At a Glance
- Inspiring teachers with innovative professional development and classroom support since 2001
- We have a unique staff of professional, K-12 educators
- For science material support please contact: Jacqueline Kolb, SFPS Sustainability Specialist – jkolb@sfps.k12.us.nm
- We encourage strategies to integrate science with math, language arts, and art while aligning with New Mexico Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards
- Annual participation in SFSI programs: 125 teachers impacting over 3000 students
2023-2024 Statement from the Board
For 22 years, the Santa Fe Science Initiative (SFSI) has been dedicated to its mission of “Nurturing the Art of Doing Science and Promoting Scientific Literacy in Northern New Mexico.” Throughout these many years, SFSI has promoted and stimulated inquiry science education through professional development workshops supporting instruction in grades K-8. We have focused this effort with workshops that emphasize a deeper understanding of science content knowledge by modeling inquiry science with classroom teaching strategies that engage students.
Since the 2020 Pandemic, our professional development strategies have adapted. Mindful of the changing needs of teachers, SFSI staff /consultants provide state -of -the art professional development in a variety of appropriate outdoor, indoor and virtual settings. Stimulating educators to use the wealth of Santa Fe community resources and inviting outdoor classroom opportunities in their individual schools.
Our unique programing format has grown through our partnerships with the Audubon Center, Santa Fe Watershed and talented professional educators in the community. This expansion has offered teachers a new range of topics as well as a new awareness of local, accessible outdoor venues for field trips and opportunities for classroom collaboration.
As we meet the challenges of the coming year 2024-2025, we are looking forward to inspiring more teachers with an exciting array of workshops that have emerged in response teacher’s requests and our wealth of staff expertise.
2021-2022 Statement from the Board
The Santa Fe Science Initiative (SFSI) has been dedicated to its mission of “Nurturing the Art of Doing Science and Promoting Scientific Literacy in Northern New Mexico” since 2002. Over these many years, our organization has fostered science education through professional development workshops supporting instruction in grades K-8. We have focused this effort with workshops that emphasize deeper understanding of science content knowledge with classroom teaching strategies that model inquiry science.
Since 2020, we have adapted our professional development to also include in a virtual format. To that end, several consultants with expertise both in science as well as virtual instruction, have enhanced our programming. Mindful of the kind of changing needs of classroom teachers, SFSI continues to enhance our staff of presenters to remain current and provide the most effective and relevant science instruction for educators.
This new programing also necessitated the development of new partnerships. Those include the Director of Community Education from the Audubon Center and the Director of Education at the Santa Fe Watershed. This expansion not only offered teachers a new range of topics and workshops, but also increased their awareness of local, accessible outdoor venues. In addition, during Summer 2022, SFSI joined the Santa Fe Outdoor Education Collaborative in a supportive role with a four-day Summer Science workshop for teachers in grades 3-5.
As we reflect on this past year, the successful evolution of the SFSI offerings and partnerships is reflected in the growing enrollment and interest in our organization, as well as a stronger partnership with the Santa Fe Public Schools.
2020-2021 Statement from the Board
The Santa Fe Science Initiative (SFSI), a local non-profit organization since 2002, has been dedicated to “Nurturing the Art of Doing Science and Promoting Scientific Literacy in Northern New Mexico.” We have focused on encouraging and building teachers’ expertise in science and classroom teaching strategies. Our goal has been to provide in-class mentoring, material support and on-going professional development workshops, the Saturday Science Series, plus an annual week of Summer Science Institute for the teachers of Northern New Mexico.
SFSI has maintained and adapted teacher support through direct communication and on-going feedback allowing SFSI a collaborative perspective of the needs of educators. This process provided the means to plan and adapt the focus of that support as circumstances and requirements change and evolve over the years. This past year was a unique case in point.
We have continued this effort in 2020-21 with significant adaptations for teachers in the midst of the COVID pandemic. As teachers have struggled to respond to unprecedented requirements in their profession, SFSI secured the talents and expertise of seasoned professional educators to provide our teachers with a series of stellar virtual workshops. We funded this effort through our long-standing partnership with the Santa Fe Public Schools via Title II resources.
We learned that Zoom gave us an exceptional venue in which to share and interact with teachers in a unique personal way. We also modeled strategies and new ideas to engage students virtually. In addition to science content. teachers received assistance in other curricular areas such as virtual classroom management skills, sharing in virtual break-out sessions and embedding informational literacy strategies in reading and writing with non-fiction text and materials.
These workshops have been a gratifying experience for SFSI staff and board members. As retired and committed educators, we have the utmost respect and compassion for classroom teachers who have been challenged by adaptations to teaching and learning in a virtual environment.
Our contribution of supporting their efforts and expanding their resources has been rewarded by teachers’ positive response. We will continue to provide and encourage teachers to reach all students and engage them in science learning.
SFSI will respond to the changing needs of education in Northern New Mexico and work collaboratively to maintain and achieve our mission of supporting professional development and the teaching of science and science literacy in our public schools.
2018-2019 highlights
- Engaging and inspiring educators in Northern New Mexico with uniquely crafted professional development aligned to NM STEM Ready! Science Standards.
- Showcasing inquiry science activities at various community events such as the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) EXPO Science Fair, Adelante evenings at Sweeney Elementary with the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, and Family Science nights at various schools.
- Building a dynamic professional learning community of educators including teachers from Los Alamos Public Schools, and Pojoaque and Cochiti pueblos.
- SFSI has ongoing partnerships with the Santa Fe Public Schools and the SFPS Science Advisory, the Santa Fe Community Educators Network, the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, and the Bradbury Science Museum.
