NGSS Writing Team Member: Kathy Prophet

Kathy Prophet has been a part of the teaching profession for twenty-seven years. She has taught science in grades 5–12 and currently teaches 7th grade integrated science in Springdale, Arkansas. She serves as middle level division director on the board of the National Science Teachers Association and as Executive Secretary of the Arkansas Science Teachers Association. As part of the Arkansas STEM Coalition, she has been active as a member of the Task Force for the Integration of Technology into the K–12 Classroom. In this role, she researches and writes collaboratively to submit a Best Practices Report to the state legislature, co-chairs the Educators’ Technology Conference, prepares STEM lessons for the state portal, and participates in the state’s STEM Policy Summit. During her teaching career, she has also served as mentor for new and pre-service teachers.

In the last update of the Arkansas Science Frameworks in 2005, Ms. Prophet served as facilitator for the middle level science frameworks committee. Since 2007, she has served as a member of the Arkansas Discovery Network Teacher Advisory Board. Ms. Prophet also reviews articles for the National Science Teacher Association’s Science and Children, and other education trade book manuscripts. She has served on numerous state benchmark test committees including stat review, item review, and range setting. She has also participated in NSF programs at the University of Arkansas including the GK12 program for five years and, currently, as part of the College Ready Physics and the Engineering and Science Partnership programs.

In 1998, Kathy was named Arkansas Middle Level Science Teacher of the Year. She received the Presidential Award in Secondary Science in 2000 and in 2003 earned National Board Certification in Early Adolescent Science.

She graduated from the University of Arkansas with BS and MS degrees.

Ms. Prophet and her husband, Garry, live in Rogers, Arkansas where she was born and grew up. Their two sons and families also live in the Northwest Arkansas area.