Vasiliki Valkanas

8th Grade

Welcome to eighth grade science and STEM.  I have been a teacher at Bateman for over 20 years. I am a mother of three children who are CPS alumni.  I LOVE science/STEM and my goal is to inspire students to love science and pursue a field in STEM
 I received a Bachelor of Science in Science degree in Elementary Education from Northeastern Illinois University and a Masters of Science in Science Education from DePaul University.

 As a teacher, I have had many accomplishments.  I started the Gifted Program at Bateman with 5/6 grade Gifted Science.  I have worked with NASA to develop science curriculum to benefit all grade levels.  I have been a presenter at the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) conference and CPS symposiums. I have lobbied in Springfield on several occasions for funding to support science education.

I have had student work featured in museums including the Peggy Notebaert Museum and the Adler Planetarium where kids participated in the Mars Millennium Project.  For the Project, students built a model of the first colony on Mars.  In addition, for participating in the Mars Millennium Project, my students’ names were sent on a spaceship that landed on Mars.
 
I organized Bateman’s 1st Star Party where Bateman students were the first ever to remotely control telescopes at the Yerkes Observatory in William’s Bay, Wisconsin.   William’s Bay newspaper wrote about Bateman and this inspired a local reader to donate a 2nd telescope to the observatory.  

  In 2008, I became a fellow of Project Exploration at the University of Chicago and worked with Dr. Paul Sereno digging up a 65,000,000 year old Hadrosaur (dinosaur).  Currently, I am involved in a STEM project at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.  

  I have served Bateman in many capacities.  Every spring you can see the many tulips and daffodils I planted with every student in the school.  I served as a teacher representative on the LSC for over 6 years.  I was part of the Beautification Committee of Bateman school.   I have also been a member of the PTA, Wellness Committee, and a founding member of the Science Committee. I have coordinated the annual Bateman Science Fair for 20 years. For the last 4 years, I have sponsored the You Be The Chemist (YBTC) after school program.  My students have placed 3 out of the 4 years at the YBTC competition held at North Park University.  In the spring I direct the annual Bateman Talent Show, showcasing all the talented students and teachers of Bateman.  

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