Professional Development for educators
Advocacy In and Out of the Classroom
NewBoCo advocates for access to computer science and STEM education for ALL students in Iowa. We offer a variety of student and educator program options, and are the designated provider of Code.org Professional Learning Programs in Iowa. Our role includes providing quality professional development to educators through local school district partnerships and acting as a regional hub of the global computer science education movement. NewBoCo works proudly with schools and provides networking and collaboration events for computer science teachers.
Whether you teach elementary, middle school, or high school, or are in a supporting role, NewBoCo has something to teach you. Our professional development programs provide opportunities for educators to get started with computer science, deepen their understanding of an area of computer science, and learn how to apply methodologies like Agile in their classrooms.
Funding options are available for educators to participate in all of our computer science professional development programs. The Iowa Department of Education offers the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund and Curriculum Professional Development Grants.
The Iowa STEM Council provides funding to participate in programs that often include Computer Science through its STEM Scale-Up awards. We also partner with the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa AEAs to expand our CS PD Week and provide free, high-quality professional development in Iowa! Please fill out this interest survey to let us know what sort of professional development opportunities you are interested in and programs you would like to see offered.
NewBoCo Professional Development Programs
Our Tiny Techies™ professional development trains PreK–2nd-grade teachers on foundational computer science concepts. Experience engaging lessons that integrate with other subjects and foster creative problem-solving in young learners.
This curriculum is designed for teachers new to Computer Science who want to offer accessible and equitable introductory Computer Science topics to their students.
Project GUTS (Growing Up Thinking Scientifically) is a middle school program integrating science and computer science. It teaches students to think scientifically, develop computer models to answer questions, and use critical thinking to evaluate ideas.
Engage your 6th – 10th grade students with a wide lens on computer science by covering topics such as programming, physical computing, web development, design, and data. The course inspires students as they build their own websites, apps, games, and physical computing devices.
Introduce your high school students to the foundational concepts of computer science and how technology can impact the world. This course goes beyond traditional programming, offering a rigorous and engaging exploration of key computing ideas. It ensures all students understand how these concepts are transforming our world.
Guide your high school students in learning object-oriented programming with Java, taking on the role of software engineers to practice industry-relevant skills. The Code.org curriculum for CSA is designed for any high school student wishing to continue their computer science education after completing an introductory course like Computer Science Discoveries (CSD) or Computer Science Principles (CSP).
The IBM Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education experience was designed to give all educators the knowledge and confidence to bring foundational AI concepts into their K–12 classroom, regardless of their grade level or subject matter.
The Code.org Expanded Learning Program was designed to provide ongoing support and community engagement for all teachers that have already participated in the Code.org Workshops (CS Fundamentals) or Professional Learning Program (CS Discoveries or CS Principles).
Transform Your Classroom with NewBoCo's Computer Science Training with these options
NewBoCo offers custom professional development to support your school or district’s computer science initiatives. We provide tailored assistance to help your teachers deepen their computer science knowledge, develop customized pathways, or integrate computer science into other content areas. Fundamentals) or Professional Learning Program (CS Discoveries or CS Principles).
NewBoCo offers custom professional development to support your school or district’s computer science initiatives. We provide tailored assistance to help your teachers deepen their computer science knowledge, develop customized pathways, or integrate computer science into other content areas. Fundamentals) or Professional Learning Program (CS Discoveries or CS Principles).
Why Work With Us
Support educators
Since 2017, NewBoCo has been training in-service K–12 teachers across the state of Iowa to teach computer science. We have trained more than 1,800 educators who have brought computer science to more than 50,000 K–12 students.
prepare students
Technology surrounds us, and just as students are expected to take biology and physics to understand the world around them, computer science courses help explain the technical world they interact with every day.
Program that works
From rural to urban schools, this program can be implemented in any educational environment. You can learn more from Osage School District (approximately 1,000 K-12 students enrolled) and Cedar Rapids Community School District (Iowa's second largest school district).
ensuring Iowa's future
The State of Iowa averages over 6,000 open computing jobs, but only about 844 computer science graduates per year. Careers are available in chemical, insurance, agricultural, financial, and educational sectors, among many more.
Interested in NewBoCo Professional Development? Fill out this intake form, and one of our team members will contact you shortly.
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Code.org Professional Learning
NewBoCo is the designated provider of Code.org Professional Learning Programs in Iowa. Our role includes providing quality professional development to educators through local school district partnerships and acting as a regional hub of the global computer science education movement. NewBoCo will work with schools and provide networking and collaboration events for computer science teachers. While not every student will become a software developer, the majority of careers benefit from having a foundational understanding of computer science. Whether it be agriculture, advanced manufacturing, finance, healthcare, or any number of other fields, students will need to be able to work with technology to help solve problems.
Meet the K–12 Education Team
Samantha Dahlby
Director of K–12 Education
Alison Mohr
Assistant K–12 Education Director
Andy Fiedler
K–12 Student Program Coordinator
Computer Science in Iowa
Public school participation in Iowa has been growing since 2017. Open the map legend to view growth by year.
Explore more of NewBoCo's STEM programs
CoderDojo is a free program for kids from kindergarten to 5th grade. It offers various stations with STEM activities.
Girls Who Code Clubs are spaces where 3rd–5th-grade students can join our sisterhood of supportive peers and use computer science to change the world.
The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative, Inc, DBA DeltaV Code School is dedicated to empowering adult career-changers to excel in the dynamic tech industry. We believe in your potential to succeed, no matter your educational or professional background.
Future City is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future.