STEM Newsletter

What is STEM?
STEM

What is an Instructional Coach?

An instructional coach is someone whose chief professional responsibility is to bring evidence-based practices into classrooms by working with teachers and other school leaders.

What is STEM?

STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and the integration of those areas into a seamless, meaningful way throughout the different subjects.

The Branchburg School District is fortunate to have three STEM instructional coaches who work collaboratively to ensure a cohesive experience for our students through the creation of curriculum lessons, activities and instructional strategies that they provide.

Meet the STEM Instructional Coaches:

Erica Landesberg (K-2) Landesberg

Mrs. Landesberg is the Kindergarten through 2nd grade coach at Whiton Elementary school. Erica entered Branchburg School district 16 years ago as a 4th grade teacher and has had the wonderful experience of teaching 2nd and 3rd grade as well, before becoming the Technology teacher at Whiton. Mrs. Landesberg then took on the role of STEM coach at Whiton and has enjoyed working with students and teachers in that capacity for the last 4 years. She particularly enjoys attending awesome workshops, especially the international seminar with the Smithsonian Institute, as well as providing professional development to our staff and other schools. She believes learning never ends!

Your children may say they have a buddy in Morning Meeting, someone guest teaching a lesson, helping their teacher with technology, or assisting with daily lessons, named Mrs. L or Miss Patente, and all of those names are in fact Mrs. Landesberg! Feel free to reach out to Mrs. Landesberg for resources in any of the STEM areas.


Jocelyn Muzychko (3-5) Muzychko

Ms. Muzychko is the 3rd through 5th grade coach and moves between Whiton and Stony Brook. In January, it will be Jocelyn’s 13th year teaching and 5th year as an instructional coach. She has taught Kindergarten and 2nd grade at Whiton as well as 2nd through 4th grade in Southern Maryland. Since entering the role as the instructional coach in the areas of STEM she has attended an abundance of professional development in Science, Math, and technology including a week long international workshop in Washington, D.C. with the Smithsonian and a week long NGSS training at RVCC. Jocelyn enjoys working collaboratively with teachers in and out of the classroom to develop innovate lessons to meet the needs of all learners. Ms. Muzychko is known by the students as Ms. Muzy since Muzychko (Mu-Zitch-Ko) is tricky to pronounce.

Danielle Puglisi (6-8)

Mrs. Puglisi is the 6th through 8th grade coach at Branchburg Central Middle School. This is her first year as a S.T.E.M. coach after teaching middle school math for the past eight years. She will also be teaching Eighth grade Financial Literacy and providing small group math instruction this year. She attended a week long workshop at Raritan Valley Community College this summer to learn all about the Next Generation Science Standards! She very much enjoyed working with her colleagues over the summer to update their curriculums and looks forward to year of collaboration with students and staff alike. One of her goals this year is to help provide students with additional opportunities for S.T.E.M experiences that will supplement what they are learning in the classroom. Please feel free to reach out to her with questions or creative ideas regarding anything S.T.E.M. related!
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