Gateway To Science Center Inc

GATEWAY TO SCIENCE WILL PARTNER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM TO DEVELOP INTERPRETIVE MATERIALS FOR A NEW SCIENCE FIRST EXHIBITION. SCIENCE FIRST WILL SERVE YOUNG CHILDREN UP TO AGE 5 AND THEIR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND EDUCATORS. IT WILL INCREASE ADULTS? KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE TO FACILITATE CHILDREN?S SCIENCE LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. ADULT VISITORS WILL GAIN AN INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CHILDREN LEARN SCIENCE. THE PROGRAM WILL EQUIP THEM TO ENGAGE YOUNG CHILDREN IN SCIENCE INQUIRY AND TO BUILD 21ST CENTURY SKILLS.

GATEWAY TO SCIENCE CENTER WILL TRAIN ITS STAFF TO MEET THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY LOW-INCOME RURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, QUICKLY, EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY, AND RESPONSIBLY. AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, NORTH DAKOTA STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED COVID FATIGUE AND INCREASED DISPARITIES IN LEARNING. STAFF TRAINING WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING SKILLS TO WORK WITH UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. MUSEUM STAFF WILL THEN WORK WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, LEADING TO AN INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND THE CO-DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE AND RELEVANT STEM PROGRAMS WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES. IN TURN, STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS ACROSS THE STATE WILL BENEFIT FROM INCREASED ACCESS TO AND INVESTMENT IN STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND INTEGRATION INTO A SUPPORTIVE ECOSYSTEM.

GATEWAY TO SCIENCE SEEKS TO DEEPEN ITS CAPACITY TO SERVE AS A LOCAL NASA STEM INFORMAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY RESOURCE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ANCHOR AWARDS FOR TEAM II (CAAT).

"GATEWAY TO SCIENCE WILL BUILD AN EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND STRATEGY FOR ITS PLANNED EXPANSION THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE SUCCESSION PLANNING PROCESS. THE MUSEUM WILL WORK WITH A LEADERSHIP CONSULTING FIRM TO PLAN THE SCOPE AND PARAMETERS OF THE PROCESS AND CONDUCT INITIAL EVALUATIONS FOLLOWED BY BENCHMARKING KEY ROLES AND KEY STAFF MEMBER TALENT ASSESSMENTS. THE CONSULTANTS WILL WORK WITH EACH KEY STAFF MEMBER TO CREATE A CUSTOM PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND BEGIN A SIX-MONTH LEADERSHIP COACHING PROGRAM. THE PROCESS WILL CONCLUDE WITH FOLLOW-UP EVALUATIONS AND THE PREPARATION OF A FINAL SUCCESSION PLANNING REPORT. THIS REPORT WILL INCLUDE A CLEAR, WELL-DEFINED PROCESS FOR THE MUSEUM STAFF AND BOARD TO REVIEW AND REVISE THE SUCCESSION PLAN ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP THE MUSEUM ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF UNPRECEDENTED ATTENDANCE GROWTH AND GREATER ORGANIZATIONAL COMPLEXITY AND SECURE ITS ORGANIZATIONAL MEMORY AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY."