About the Principal

Joan Adams joined the Charleroi Area School District’s administrative staff in July, 2007. Joan’s teaching career began in the South Allegheny School District where she taught grades 2, 5, and 6. She also taught Title Reading, Title Math and GIFTED education. Joan also served three years as a science resource teacher for ASSET Inc. where she conducted module training of STC, FOSS, and INSIGHTS in addition to planning and conducting inquiry based professional development classes for teachers and administrators. She has worked closely with several school districts, interacting with teachers and administrators to integrate inquiry based science into the curriculum. On a national level, she continues to be part of the faculty for the LASER K–8 Science Education Strategic Planning Institute in Washington D.C. and was a presenter in the inquiry strand at the Nest Steps Institute through the National Science Resources Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Other national presentations include NSTA and AETS. She also facilitated LASER K-8 in Pittsburgh, under Governor Rendell’s initiative, Science: It’s Elementary. She received her B. S., M.A. and Principal’s Certification in elementary education from California University of Pennsylvania. Joan’s expertise includes: inquiry-based teaching, questioning techniques, assessment, curriculum mapping, administrative support, science notebooks and learning cycles.