Contact Us

Use the form on the right to contact us.

You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right. 

4041 N. Central Ave., Ste. 1100
Phoenix, AZ 85012

602-506-3866

The Maricopa County School Superintendent is statutorily responsible for providing services supporting school governing board elections, bond and override elections, appointments, school finance, and maintaining homeschool and private school records. The superintendent also oversees the Maricopa County accommodation district.

Bioscience Week 2024

 
 

This week’s content was brought to you by a new initiative for 6th-12th grade students to increase awareness about careers in the Bioscience and Healthcare Industries. If you would like to be included in future opportunities, please sign up below!


Day 1: Introduction - Dylan Peay, Ph.D., Manager, Entrepreneurial Programs and Grants at AZBio and Mary O’Reilly, Ph.D., Vice President, Bioscience Research Programs at the Flinn Foundation.

Join Dylan Peay, Ph.D., Manager, Entrepreneurial Programs and Grants at AZBio and Mary O’Reilly, Ph.D., Vice President, Bioscience Research Programs at the Flinn Foundation as they welcome you to Bioscience week and define the fields of Bioscience and Healthcare in Arizona.

👉  Continue the Conversation With Your Students

HOW DYLAN CAN ENGAGE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM:

  • ⚡️ Discussing Problem-Solving and Innovation techniques like the 5 Whys

  • 🤝 How to collaborate with various stakeholders

  • 🚗 Share his career journey to work in this industry

    Dylan is available to connect with your students on our Educator Pro Connect Platform.


Day 2: Industry Spotlight - Thatcher Hoppe, Manufacturing Manager, Calviri

Welcome to Day 2! This week is going to go by quickly, but thankfully you can watch these industry spotlights anytime with your students!

Did you know there’s a company in Phoenix, Arizona, that’s working to fight cancer? Calviri is using advanced semiconductor technology along with traditional lab methods to find cancer earlier and are even developing vaccines to prevent it from forming in the first place!

We're thrilled to introduce our first Industry Spotlight with Thatcher Hoppe, Manufacturing Manager at Calviri. Thatcher is doing some incredible work in the fight against cancer, and he's here to share how he's helping to identify and prevent it. He will also talk about how his time in the Marine Corps helped him develop important career skills that he uses daily and offer advice if you’re interested in pursuing a career in cutting-edge of science.

👉  Continue the Conversation With Your Students

HOW THATCHER CAN ENGAGE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM:

⚡️ Discussing Problem-Solving and Innovation techniques like the 5 Whys

🤝 How to collaborate with various stakeholders

🚗 Share his career journey to work in this industry.

Thatcher Hoppe is available to connect with your students on our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Classroom Survey: Don’t forget to scan the QR code at the end of each Industry Spotlight Video and have your students complete the brief survey!


Day 3: Industry Spotlight – Erika Enriquez, Warehouse Operations Manager, Langham Logistics

Welcome to Day 3 of Arizona Bioscience Week 2024! Can you believe there are only 2 days left?

Have you ever thought about how your prescriptions and lab supplies are kept safe during their journey from the manufacturer to pharmacies and laboratories, especially in a place as hot as Arizona?

Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Erika Enriquez, the warehouse operations manager at Langham Logistics in Phoenix, Arizona. Langham Logistics is a woman-owned company that handles the transportation and storage of pharmaceuticals and lab supplies. Erika will talk about how teamwork and math play a big role in her job every day and give tips on what you can do now to set yourself up for success in the future.

👉  Continue the Conversation With Your Students

HOW ERIKA CAN ENGAGE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM:

⚡️ Discussing Problem-Solving and Innovation techniques like the 5 Whys

🤝 How to collaborate with various stakeholders

🚗 Share her career journey to work in this industry.

Erika Enriquez is available to connect with your students on our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Classroom Survey: Don’t forget to scan the QR code at the end of each Industry Spotlight Video and have your students complete the brief survey!


Day 4: Industry Spotlight - Gabrielle Wycoff, Medical Laboratory Director, Sonora Quest

Welcome to Day 4 of Arizona Bioscience Week 2024! We’re nearing the end…

Have you or someone in your family ever needed a blood test in Arizona? If so, that test was probably done by Sonora Quest Laboratories, a subsidiary of Laboratory Sciences of Arizona. They’re an Arizona-based company and one of the biggest lab testing systems in the country! With over 3,800 employees and 70 patient service centers, there are lots of different career opportunities in this industry.

In this spotlight, we’ll meet Gabrielle Wycoff, a Medical Laboratory Director and Scientist at Sonora Quest Laboratories.Gabrielle will give us an inside look at her job and the steps you can take to work in this industry. You’ll learn what a laboratory director does and how you can start preparing now for a career as a laboratory scientist. Gabrielle will also share how her school experiences helped her succeed in her job.

👉  Continue the Conversation With Your Students

HOW GABRIELLE CAN ENGAGE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM:

⚡️ Discussing Problem-Solving and Innovation techniques like the 5 Whys

🤝 How to collaborate with various stakeholders

🚗 Share her career journey to work in this industry.

Gabrielle Wycoff is available to connect with your students on our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Classroom Survey: Don’t forget to scan the QR code at the end of each Industry Spotlight Video and have your students complete the brief survey!


Day 5: Industry Spotlight - Mya Davis, Environmental Health Program Manager, Arizona Department of Health Services

We have reached the end of Arizona Bioscience Week 2024!

HOWEVER, you have access to all the Bioscience Week resources and content any time of the year! So really, it’s only just the beginning!

We’re ending the week strong with one more INCREDIBLE industry spotlight!  

Have you ever thought about who makes sure we stay safe and informed about threats like disease, extreme weather, food and water safety, air quality, and more? The Arizona Department of Health Services plays a big role in this, working to promote and protect the health and wellness of everyone in Arizona, from kids to adults.

In today’s spotlight video, we’re excited to introduce Mya Davis, Environmental Health Program Manager at the Arizona Department of Health Services. Mya focuses on health education and community outreach across Arizona. She’ll explain how she uses data and public health trends to solve problems and promote community well-being. Mya will also talk about why good communication and teamwork are key to reaching as many people as possible, and how being adaptable, flexible, and resilient helps her succeed. Lastly, she’ll share advice for anyone interested in science but unsure about which career path to choose.

👉  Continue the Conversation With Your Students

HOW MYA CAN ENGAGE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM:

⚡️ Discussing Problem-Solving and Innovation techniques like the 5 Whys

🤝 How to collaborate with various stakeholders

🚗 Share her career journey to work in this industry.

Mya Davis is available to connect with your students on our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Classroom Survey: Don’t forget to scan the QR code at the end of each Industry Spotlight Video and have your students complete the brief survey!


Bonus Industry Spotlight!!! - Dr. Sherri Borman, Ph.D., Lab Director at Castle Biosciences

Thank you for participating in Bioscience Week 2024! We hope that the content and resources will help both teachers and students to explore potential career opportunities in the Bioscience and Healthcare industries.

As a surprise bonus, we have one more Industry Spotlight video to share with you. In today’s video, we’ll meet Dr. Sherri Borman, Ph.D., lab director at Castle Biosciences. Castle Biosciences implements innovative diagnostic tools based on a person’s unique biology to assist physicians with the management and treatment of diseases. Dr. Borman will share her personal journey and offer advice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in the laboratory science field.

👉  Continue the Conversation With Your Students

HOW SHERRI CAN ENGAGE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM:

⚡️ Discussing Problem-Solving and Innovation techniques like the 5 Whys

🤝 How to collaborate with various stakeholders

🚗 Share her career journey to work in this industry.

Dr. Sherri Borman is available to connect with your students on our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Classroom Survey: Don’t forget to scan the QR code at the end of each Industry Spotlight Video and have your students complete the brief survey!


The best part? You're not limited to using these resources only during Bioscience Week. We've designed them to seamlessly integrate into your curriculum throughout the school year, ensuring a lasting impact on your students' education. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to inspire your students to explore the fascinating world of bioscience



 

Previous Bioscience Week Content

Ready to embark on this educational journey with us? Take advantage of the archived 2023 Bioscience Week content below.


 

Introductions

Join Superintendent Watson and Mary O'Reilly, Ph.D., Vice President, Bioscience Research Programs at the Flinn Foundation, as they guide students through this year's AZ Bioscience Week.

