Rekindling the Fires of Science Teaching and Learning
This strand will provide exemplary programs, best practices, and strategies to increase teacher retention and renewal by focusing on such areas as professional learning communities, administrative and science leader support, professional development that focuses on both science content and pedagogy, mentoring programs, and collegial support strategies.

Goals
To provide workshops and presentations focusing on:
• Increasing teacher retention and renewal
• Developing sustainable professional learning communities
• Increasing administrative and collegial support
• Identifying and implementing professional development programs for science content and pedagogy
• Providing professional growth through leadership opportunities

Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated on the extent that they:
• Align with one or more strand goals
• Align with national science education standards (NSES and Benchmarks)
• Are based on current and available research and issues in science
• Involve participants through activities and/or discussion
• Align with the National Staff Development Council’s Standards for Professional Development (www.nsdc.org)
• Highlight specific strategies that have demonstrated increased retention and renewal of teachers