Welcome to PALS: Peak Area Leadership in Science!

PALS facilitates Hub Meetings – free professional development – throughout the school year for Pikes Peak area secondary science teachers.  We do welcome other science educators including elementary teachers who teach science and retired secondary science educators on a ‘space available’ basis.

PLEASE share this information with other science teachers. Print a copy and post in your science office! Download the file and share by e-mail. Invite a colleague to attend a meeting with you.

———-     REGISTER for our NEXT PALS Hub Meeting

THIS year you may only REGISTER for the next scheduled Hub meeting. To register, fill out the form on the right of your screen ON or AFTER the date indicated. (Alternately, you may email Tammy at RSVP@sciencehubs.org or call/text Tammy at 719-337-1552 (cell)…. once the “Accepting Registrations” date has arrived. Early submissions will be deleted. Please include all required information!)

***** NEW – Because of the uncertainty due to the current pandemic and the need to limit the number of our participants, reservations are accepted ONLY for the upcoming hub meeting.  You may NOT sign up for the additional hub meetings at this time. Use the form on the right side of this page. We will send an e-mail reminder in advance of each of the workshops and may request that you confirm your participation in advance. If you do not respond to the confirmation request your place may be given to another participant.

Professional Development Contact Hours OR Credit (CEU) from CSM

Teachers participating in Hub Meetings may earn either university credit hours or professional development clock hours. If you attend ALL of the sessions this year you could earn 60 contact hours (documented with a certificate) or – for a modest fee – 4 semester hours of continuing education credit from CSM. 

———-     UPCOMING MEETINGS

Below is a list of the PALS Hub Meetings for the first semester of this school year. Click on the links to access additional information!

• Biodiversity of Mueller State Park: Sat., Aug. 22 Full Day [8:15 am – 4:00 pm]. 8.22.2020 PALS Flyer – Biodiversity at Mueller State Park
• Going Viral – Coronavirus Lessons you can share with YOUR students: Wed., Sept. 9 Part Day [4:00 am – 8:00 pm] *** VIRTUAL *** 9.9020 PALS Flyer – Going Viral
• The Discovery of the Rise of the Mammals at Corral Bluffs: Sat, Sept. 26 Part Day [8:00 am – 1:30 pm] 9.26.2020 PALS Flyer – Corral Bluffs
• Brain Matters: How Stress Impacts the Teenage Brain: Sat., Oct. 10 Part Day [8:00 am – 12:00 pm]. *** VIRTUAL ***
• How to make YOUR science classroom 3D ! Explore classroom lessons that highlight disciplinary core ideas, science practices, and cross cutting concepts: Tues, Oct. 27 Part Day [4:00 am – 8:00 pm]
• From the Nile to the Colorado – Hippos and Water Conservation: Sat., Nov 7 Part Day [8:30 am – 12:30 pm]
• Experience Caving – CaveSim, Cave Lessons and the Cave of the Winds: Sat., Dec. 5 Part Day [8:00 am – 12:00 noon and 1:00 – 3:00 pm]

Below is a list of the PALS Hub Meetings for the second semester of this school year. Click on the link to access additional information!

• Chemistry of Medicines and Drugs: Sat., Jan. 23 Full Day [8:15 am – 4:00 pm]
• DNA at the Crime Scene and Beyond: Sat., Feb. 13 Full Day [8:00 am – 4:00 pm]
• Incorporating PhET in Your Science Classroom: Wed., Mar. 10 Part Day [4:00 pm – 8:00 pm]
• Physics in the Natural World – Little Shop of Physics: Thurs, April 8 Part Day [4:00 am – 8:00 pm]
• Operation Montserrat at the Challenger Learning Center: Sat., May 1 Part Day [8:30 am – 12:30 pm]

PLEASE… Cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. Let us know (via our Contact Us page) or by emailing Tammy at RSVP@sciencehubs.org or by calling/texting Tammy at 719-337-1552 (cell) as far in advance as possible, as we may have a waiting list and/or may have to pay in advance for your spot. Because of the ever-changing COVID-19 status, we are limiting participation at many of our hub meetings this year. Reserving a spot and failing to show may cost another educator the opportunity to participate. Please be considerate of your colleagues!

———-     LIABILITY FORM: 

Participants in our meetings are required to complete a Liability form PALS 2020-21. If you would like to fill this out in advance and bring the finished form to your first meeting, please do so. If your first meeting is a virtual meeting, a link to a google form will be provided in an email just before the meeting and again within the meeting.

———-     FUNDING        

Thanks to ALL of our funders !

• Mikkelson Education Fund / Jim Mikkelson
• USAFA K-12 STEM Outreach Program
• D. Furstenau Memorial Donation

Please visit our Sponsors Page for more details ! 

———-     ARCHIVES

Go to our Archives Page for information about previous year’s (2018-2019, 2017-2018, 2016-2017, 2015-2016) hub meetings.