![Students in Renae Skar’s fourth grade stand with Skar in their classroom at Hockinson Heights Elementary School. Photo courtesy Hockinson School District](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Large_Clark-County-Today-Hockinson-teacher-Renae-Skar-state-finalist-for-2024-Presidential-Award-for-Excellence-in-Mathematics-and-Science-teaching.jpg)
Renae Skar, fourth grade teacher at Hockinson Heights Elementary School (HHES), is one of four state finalists for the 2024 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The PAEMST is the highest recognition for kindergarten through 12th-grade mathematics and science teachers in the United States.
Skar began teaching in Washington in 2005. She has taught kindergarten through fifth-grade classes throughout her 19-year career in education. Skar has taught at HHES for seven years. She holds a Masters of Arts in Education and a National Board Certificate as an early childhood generalist.
“Renae Skar is deserving of recognition for her superior work ethic, ability to design rigorous, engaging lessons, and her ability to inspire her students to think of themselves as student scientists who are fully capable of addressing real-world issues and making a positive mark in the world,” said Meredith Gannon, principal at Hockinson Heights Elementary School.
“All my science units begin with a real-world problem or project,” said Skar. She is celebrated by colleagues, students, and school leadership alike for her hands-on, relevant approach to classroom teaching. “The salmon unit, in particular, stands out. My students are enthusiastic about hands-on activities, and this concept leaves a lasting impression. Throughout the year, they learn about and care for salmon, culminating in the release of these fish into their natural habitat. This meaningful, real-world experience not only creates lasting memories but also shows students how their actions can make a difference.”
Skar attended a Project Based Learning (PBL) training series through ESD 112 that had a great influence on her instructional approach. “That not only gave me the tools and motivation to change my teaching but allowed me to meet a network of like-minded PBL educators who I still stay in contact with today,” said Skar.
State finalists now advance to the national level for the PAEMST. Kim Newton (Spokane Public Schools), Jenna Samora (Bellingham Public Schools), and Jennie Warmouth (Edmonds School District) also represent the state of Washington at the national award level. National award recipients are typically announced by the President of the United States within a year of the state selection.
National winners receive a citation signed by the President of the United States, a paid trip for two to attend recognition and professional development events in Washington, D.C., and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
Learn more on the Hockinson School District website. For more information about the PAEMST, visit paemst.nsf.gov/.
Information provided by the Hockinson School District.
Also read:
- Opinion: OIC tells consumers not to pay for ‘insurance’ you won’t likely benefit from: Does that include WA Cares?Elizabeth New (Hovde) of the Washington Policy Center believes you should consider yourself warned by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner about WA Cares and its maybe-only benefit.
- Opinion: Same road, different speed limit?Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl addresses a question about speed limit signs going into and leaving town.
- Progress being made at GRO Parade of Homes siteThe 2024 GRO Parade of Homes, presented by the Building Industry Association of Clark County, is a little more than a month away, and builders are busy completing the luxury homes before the big event, scheduled for Sept. 6 through 22 in Felida.
- Has trust in the media tanked over coverage of President Biden’s decline?After President Joe Biden’s calamitous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, and days after Biden’s decision Sunday not to seek reelection, there are still many questions about how the news media covered Biden’s mental and physical decline.
- Opinion: Hiding the growing cost of the Interstate Bridge replacementJoe Cortright of the City Observatory addresses the rising cost of the Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project.
- Letter: ‘This election I am NOT voting for Greg Cheney’Clark County resident Wynn Grcich shares her thoughts on Rep. Greg Cheney and the issue of fluoridation in area drinking water.
- Major gas line leak closes major arterial in Clark CountyFirefighters from Clark County Fire District 6 responded Thursday (July 25) afternoon to the scene of a major natural gas leak on NE 99th Street, directly in front of Columbia River High School.