NGSS Writing Team Member: Betsy O'Day

Elizabeth O’Day began her career as a special education teacher in Illinois. She has spent the past eleven years in Hallsville R-IV School District in Hallsville, Missouri, where she taught fifth grade science and reading for nine years and is currently the science specialist teaching grades 3–5 at Hallsville Intermediate School.

Ms. O’Day has served on a Missouri Assessment Program item review committee and on a writing team commissioned by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Mathematics, Engineering, Technology and Science Coalition. She is currently serving as an Area Director for Science Teachers of Missouri.

Since 2002, Ms. O’Day has been a national Girl Scout-NASA facilitator participating in NASA sponsored science and engineering training sessions at various NASA facilities. She uses the content and skills learned to provide programs for girls and adults at the local and national levels as well as in her classroom.

Ms. O’Day has a BS in Special Education from Illinois State University and is currently completing her master’s degree in Science Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is certified in K–12 special education, elementary education, and science grades 5–9. Ms. O’Day is National Board Certified in early adolescence science.