July 2013 News 

In This Issue
PEYA Certificates Awarded
Green Schools and Green Scholars Training Program
Green Schools Trivia Night
Smart Snacks in School
Congratulations to Judith Luber-Narod
Summer PD at WPI
Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Newtork
Elemental the film
Make Your Own Solar Oven
Grant Opportunities
Save the Date...

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Greetings!

Summer has officially arrived!  We hope everyone had a fun and safe Fourth of July!  

  

 

PEYA Certificates Awarded

The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation's natural resources and encourages positive community involvement.

Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people across the U.S. for protecting our nation's air, water, land, and ecology. It is one of the most important ways EPA and the Administration demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation's young people.

 

PEYA Certificates are Awarded to Students through EPA + Green Schools for environmental projects/service in the following areas:

  • Environmental science projects
  • Recycling programs in schools and communities
  • Construction of nature preserves
  • Major tree planting programs
  • Videos, skits and newsletters that focused on environmental issues

 

 

 

  From left to right: State Representative Jay Barrows, Green Schools Executive Director, Robin Organ, Student Ambassador-Haley, Student Ambassador-Aubrey, and Dr. Mark Logan, Executive Director of Foxborough Regional Charter School

 

Haley and Aubrey both led a number of eco-activities alongside of Green Schools this year.  Highlights include participating in the MA Water Forum, singing at the Green Schools Benefit Concert, presenting at the Green Schools Student Advisory Council, Green Difference Awards and more. 


From left to right: Green Schools Director of Membership, Russ Holden, Student Ambassador-Trevor, and Principal Bachelder of Douglas Intermediate Elementary School

Trevor's first project, he is making his very own "Turtle X-ing" signs to put up around his town. The Turtle Rescue League needs help making signs, and Trevor jumped on this cool opportunity to make roads safer for turtles to cross!

 

   

Green Schools and Green Scholars Training Program

Green Scholars and Green Schools  

Do you want to bring an environmental sustainability program to your school that requires neither a classroom nor funding?

 

The national award-winning Green Scholars Program utilizes experiential education and service learning to engage students as change-agents through independent projects within their school or community.

 

"Green Scholars cultivates empowered, informed, and progressive student entrepreneurial leaders who become equipped to face twenty-first century environmental challenges."

 
Participants in this training will:

 
  • Discuss how to apply Green Scholars as a leading strategy for sustainable school development
  • Join an expanding network of school sustainability leaders
  • Learn techniques for managing students effectively and efficiently
  • Receive 10 PDP's or 6.5 Contact Hours depending on trainee choice

 

Green Scholars Training - August 7, 2013


Click for more details and to register!
 

 

Green Schools Annual Trivia Night Fundraiser

On Friday, May 31st Green Schools held its Second Annual Trivia Night Fundraiser.  The fundraiser was another success this year and we are so thankful to all who attended to help support Environmental Education in K-12. 

 

 

 Advisory Board Member Kelly Bressette & her Winning Team!

 

 

Best Table went to the Green Elephants Table where Green Schools Board Member Danielle Fish, Advisory Board Member Representative F. Jay Barrows, Family and Friends worked hard to support Green Schools 

Pictured from left to right: State Representative Jay Barrows, Mason Fish, Garrett Fish, Danielle Fish, Bill Fish, Todd Elliott and his daughter Rhiannon. Seated: Pam & John Guravage. 

 

 

Smart Snacks in School: New USDA Standards Aim to Ensure Healthy School Foods

  

First Lady and Others Applaud Efforts to Make America's School Environment Healthier for Kids
 

"Many parents are working hard every day to make sure they provide healthy, balanced meals and snacks to their kids. Unfortunately, we don't always have control over the snacks our kids have access to when they're away from home. That's why, as a mom myself, I am so excited that schools will now be offering healthier choices to students and reinforcing the work we do at home to help our kids stay healthy."
First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama


USDA is focused on improving childhood nutrition and empowering families to make healthier food choices by providing science-based information and advice, while expanding the availability of healthy food.  Highlights of the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards include: 

  • More of the foods we should encourage. Like the new school meals, the standards require healthier foods, more whole grains, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and leaner protein. 
  • Less of the foods we should avoid. Food items are lower in fat, sugar and sodium and provide more of the nutrients kids need.
  • Targeted standards. Allowing variation by age group for factors such as portion size and caffeine content. 
  • Flexibility for important traditions. Preserving the ability for parents to send their kids to school with homemade lunches or treats for activities such as birthday parties, holidays, and other celebrations; and allowing schools to continue traditions like fundraisers and bake sales

   

Congratulations to Judith Luber-Narod from the Abby Kelley Foster Charter School

Judith received two awards this past June for her outstanding work as a high school science teacher. We are very proud to have Judith and Abby Kelley Foster Charter School as Green Schools Members!

