NGSS Writing Team Member: Mariel Milano

Mariel Milano is currently the STEM Coordinator for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in Orlando, Florida, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of the district-wide STEM integration initiative. As a part of this initiative, Ms. Milano has begun the implementation of a pre-physics STEM kindergarten program, including STEM curricula and professional development which is utilized within the district as well as the state. As STEM coordinator, she is responsible for the development of K-12 STEM integration lessons, professional development, STEM competitions, and school-site program development. While at the district office, Ms. Milano has been fortunate to coordinate the NSF Promoting Science Among English Language Learners grant and develop the US DOE STEM Teacher Incentive Fund grant project.

Ms. Milano represents OCPS on several regional and state STEM organizations, including the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) Florida STEM Strategic Planning Committee. As an active member of the science education community, she is a member of the Florida Association of Science Supervisors, Florida Association for Science Teachers, and the National Science Teachers Association.

Prior to joining the district curriculum team, Ms. Milano was a science resource teacher for gifted students, a Teacher-in-Residence through a partnership with Purdue University’s INSPIRE program, and a curriculum developer for the Orlando Science Center. In these positions, she developed and provided professional development for engineering, forensic science, and epidemiology programs for elementary and secondary students.

Ms. Milano received a BS in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Florida, and is also a part of the Lockheed Martin K-8 Mathematics and Science Academy M.Ed program. She holds endorsements from the Florida Department of Education in Gifted Education, Reading Education, and ESOL Education.