Melisa Dettbarn

Melisa Dettbarn earned her BS in Environmental Studies from the University of Buffalo, and MA in Science Education from the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester.  Mrs. Dettbarn currently teaches 7th grade science at Hoover Middle School in the Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District but has taught 7-12th grade students in Regents Earth Science, Applied Science, AP Environmental Science and AP Biology over the last 12 years. A strong advocate for student driven learning that is focused on service learning and local environmental issues, Mrs. Dettbarn’s professional interests include exploring the transition to NYSSLS, student led learning experiences, service learning, sustainable development, and the Maker Movement.  Past projects focused on leading students from the Young Adult Environmental Leadership Conference in the creation of an outdoor classroom on school grounds, presentations with student at two Buffalo Mini Maker Faires at the Buffalo Museum of Science and a community STEAM night led by students in the school science club. Mrs. Dettbarn was recognized by the WNY Chapter of the Sierra Club/Niagara Group for “Environmental Science Education In the Classroom” for her Applied Science class’ project creating mobile website-based field guides of the organisms and habitat of the school trails accessible by the public through scannable QR codes. In her current position, Mrs. Dettbarn is working with students to prepare projects for the WNY Regional Science Fair. As part of the Master Teacher program, Mrs. Dettbarn is working on creating NYSSLS aligned middle school lab and engineering design challenges, as well as rewriting science curriculum, is part of a book study PLT and also works with Finger Lakes Master Teachers to mentor preservice science teachers at RIT, the University of Rochester and SUNY Geneseo.