Strength of the Human Spirit following Derecho Storm
We send our love and support to anyone affected by the derecho storm and to those continuing to deal with the aftermath through clean up and rebuilding. The strength of the human spirit and kindness of our neighbors has been on display in communities across our great state. 
 
Members interested in supporting disaster recovery are encouraged to contact the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation or the United Way.

September Updates & Announcements

Just in Time CS Learning
September is FULL of great learning opportunities for CS teachers just in time for the new school year! Here are few highlights we don't want you to miss!
 
💻. CSTA Virtual Teaching Summit
CSTA has announced that they will be hosting a virtual teaching summit on Saturday, September 12th from 12p - 7p CDT. The timing couldn't be better for supporting Iowa CS Teachers returning to school in a variety of different models. Click here to learn more and register by September 8th. Registration is $20 for non-members and CSTA basic members or $5 for CSTA+ members. We invite any attendees to add resources from the virtual teaching summit to this collaborative document during the event. You can also join us for a CSTA Iowa Meetup from 2:45p - 3:30p CDT during the summit!
 
🕰  CSTA Iowa September Social Hour
Join us on September 10th at 7p for our next virtual networking and social hour! This will be an informal, virtual meeting for Iowa CS teachers to connect and share resources. We'll split up into grade banded groups (PreK-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and continue to add resources to our collaborative document. Click here to register or by navigating to our events page.
 
📼  CSTA 2020 Virtual Conference session recordings available!
If you attended the conference, you'll have access to recordings of ALL THE SESSIONS until September 7th! Check your email for a message with more information and a link to the recordings.
Need a little more time? Couldn't attend the conference? No worries! You can upgrade to a CSTA+ membership here and gain unlimited access to the recordings and lots of other CSTA+ benefits.
Read more...
We need your help!
 
Here are three quick ways you can contribute to making CSTA Iowa a little stronger:
  1. Resource Sharing: Share your AWESOME CS resources here! We're looking for your go-to CS resources. Have a great lesson to teach binary numbers? A new strategy to help manage group projects? A professional book that pushed your thinking? Share any CS resource you find helpful. We'll add it to one of the wakelets found on our Resources page and you might just get a shout out in a future newsletter!
  2. Member Spotlight: We'd like to highlight one member of CSTA Iowa each month in our newsletter. Our hope is to celebrate the great CS work happening across Iowa and help make connections between members with similarities (location, grade level/subjects taught, CS interest areas, etc.). Complete this VERY short form to share a little about yourself and encourage your CS colleagues to do the same!
  3. Lead & Engage: Go to bit.ly/IACSEngage to let us know your interest in volunteering to help CSTA Iowa support CS teachers across Iowa.
Read more...

RAFFLE OPPORTUNITY

🎉  We'll be raffling off one Micro:bit, courtesy of Katie Henry & Micro:bit Edu, and one copy of "T-Minus AI: Humanity's Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Power" donated and written by Michael Kanaan to members who submit a response to any of the three forms above (Resource Sharing, Member Spotlight, and/or Lead & Engage) before Friday, September 25th! 🎉

September Learning & Connection Opportunities

Teaching and Learning Computer Science In Class or Remotely Across Disciplines (grades 6-12)
Sep 01, 2020
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
 
CSTA Iowa September 2020 Virtual Networking & Social Hour
Virtual Webinar
Sep 10, 2020
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
 
CSTA Virtual Teaching Summit
Virtual Webinar
Sep 12, 2020
12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
 
View entire list

September Teaching Resources & Strategies

Virtual Teaching Resources
How are you adjusting & adapting to teaching this fall? CSTA and Code.org have both published resources to help you with virtual, hybrid, socially-distanced, asynchronous, and synchronous learning!
Elementary Resource: CS Unplugged
This month we'd like to highlight the CS Unplugged website for Elementary CS Teachers.
Secondary Resource: CYBER.ORG
This month we'd like to highlight CYBER.ORG (formerly NICERC) resources for Secondary CS Teachers.
Do you have an AWESOME CS Resource to share?
Please click the button below to submit your resource.

September Member Spotlight

CSTA Iowa Spotlight on Bridget Adam
This month CSTA Iowa shines a spotlight on Bridget Adam. Bridget teaches at Holmes Junior High School in Cedar Falls.
Step up to the Spotlight!
Please click the button below so we can highlight the great CS work you're doing too!

Welcome to #CSforIA!

A warm welcome to our new members this month! 
  • Jonathan Vanderlah - Dowling Catholic
  • Bob Vinatieri - Blackbird School
  • Pat Salstrand - Accelerate Learning
CSTA Iowa supports and connects educators across Iowa with teaching Computer Science.
Please contact any member of the CSTA Iowa Leadership team with questions, concerns, and ideas!
President
Digital Learning Consultant 
Grant Wood AEA
Iowa City
Vice President
Web & Mobile Instructor
Waterloo Career Center/Hawkeye CC
Urbana
Secretary
7-12 Science & CS Teacher
North Mahaska Jr/Sr High
Treasurer
Calculus, PreCalculus, CSP, CSA, Statistics Teacher
MOC-Floyd Valley High School
Past President
Environmental Science, AP CS, AP Research
Central Academy
Des Moines
Community Partner
Director K-12 Education
NewBoCo
Cedar Rapids
Advocacy Agent
Computer Science Consultant
Iowa Department of Education
CSTA Iowa
iowa@csteachers.org

About Us

CSTA Iowa supports and connects educators across Iowa with teaching Computer Science in many forms.

Whether you teach CSP to high school students or integrate coding into elementary literacy, we're here to share resources, support your practice, and connect you with CS educators across our great state!
 
Visit our website: iowa.csteachers.org

Questions? Suggestions?

CSTA Iowa is here to support you! Please share questions and suggestions with any leadership team member or at iowa@csteachers.org
 
 

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