Public Education Foundation has selected Michael Stone as the organization’s director of Innovative Learning. Mr. Stone will lead PEF’s efforts to support teachers as they develop innovative strategies that inspire students and lead the regional STEM Hub at PEF. In addition to leading existing programs (including Teacherpreneur Incubator, Fund for Teachers, and STEM Teaching Fellows), Mr. Stone will develop new initiatives to capitalize on the interest in STEM, entrepreneurship, and innovation in our region’s schools.
“We are delighted to welcome Michael to our staff,” said Dan Challener, president of PEF. “Last year, Michael was one of three teachers in the nation to serve as an Albert Einstein fellow at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Va. As an Einstein fellow, Michael saw, first hand, the best practices for STEM and computer education in our nation’s public schools. We are excited that Michael is returning to Chattanooga to share this knowledge and develop programs that will help teachers in our community.”
Before Michael was an Einstein fellow, he taught at STEM School Chattanooga, where he designed the first Fabrication Lab in the state of Tennessee. Before teaching at the STEM School, he taught computer science and math at East Hamilton High School.
Mr. Stone said, “I am deeply committed to PEF’s mission to strengthen teaching, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math. Just like their students, teachers are eager to try new strategies, devices, and ways of thinking. My year as a STEM Fellow in the inaugural cohort gave me a glimpse of the power of teachers to learn from and with each other. I’m thrilled to work with PEF and our teachers.”
According to PEF Board Chair Jim Hill, “Michael’s year as an Einstein Fellow gives him a unique portfolio of skills and access to networks of education professionals across the country. PEF and our public schools are fortunate to have his expertise and we are glad he’s returned to Chattanooga.”
Mr. Stone earned a B.S. in computer science from Bryan College and an M.A. in instructional leadership from Tennessee Technological University. He served a one-year appointment in Washington, D.C. as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator fellow at the National Science Foundation, where he worked to support NSF efforts to broaden the scope of rigorous computer science education in the nation. He is the author of "Oh, That’s Education?," a book of observations from a decade in the classroom. He is chair of the American Society for Engineering Education K-12 division, and is a member of the Computer Science Teachers Association, National Science Teachers Association, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He was named a Walmart Regional Teacher of the Year in 2010. He and his wife Ceren live in East Ridge with their daughters Brooklyn and London.