Illinois Science Teacher Association (ISTA) Regional Director Elections

Science Guy would like to congratulate the recently elected Regional Directors for the ISTA, including local Science teacher, Barry Latham (Bloom High School)!

Region 1: Barry Latham, physics teacher from Bloom HS in Chicago Heights

Region 2: Courtney Stone, biology teacher from Rock Island HS, Rock Island

Region 3: Emily Dawson, Jr. High teacher, Riverview Grade School, East Peoria

Region 4: Ken Wester, Physics Teacher Education Director, ISU, Normal

Region 5: Steph Marlette, Assoc. Professor, Dept. C&I, SIU-Edwardsville

Region 6: Frederic Vallowe, life science teacher from Hamilton County, McLeansboro

Region 7: Hethyr Tregerman, Instructional Science Coach, Loyola University, Chicago

The election results will be posted very shortly on the ISTA website. The fall conference will take place this year in Tinley Park. For their two-year term, Regional Directors are expected to:

● Be a resource of ISTA information for their region- be the face of ISTA

● Keep members in your region informed by email, postcards, etc.

● Encourage membership in ISTA through their own networks for science teaching

● Solicit help from members within their region to help with the conference, Spectrum, awards, grants, ISTA standing and ad hoc committees, etc.

● Present ISTA awards to awardees in their region at local awards opportunities

● Contact regional businesses and industries to support ISTA members

● Contact regional non-formal leaders from nature centers, museums, zoos, etc. for possible professional development and/or student opportunities, reduced entry fees for ISTA members

● Full participation in ISTA decision-making

● Three board meetings, annually, hopefully no school day conflicts

For more information or questions about membership, please go to the ISTA website or ask Science Guy!