2017-2018 highlights
- SFSI provides significant materials support throughout the Santa Fe community including the following schools: Turquoise Trail Charter Elementary, Rio Grande School, the Academy for Technology and the Classics (ATC), and Zuni Pueblo schools.
- We showcase inquiry science activities at various community events such as the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) EXPO Science Fair and the Adelante evenings at Sweeney Elementary with the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens.
- SFSI has ongoing partnerships with the Santa Fe Public Schools and the SFPS Science Math Task Force, Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Community Programs Office, the Santa Fe Community Educators Network, the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, and the Santa Fe Alliance for Science (Science Cafe’s).
2016-2017 highlights
- Provided significant material support throughout the Santa Fe community, including the following schools: Turquoise Trail Charter Elementary, Desert Montessori, Rio Grande Elementary, and Little Earth School.
- Showcased inquiry science activities at various community events such as the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) EXPO Science Fair and the Adelante evening at Sweeney Elementary with the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens.
- Continued partnership with SFPS and began new collaborations with the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation Inquiry Science Education Consortium, Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Community Programs Office (LANL-CPO), the Santa Fe Community Educators Network, the Santa Fe Alliance for Science (co-sponsoring Science Cafes), and the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens.
- In May, SFSI will host its Seventh Annual Summer Science Institute “Exploring Inquiry” with special guest presenter Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell from the San Francisco Exploratorium.
- SFSI continues to work with other non-profits to bring STEM education reform to Northern New Mexico.
2015-2016 highlights
- January 2016: Five SFSI staff members became trainers for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation Inquiry Science Education Consortium.
- March-June 2016: SFSI showcased inquiry science activities at various community events such as the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) EXPO Science Fair, Georgia O’Keefe Museum, and Santa Fe Children’s Museum.
- June 2016: SFSI held the sixth annual Summer Science Institute. The 2016 theme, From Bats to Botany, attracted staff from 14 schools which will impact over 400 students in K-6 classrooms.
- August 2016: After attending the Summer Science Institute, five SFPS teachers requested Dollars 4 Schools funds to bring SFSI staff to their classrooms to help enhance their curriculum.
- In partnership with the Santa Fe Public Schools, SFSI produced six Saturday Science Workshops for K-8 teachers on an array of topics.
- SFSI continues to work with other non-profits to bring STEM education reform to Northern New Mexico.
2014-2015 highlights
- The SFSI 2014 Summer Science Workshop, Systems Inquiry, used crosscutting concepts and strategies to deepen content knowledge and incorporate the NM Common Core. Teacher participation was sponsored by the NM Public Education Department Bureau of Math and Science.
- Six SFSI staff members were invited to present at the June 2014 statewide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Conference.
- In partnership with the Santa Fe Public Schools, SFSI annually produces Saturday Science Workshops for K-8 teachers on an array of topics, and in the summer of 2014, consulted with the district’s Strategic Planning Team .
- In October 2014, SFSI partnered with the Golden Apple Foundation of NM to create a science literacy/STEM professional development workshop for new and veteran teachers.
- In January 2015, SFSI will host a workshop, the “Magic of Explora”, from the Explora museum in Albuquerque.
- The SFSI staff continue efforts to secure a permanent space for the SFSI Science House: a proposed professional development center where educators and scientists connect.
- SFSI continues to work with other non-profits to bring STEM education reform to Northern New Mexico.
2013-2014 highlights
- Developed and produced the Summer Science Workshop Using a Theme to Integrate Science to strengthen teachers’ knowledge base and provide strategies for incorporating the Common Core
- Consulted with individual teachers and schools on materials management and use, curriculum planning/mapping and on making links to literacy and math
- Produced – in partnership with Santa Fe Public Schools – 6 Saturday Science Workshops for teachers of grades K-7 on an array of topics
- Partnered with the Santa Fe Children’s Museum to bring the Exhibit Cultivate the Scientist in Every Child: The Philosophy of David and Frances Hawkins to Santa Fe in January 2014
- Continued efforts to secure permanent space for the SFSI Science House: a professional development center where educators and scientists connect
- Worked with other non-profit organizations to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education reform to Northern New Mexico
2010-2011 highlights
- Developed plans to create a center for professional development, the SFSI Science House: where educators and scientists connect
- Initiated partnership with the Santa Fe Children’s Museum to optimize the Science House location
- Produced six AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) workshops for grades K-6
- Developed new workshop series “Evolution: Life Through Time” to strengthen teachers’ knowledge base and provide content and strategies for lessons
- Consulted individual schools on materials management and use, and curriculum planning/mapping
- Worked with other non-profit organizations to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education reform to Northern New Mexico
2009-2010 highlights
- Consulted with the Earth’s Birthday Project to design professional development workshops
- Produced six AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) workshops for grades K-6
- Developed new workshop series “Simple Machines” to strengthen teachers’ knowledge base and provide content and strategies for lessons
- Coordinated Family Science Nights and science fair support in Santa Fe schools
- Consulted individual schools on curriculum adoption, materials management and use, and curriculum planning/mapping
- Worked with other non-profit organizations to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education reform to Northern New Mexico
2007-2009 highlights
- Support for more than 50 teachers and over 800 students
- Staff of 10 for administrative, technical and mentor support
- Developed workshop “Physics for Elementary School Teachers” to strengthen teachers’ knowledge base and provide content and strategies for lessons
- Coordinated Family Science nights
- Consultation for individual schools on curriculum adoption, materials management and use, and curriculum planning/mapping