well as nearly 50 exhibitors and speakers from the Lower 48, visited Sitka to attend the 2015 Alaska Math and Science Conference. This conference is a biannual event held in various locations around Alaska. This is only the second time it has been held in Southeast Alaska.
Feedback from the conference has been very positive. However, we couldn’t have accomplished such a success without the help of numerous volunteers and organizations. Beginning with our volunteers, who were able to step in and handle just about every situation that possibly could have come up, we would like to thank Cliff (the i-Pad master) Chandler, Carol Potrzuski, Jan and Terry Lovett, Christy Newell, Esther Kennedy, Laurinda Marcello, Jessica Purser, Steve Lewis and Rachel Myron and Amy Sweeney. We are very appreciative of the help from Amanda Duvall who assisted us with our program formatting and Janine Jorgenson for helping with name badges and ribbons. We would also like to thank Jocelyn Webb for her help with drayage services.
We would also like to thank the Sitka High School volleyball team for their amazing hospitality service. The exhibitors were constantly bragging about how wonderful it was to their colleagues. We are also grateful to the Sitka High girls basketball team for helping with moving tables, the Mt. Edgecumbe LEADS Club for helping with set up and take down and Sitka High School student government and National Honor Society for helping to usher teachers to their correct rooms and to help with directions for all the out-of-towners. Sitka High School drama and debate team for having goodies available to our participants in the afternoon to provide a much needed pick-me-up.
A huge thank you to the Department of Education and Early Development. The department came to Sitka to make presentations concerning education at the state level. Topics ranged from the standards (academic and cultural) to AMP testing to career and technology education. This helped to provide something for everyone in the district on Friday.
We had a great support from Hoonah School District and Bering Strait School District for bringing a large contingent of teachers and staff to participate in the conference. Thank you Dr. P.J. Ford-Slack for making Hoonah’s inservice the same days as ours so your entire staff could attend. Thanks to Cheryl Bobo, Ute Kaden, and Hannah Hannen for helping to bring teachers from around the state to participate in the conference. We are grateful to the Sitka School District for providing a day of in-service for all district teachers to attend, and then provided stipends to teachers who wanted to continue to participate in the conference. As one teacher from our district stated, “This isn’t just about teaching math and science, it’s about good teaching, period.”
We would like to thank SNEP, Heather Powell, Chuck Miller and Herman Davis, for providing a warm welcome to all the participants. Your songs and dancing wowed everyone.
Our keynote speakers had the best of all things by being able to present in the PAC, with the great help of Greta Healy and J Bradley. Our technology needs were taken care of by Ian Crane and Jason Eisenbeisz. Also special thanks to the Sitka High Teachers for surrendering their rooms for a weekend for our presentations.
Amazing food for our receptions was provided by Homeport Eatery, as well as sack lunches. Everyone was thrilled with the quality. Thank you for making this move along so well and keeping everyone happy. No conference operates without coffee, and Fish Eye Coffee provided exceptional service for our participants. Thanks to all.
Our reception was held at the Sitka Sound Science Center. We had approximately 125 participants attending. They were all welcomed by Lisa Bush and the Science Center staff. Thank you for giving us such a great space to host this aspect of our conference.
We would like to give a great big thank you to Prewitt Enterprises for their amazing efficiency in running shuttles from the conference to the hotels. They also provided transportation for all of our field trips and didn’t blink when we suddenly needed an extra bus at the last minute. They were amazing at getting everyone to the airport after our last field trip so they could return home.
We had outstanding service for all of our field trips. Thank you to Wayne Unger of Silver Bay Seafoods, Adam Olson and Bill Coltharp of NSRAA, Jamie Elstad from the Blue Lake Hydro, and Allen Marine. Bill Foster was an amazing biologist on Allen Marine and kept us entertained in addition to sharing his knowledge and expertise. A participant was heard to say, “We really scored with this professional development!” after spending the final afternoon whale watching.
We are very appreciative of Westmark and the Totem Square Inn for being the conference hotels and to the Sitka Fine Arts Camp for also providing housing to our participants.
Last but not least, thanks to everyone who provided us with donations or gifts. No conference will happen without funding behind it. Thank you to Exxon Mobile, Alaska Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Alaska Science Teachers Association, Conoco Phillips, UAS-Sitka, Hames Corporation, Venneberg Insurance, Horan and Corak, Ben Franklin, Old Harbor Books, Alaska Sea Salt, Aurora Business Supply, Rebecca Poulson, Sitka Design and Build, Alaska Computer Center, Sitka Vision Clinic, Constantine North (Haines), Notary Sitka 24/7, Sitka Medical Center, Daniel G. Jones, P.E., LLC, White’s Inc., First National Bank, Highliner Coffee, Waddell and Reed, Daily Sitka Sentinel and KCAW Raven Radio.
Lyle Sparrowgrove,
Bobbi Jordan, Rebecca Himschoot, Matt Hunter, Kevin Gwinn,
Janet Clarke, Deb Riddle,
Cheryl Cooper and David Gillam
