Responsive Engagement 2020-2021
New summer day camp at MSU aims to add resource to community
“The Inclusive Community Camp is a very intentional, first steps summer camp experience designed to fill a void in our community,” said Jody Bartz, assistant professor in the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development’s Department of Health and Human Development who organized the camp along with Jamie O’Callaghan from the Department of Education. “Summer 2020 was our pilot year and has allowed us the opportunity to design the camp and meet the program needs for our MSU teacher candidates, who guided the campers.”
Bartz said the camp was carefully designed both for children with additional support needs – including those with Down syndrome and autism – and for those without additional support needs. The camp was originally planned as a weeklong summer day camp in Bozeman, but organizers moved it to a mostly virtual format because of COVID-19.
Longtime MSU-Crow partnership provides funds to help tribal members get to health care appointments
Purchasing fuel to drive to health care appointments in Billings or elsewhere can be a real challenge for many residents of the rural tribal nation, according to Alma McCormick, a member of the Apsáalooke Nation and executive director of the nonprofit Messengers for Health, which was started from a research partnership between Montana State University and Crow community members. McCormick noted that, depending on where people live in the tribal community, a round trip to Billings can be more than 100 miles.
To help, McCormick and Suzanne Held, community health professor in MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development, applied for grant funding to provide gas cards for those at Crow who need fuel to get to their appointments.
The nonprofit is distributing the gas cards in increments of $10 and $20 to those who need them. To date, Held said, about $3,000 in gas cards has been distributed to approximately 100 Crow community members.
MSU to host Nov. 12 online mathematics competition for middle school students
Middle school students across the state of Montana are invited to register for a free online mathematics contest set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.
The American Mathematics Competition 8 contest is part of the American Mathematics Competition series developed by the Mathematical Association of America. The series provides an opportunity for students to develop positive attitudes toward analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers. Students apply classroom skills to unique problem-solving challenges in a low-stress and friendly environment. The contest, hosted each year by Montana State University’s Science Math Resource Center in the College of Education, Health and Human Development, typically takes place on the MSU campus but will be held virtually this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
MSU to host free online mathematics competitions for high school students Feb. 4 and 10
High school students across the state of Montana are invited to register for free mathematics contests set for 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, and 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10. Both contests are hosted by Montana State University and will be held virtually.
The American Mathematics Competition 10 and 12 contests, hosted by the Science Math Resource Center in MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development, are part of the American Mathematics Competition series developed by the Mathematical Association of America. The series provides an opportunity for students to develop positive attitudes toward analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers. Students apply classroom skills to problem-solving challenges in a competitive atmosphere.
MSU, city partner to offer new Bozeman Pond Literacy Walk
The Bozeman Pond Literacy Walk at 700 S. Fowler Ave. offers a way for kids and their families, caregivers and friends to be active while reading a children’s book. Permanent, weather-proof displays placed approximately 10 feet apart along a path on the park’s north side each contain a page of a children’s book. Some of the displays also feature artwork from local schoolchildren. Members of the community are invited to visit the path, read the book and enjoy the activity. The displayed book will rotate monthly from roughly mid-April to mid-October each year; the first book is “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister.
“We’re so excited about this project,” said Karie Orendorff, assistant professor of health and physical education in the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development, who led the project. “Our Literacy Walk combines physical activity, literacy and quality time with families and friends. We really hope the community embraces it.”
MSU virtual conference for science teachers set for Aug. 9-11
An annual professional development conference for science teachers will be hosted virtually Aug. 9-11 by the Science Math Resource Center in Montana State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Development and School Services of Montana. The Science Summer Institute is designed for science, technology, engineering and math teachers of all grade levels, with opportunities to attend roundtable sessions specifically for elementary, middle and high school teachers.
Sessions will be interactive and take place in real time, covering topics such as assessment, cultural responsiveness and new educational technologies. Both a session and a panel will focus on Montana’s new computer science standards, which are being implemented this summer. Teachers can earn up to 16 Office of Public Instruction renewal units.
