Image: View from the top of Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park (Adobe Stock).
The Bay of Plenty has always been a region of unparalleled natural beauty and unique educational opportunities. Now, it has a digital home for its passionate community of science educators: Bay Science.
Bay Science aims to form meaningful partnerships between primary, intermediate, and secondary science educators with local groups and organisations, tertiary training providers, and key stakeholders from and beyond the Bay of Plenty.
Bay Science is organised by a small but dedicated group of local science educators. This passionate team shares a commitment to fostering growth within the region by equipping everyday classroom teachers with the tools they need to inspire students towards developing their science identities and competencies in the Anthropocene era.
Natural disasters and coastal inundation are some of the science-related contexts which students will need to prepare for. Image: Tsunami evacuation sign at Otūmoetai estuary (supplied).
In 2025 Bay Science aims to, at least:
Organise cluster meetings every term: these gatherings will bring educators together to share ideas, learn from one another, and strengthen the science education community across the region. Cluster topics will include NCEA, literacy and numeracy.
Establish a funding source: being a newly established and independent organisation, Bay Science does not (yet) receive formal funding through the Networks of Expertise or any other body. It is currently spearheaded by the generous donations of time and contributions from kaiako volunteers.
Showcase local educators: there is amazing mahi taking place every day in Bay of Plenty classrooms as well as nationally. In 2025, Bay Science aims to recognise the efforts and achievements of the everyday classroom teacher by providing a platform for them to showcase their professional learning journey, teacher enquiries or any other cool projects!
Upskill educators for the curriculum refresh: What is a Big Idea? What are the Learning Sciences? What is knowledge rich and how do we decide what knowledge is important? Join Bay Science in 2025 we embark on a professional learning journey towards unpacking critical evidence as Aotearoa writes an internationally-recognised science curriculum.