CSTA-MN Octrober Newsletter
Kate Lockwood
CSTA-MN Newsletter: October 2025
🚀 Welcome from CSTA-MN!
Hello CSTA-MN Members and Friends!
We hope the school year is going well as we head into MEA break! Your dedication to bringing high-quality CS education to Minnesota students is inspiring!
In this issue, we recap our September meeting, highlight some new PD opportunities, and share our plan for the rest of the semester!
📅 Upcoming Chapter Meeting & Elections
Our next CSTA-MN Chapter Meeting is scheduled for October 22 at 3:45 PM via Google Meet
This month, we will be talking about how to organize CS education week activities at your school/district. Since October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we will also have a guest speaker come share some classroom-ready Cybersecurity resources. It should be a great meeting!
When: Wednesday, October 22, 3:45 PM CST
Agenda Highlights: [Key Agenda Item 1], [Key Agenda Item 2], Board Elections.
➡️ Save the Date: Add the meeting to your calendar
Future meeting dates and topics:
November 19. 2025:Telling your Computer Science Story: Publishing and Presenting for CS Educators
December 10, 2025: Author discussion with Cait Levin, author of Imposter while we encourage members to read the book, it is not required to participate in the discussion
Thank you to everyone who joined us in September to kick off the year! We also heard from The Raspberry Pi Foundation, Code Savvy, and Girls Who Code about upcoming opportunities and resources. September CSTA-MN Meeting slide deck.
💡 Professional Development & Resources
Looking to expand your teaching toolkit or find new resources? Check out these opportunities:
1. Experience CS: A free integrated curriculum for computer science
Thank you to the Raspberry Pi Foundation for joining us at our September meeting to share about new developments in the Experience CS curriculum!
Interested in Experience CS, but not sure where to get started? The RPF team wants to help. Email Kendall at kendall....@raspberrypi.org for individual support in getting started.
2. Minnesota STEM & Computer Science Symposium
Sphero is thrilled to partner with One91, SoWashCo Schools & Northern Lights Collaborative for Computing Education for a free STEM/Computer Science Symposium for principals, school leaders and PK–12 educators eager to bring coding, robotics, and engineering into the classroom.
This dynamic opportunity will provide a hands-on professional learning experience designed through engaging activities using Sphero indi, BOLT+, RVR+, and Blueprint Engineering.
Save the date: Saturday, November 8 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Learn more and register: Register for the MN STEM and CS Symposium
3. CSTA National Conference
The deadline for presentation proposals for the national conference is rapidly approaching. Share your expertise with computer science teachers from across the country July 2026 in New Orleans!
Deadline: October 26
Apply Now: CSTA Conference proposal submission
Get Support: Office hours October 16
4. Code Savvy Opportunities
Code Savvy has both professional development workshops for teachers and student-facing events! Learn more by checking out their website for opportunities!
Professional Development: Upcoming workshop on November 20!
Technovation: Kicking off soon!
5. Girls Who Code
In addition to free resources to support clubs, check out the new AI literacy unit from Girls Who Code! Learn more about how young women perceive generative AI in a new report published by GWC and UCLA. Have questions related to Girls Who Code? Email Ashley Goetz, ashley...@girlswhocode.com
5. Free MDE Online Class: Computer Science for Every Classroom: A Course for Minnesota K–12 Educators
All MN educators can enroll in a 10-hour virtual course for K–12 teachers with a variety of experience levels in computer science and/or computer science integration. The course supports the development of effective K–12 CS educators by developing their skills and pedagogical understanding in order to provide equitable and effective CS instruction to all students. The three primary goals of the course are to develop a deep understanding of computer science content and pedagogy, to cultivate an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students, and to design and implement engaging and effective CS learning experiences. You can self-enroll in the Computer Science for Every Classroom: A Course fro Minnesota K-12 Educators.
⭐ Member Spotlight: David Higley
This month, we celebrate David Higley, a dedicated 5th grade Teacher from Edina Public Schools.
David enjoys bringing computational thinking strategies into many different subjects and opportunities. David says, "Computational thinking is the ticket to being a creator, not just a consumer. It supports students to build the technology they use, not just use the technology that's been built. What a powerful way to engage the students in their world."
David values implementing SCRATCH into the Revolutionary War final project. The students use SCRATCH to showcase their learning of the events.
He is also on his district’s AI Committee and supports teachers in AI uses/strategies.
Thank you, David, for your commitment to our students!
Want to be featured? Tell us what you're up to! Reply to this email!
📚 Book Corner 🌈
To get in the spirit of Cybersecurity Month, the Book Corner will focus on books that highlight careers in cybersecurity and computer science. As well as some of the people who do those jobs.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Book Corner, where we bridge computer science and reading!
📣 Stay Connected
Join the conversation and connect with other Minnesota CS educators!
Have newsletter items? Email kloc...@spa.edu
Minnesota CSTA Chapter Advancing computer science education for all students.
Contact Minnesota CSTA Chapter