Your classrooms will journey through the healthcare fields and have an opportunity to connect with industry professionals who will inspire students through their career journeys and show them where to begin in these emerging industries!

 

Classroom Resources

We’ve created easy-to-use classroom resources to engage your students through career toolkits and prompts to think further during the professional spotlights.

Consider these your tools that will help you navigate your classroom through AZ Bioscience Week!

Bioscience Career Toolkit & Placemat: The AZ Bioscience Career Student Toolkit is an excellent opportunity to familiarize your students with our local life and bioscience organizations

Classroom Engagement Ideas: Worksheets and engagement lessons to walk your class through each of the Bioscience Week spotlights.

How-to Guides: These are practical guides with step by step processes to use in your classroom.

Solve-It STEM Challenge: These challenges get student thinking using the The Engineering Design Process. These are created to make your students think and solve real world challenges. This particular challenge is focusing on Heat Exhaustion. Find previous challenges here.


 
 

Industry Spotlight

Are you interested in creatively solving problems and working with teams to make a difference in the healthcare industry?

In this Industry Spotlight, Ursula Fletcher, MHA, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, a Nursing Quality Specialist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, and Arizona Nurses Association Florence Nightingale Practice Award recipient, will share how she asks the “5 Why’s” to solve problems and work with colleagues to review trends in data leading to innovative solutions in her workplace!

Ursula Fletcher is available to engage with your students through our Educator Pro Connect Platform.


 
 

Industry Spotlight

What is the perfect blend of a career that combines science, healthcare, direct patient contact, and technology?

It is a pharmacist!

In this Industry Spotlight, Pharmacist Dr. Nicole Henry, PharmD who leads CVS Pharmacies in the Southwest and is an Assistant Professor for R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, U of A, will share how she wanted a career that would make a difference in the healthcare industry by combining her interest in patient care and love of the sciences. 

Dr. Nicole Henry is available to engage with your students through our Educator Pro Connect Platform.


 
 

Industry Spotlight

Do you want a career that provides hands-on work and makes a difference in patients' oral healthcare each day? 

In this Industry Spotlight, you'll smile from ear to ear as you hear from Brandi Skipper, RDH, a Registered Dental Hygienist from the rural Community Health Center of Yavapai. Brandi will share her passion for educating patients on oral hygiene and care, leading to overall health and well-being and the fun and exciting parts of her career. 

 
 

Industry Spotlight

Would you like a rewarding career that is in high demand and provides impact in your local community?

In this Industry Spotlight, Amber Bahm, DNP, FNP, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Family Nurse Practitioner at the Community Health Center of Yavapai, will share how rewarding her career is in improving the healthcare of patients of all ages.

Brandi Skipper and Amber Bahm are available to engage with your students through our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Additional Resources:

Classroom Bioscience Week Survey

Industry Discussion Engagement Ideas: Classroom Discussion Prompts


 
 

Industry Spotlight

Do you love kids and want to work with children to develop healthy habits?

In this Industry Spotlight, Pediatrician Dr. Kara Block, MD, will provide insight into what it is like to be a Doctor of Pediatrics and how her passion for treating and educating patients in rural communities brought her back home to the rural community of Yavapai, Arizona. 

 
 

Industry Spotlight

Did you know PA (Physician Assistant/Associate) has been repeatedly voted as one of the best positions and most needed healthcare professions? 

Not to mention, it takes less schooling than a medical doctor! 

In this Industry Spotlight, Samantha Johnston, PA-C, a Physician Assistant (PA) at the Community Health Center of Yavapai, will share about the versatility of a PA career and how she can provide both health care and education for her patients.

Dr. Kara Block and Samantha Johnston are available to engage with your students through our Educator Pro Connect Platform.

Additional Resources:

Classroom Bioscience Week Survey

Industry Discussion Engagement Ideas: Classroom Discussion Prompts


Additional Resources:

Pipeline AZ - Career Exploration

Check out AZ Bioscience Week 2022 Content

Want to know more about Educator Pro Connect?
Watch the video below to see how to connect industry professionals with your students for FREE!