TX PLTW Conference just in time...

For the last two days I have been able to attend the Texas Project Lead the Way (PLTW) conference.

It was in Rockwall, Texas--on a lake just outside of Dallas. It was a wonderful setting and it was a great time for me as I got to hang out with one of my "old" friends that I met at a PLTW training 3 years ago.

The timing of the conference was perfect for several reasons.

One, I am not going to lie--I am ready for spring break, but it's now 8 days away. Only 8 days--so this conference helped break up the long wait until spring break. Plus I got to miss one day of benchmark testing, and that was an added bonus.

Two, tomorrow we are greeting our new 5th graders--who are soon to be 6th graders. I get to talk to them about our Gateway to Technology program (part of PLTW's curriculum). This conference helps to get me excited about the upcoming year--with new program updates, technology ideas, etc.

In my perfect world, I would have a girls only GTT class. Another one of my friends, actually presented at the conference and she talked about how to get girls to sign up and keep them interested in STEM fields.  I was really happy to see that one of the videos she used was one I had posted to Facebook about "Engineers as Superheros."

I am also really excited about PLTW's newest venture--creating a STEM program for elementary age  kids--it's called PLTW Launch. I hate to wish time away, and I know she's only 16 months old, but when my daughter starts school, I really hope that she can be in a school that has has this Launch program.

It's an exciting time to be part of the PLTW network.

And, with only 8 days until spring break--I can totally do this!