Local math teacher chosen to boost PBS program
Local sixth-grade math teacher Angelita Moreno was selected from a nationwide pool of teachers to promote a national Public Broadcasting Service program.
Moreno, a teacher at Molasky Junior High School, is featured in public service announcements promoting TeacherLine, a PBS-sponsored program that assists teachers with their professional development, said Vegas PBS coordinator Mark Nelson. The commercials began airing nationally in January.
TeacherLine is a program that helps teachers receive online graduate-level credit offered by PBS nationally, Nelson said. Moreno, who couldn't be reached for comment, was chosen to be the face of the new promotional campaign after she had written a letter to the local affiliate, describing her positive experiences taking online classes through TeacherLine, he added.
"She had taken a few of the classes and was very impressed with the quality and level of instruction that she was getting," Nelson said. "She had written a letter giving us feedback. She talked about the convenience of the online classes and expressed that the content was really impacting what she was doing in class."
Some of the classes offered include teaching reading and science; publishing on the Internet; and other courses about literature, reading, writing, math, science and technology.
When the national PBS office asked local stations for names of enthusiastic teachers to be considered for the commercials, Vegas PBS representatives suggested Moreno. She was chosen over dozens of other teachers.
TeacherLine is crucial to professional development because teachers must take a certain number of graduate-level credit hours to satisfy job requirements that give them salary increases; help them prepare for renewing their teaching licenses; and to meet a mandate set by the No Child Left Behind Act, Nelson said.
Vegas PBS reimburses teachers for the cost of their classes, Nelson said.
In other news:
* Clark County Parks and Recreation recently welcomed six volunteers to its new Parks and Recreation Ambassadors Program at Desert Breeze Park. The volunteers graduated on March 10 after completing 51/2 hours of training by members of the Parks and Recreation staff. The volunteers were trained in communication skills, conflict resolution and were familiarized with Desert Breeze Park.
The starter program plans to expand to include Sunset Park and the Silver Bowl Sports Complex. More than 250 volunteers currently assist the Clark County Parks and Recreation department.
To participate in the park ambassadors program volunteers must be at least 18. For more information, call Della Boyd at 455-6877.
* The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas hosted a Field Day for more than 100 youths from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson on March 7. More than 25 members of the fraternity spoke to the children about the importance of higher education and participated in a variety of activites including an obstacle course, sack race, 50-yard dash and football throw. The day ended with an awards ceremony and a basketball game between teens and fraternity members. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson is a youth development nonprofit organization.
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