 

Congratulations Judith! 

 

New England Aquarium 2013 Ocean Stewardship Award 

Winner in the Educator Category

 

The Ocean Stewardship Awards are one of the ways that we recognize educators and schools who work to promote an ethic of ocean conservation and who are taking concrete steps to help protect our blue planet. This year, we received a record number of nominations and we were thrilled to hear about all the amazing work being done by both educators and schools in the New England area. Read Judith's story
 
 
The Center for Green Schools Trailblazing Teacher Awards
 

The Center for Green Schools Trailblazing Teacher Awards are given twice a year to 10 teachers who have demonstrated their commitment to advance ecoliteracy and bring environmental sustainability into the classroom. The award also gives teachers a small monetary gift to expand their efforts, to purchase instructional equipment, curricular materials, event-related or field trip-related items or similar expenditures.

 

 Read Judith's story

 

 

Summer PD at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

 

STEM Education Center Summer PD Offerings

A few spots are still available in the summer robotics and STEM professional development programs. Join fellow educators in learning about how to integrate engineering practices with literacy (Engineering Lens program), apply a project-based approach to your STEM teaching (Project-Based STEM Activities and Assessments), or learn how to design and program LEGO or VEX robotics (Robotics PD for Educators). Learn more and 


Mass Academy Summer PD Offerings
Mass Academy is offering two STEM PD opportunities for educators this summer. The first, Teaching Physics through Modeling (August 8-9, 2013) looks at using the guided inquiry modeling approach to teach high level physics concepts. The second, Strategies for Facilitating Cooperative Learning in a Student Centered Classroom (July 16-18, 2013) is designed specifically for middle and high school science and engineering teachers. 


WPI Faculty-Offered PD: Incorporating Chinese Cultural Content into STEM Courses
China's exponential economic growth and its increasing international stature cannot be ignored. Join fellow teachers in this workshop (July 22-23, 2013) aimed at globalizing high school STEM classes through the adoption of China modules. Through modules developed for WPI's undergraduate curriculum and adapted to the high school level and state educational standards, teachers will work with faculty from WPI to develop connections between China and its cultural context and their STEM disciplines. 


SLInq Summer Workshop
The SLInq Group (Science Learning by Inquiry) headed up by Dr. Janice Gobert at WPI, creates technology systems that are able to provide teachers real time assessment metrics of their students' inquiry skills in life science, physical science and earth science. This summer they will hold a one day workshop (sometime between August 4-9, 2013) for teachers to learn more with a stipend for teachers willing to try the program in their classroom. 


ASSISTments Summer PD Offerings
ASSISTments, an online tutoring program in math that gives immediate feedback to teachers, students, school administrators and parents, is offering summer professional development August 19, 20 and 21, 2013. Additionally they offer free online lessons and an ASSISTments Coaching program.

 

   

 Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network

 

Climate and energy are complex topics, with rapidly developing science and technology and the potential for controversy. Yet these topics are among the most important issues for students to understand, as we face societal challenges to confront climate change and seek a transition to clean and sustainable energy. How can educators effectively bring these important subjects into their classrooms?

  

Check out these invaluable resources for teaching climate and energy!

 

 

Elemental: Three Stories, Three Continents, One Commitment to Change
Elemental tells the story of three individuals united by their deep connection with nature and driven to confront some of the most pressing ecological challenges of our time. 
 

Check out Elemental the film!  The critically acclaimed film viewed in select theaters in May, but is available on iTunes.

 

View their website for more screenings and an Educators Edition with companion website.  

 

Make Your Own Solar Oven

 

Cool summer/classroom project! Solar ovens. Fun!

 

Great to add to summer newsletter or Back to School!

 
Grant Opportunities
DoSomething.org Seed Grants  Deadline: Ongoing

Are you working to start a community action project or program with your friends? Do you need money to put your ideas into action? A $500 Do Something Seed Grant is given out every week to help young people just like YOU! These grants can be used towards project ideas and programs that are just getting started, or to jump-start your program and realize your ideas for the first time. These grants can also be used towards projects that are already developed and sustainable, towards the next steps of your project and organization to help you as you look to expand your project and grow your impact. Click Here   

 

 

Save the Date...

 

 

Sincerely,

Robin Organ

Founder and Executive Director

Green Schools