A new agricultural education specialist has started her first school year with the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom program.

Keri Sidle was hired this summer after the retirement of longtime program director Al Withers.

Withers was with MAITC for 31 years, shaping it into the program that it is today. He helped introduce the popular AgMag and AgMag Junior student publications, and he worked continually to expand and promote ag literacy.

To help continue the ag literacy mission, staffing objectives were tweaked, and the decision was made to hire an education specialist. Sidle, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., has been an ag education teacher for the past six years. Most recently, Sidle taught agriculture and served as an FFA adviser at Rockford Middle School in Rockford.

Sue Knott, MAITC education specialist, says MAITC is excited to work with Sidle.

“She brings enthusiasm and experience working with K-12 teachers and students,” Knott says. “She will be able to expand our connections with teachers throughout the state, and offer guidance and encouragement for integrating agriculture into lots of academic subjects, such as science, social studies and language arts.”

Sidle works directly with colleges and school districts across the state to offer professional development opportunities with an agricultural focus. She also works alongside Knott to continue the work of MAITC by producing program resources like AgMag and AgMag Junior, Food for Thought and the School Garden Guide. MAITC staff also will continue to develop new educational resources and build awareness of the program for educators throughout the state of Minnesota.

MAITC is a unique public-private partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the MAITC Foundation. The program provides a variety of K-12 educational materials and professional development opportunities to Minnesota’s educational and agricultural communities.

For more information, please visit mn.agclassroom.org.

Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture