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Spring has sprung! Warmer weather and longer days means more time to get outdoors and play. It also means that another Green Schools Conference and Expo is upon us! In just a little over a month we will be descending on Denver for two plus days of learning, sharing, and networking. I hope you have made plans to attend this year's conference. Early bird rates have expired, but as Green Schools National Network (GSNN) members, you still qualify for a discount (see more about that below). We are also bringing back the pre-conference Friends and Family Gathering, to be held in the evening on May 2nd. Learn more about the encore event in this newsletter and be sure to RSVP!
You may have noticed that this newsletter is coming a little early this month. The reason behind the change in schedule is that we will be releasing the Spring 2018 issue of the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly next week. The issue covers net-zero schools and it's a jam-packed one at that! Keep an eye out for that email and be sure to download your copy once it's out.
In last month's newsletter, I shared a sampling of my recent travels. This month, I have two more highlights to share with you. On February 28th, I joined GSNN Board President Bridgitte Alomes and GSNN Founding Board Member Alison Suffet-Diaz at Global Green's Pre-Oscar Gala. It was an amazing event (read more about it in this blog post) celebrating leaders and champions of the green movement. I even got to meet Buzz Aldrin! While I was in California, I visited Environmental Charter Schools and was on hand for the launch of Captain Planet's newest initiative, 100 School Gardens for the Los Angeles Public Schools.
Until next month,
Jenny
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The Journey Toward Net-Zero: K-12 Schools Embracing Efforts Around Energy, Waste
The Spring 2018 Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly explores some of the latest trends and best practices around net-zero waste, water, and energy in K-12 schools. For additional inspiration, we dug through the GreenNotes archives and curated a collection of articles that highlight additional schools and school districts implementing energy efficiency and waste reduction initiatives.
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February GreenNotes and March Blog Posts
In case you missed it, our February 2018 issue of GreenNotes explored water quality in K-12 schools. Feature articles highlight findings and recommendations from a review of state policies on drinking water quality and access; the current state of tap water in schools; a Tennessee program that is improving access to clean, free drinking water; and a school teacher who is using water quality testing to teach her students about the impact clean water has on our environment.
Our contributors and partners share timely stories and news on the GSNN blog page. Check the News page often to stay in touch with the latest happenings in the green schools movement.
Recent posts include an announcement about the 2018 Best of Green Schools Awards, an introduction to GSNN's newest team members Glenn Karaban and David DenHartog, and a re-cap of Jenny Seydel and Bridgitte Alomes' adventure at Global Green's Pre-Oscar Gala.
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RSVP for the Green Schools Friends and Family Gathering
On Wednesday May 2, GSNN and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will be kicking-off the Green Schools Conference and Expo and Rocky Mountain Green with a Friends and Family Gathering from 7:00 - 9:00pm at DaVita Headquarters (
1551 Wewatta Street, Denver, CO 80202). There will be food and drinks, including the return of the Titos Mule Bar (courtesy of co-sponsor Titos Vodka).
Kick-off the 2018 conference by spending an evening with fellow presenters, sponsors, attendees, exhibitors, and green schools friends and colleagues from all across the country.
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Have you Registered for the 2018 Green Schools Conference and Expo?
Register today to attend the
only national event to bring together all the players involved in making green schools a reality: people who lead, operate, build, and teach in U.S. schools.
A full Green Schools Conference and Expo (GSCE) conference pass includes access to opening and closing plenaries, education sessions, the Expo Hall, networking breakfast and lunch, and Happy Hour in the Expo Hall. Pre-conference tours and workshops on May 2 must be purchased separately as add-on items.
GSCE will be hosted in partnership this year with
Rocky Mountain Green. Both events will kick off with a joint opening plenary and share an Expo Hall.
Full conference pricing includes:
USGBC Member: $375 (regular)
USGBC Non-Member: $450 (regular)
Discounted (PreK-12 school or district, government or non-profit employee):
$325 (regular)
University/College Student or Emerging Professional:
$225 (regular)
Onsite:
$465
As a GSNN member, you receive discounted conference pricing ($100 off Standard)!
Use the following registration code to redeem your discount:
GSNNMBR*18
We look forward to seeing you this May in Denver!
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Coming next week...the Spring 2018 Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly!
The Spring 2018 edition of the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly is almost here and it will be worth the wait! The latest issue explores net-zero energy, waste, and water. Articles cover the latest research, case studies of exemplary schools and school districts implementing best practices, evidence-based resources, and how schools and school districts can apply lessons learned by others to bring net-zero to their facilities.
GSCQ is THE publication of the green schools movement, featuring articles that dive deep into topics you care about and exploring emergent issues.
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Read the Winter 2018 Issue of Green Teacher
In the winter issue you will find stories that cover teaching fair trade in the classroom, using hydroponics in the classroom, EcoJustice Education, and more!
The log-in password is 113path.
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Professional Development Available
Check out the
PD Collaborative Partners webpage for
up-to-date information on professional development opportunities from our partners. We will be adding new opportunities as they come up throughout the year!
The
Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
has the following opportunity coming up in July 2018.
2018 Annual Summer Institute: July 9 - 12 @ Manhattanville College, Westchester County, New York
The Institute is a four-day immersion in the principles and practices of Education for Sustainability (EfS). Institute tracks include (1) Leading School Change for administrators and team leaders and (2) Instructional Practices & Curriculum Design for classroom teachers seeking to adapt their curriculum using sustainability principles and practices. Educator teams from across the country engage in active learning experiences that deepen their knowledge of EfS principles and practices and model applying EfS as an integrating context for student learning and community action. School teams explore how to adjust lesson plans, align curriculum, and walk away from the Institute with tools for EfS implementation. School teams collaborate to engage in curriculum integration, including design of student sustainability projects that connect with campus and/or community projects (e.g. gardens, town renewal programs, waterway clean-up and conservation projects, citizen science projects, etc.).
The Cloud Institute has the following opportunity coming up in August 2018.
Summer Curriculum Design Studio: Educating for a Sustainable Future
August 6 - 10, 2018
Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York
Join the Cloud Institute for a 5-day curriculum design studio in August, where educators, administrators, and program designers will learn how to design and embed Education for Sustainability into curricula, assessments, and performance tasks without the need for additional class time!
Held at the beautiful Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, you will get access to expertise, resources, and tools to reorient and enrich curricula. Through working sessions, learning circles, coaching, peer review, and optional mini-sessions, you will create and develop units and protocols that educate for sustainability.
EcoRise has listed its upcoming events on its Eventbrite website. This page is updated in real time as new events become available. Summer trainings in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Washington DC, and New York City will be added in the coming weeks.
Shelburne Farms has the following PD opportunities coming up this summer.
Project Seasons for Young Learners: Cultivating Joy & Wonder
July 9 - 13, 2018
Are you looking for new ways to connect your program to the community outside of your classroom? Join us at the Farm for hands-on, interdisciplinary activities and explore ways in which these can be adapted to your own learning community. Connect with other early childhood professionals to share best practices over these four days in a picturesque setting, leaving you energized and inspired to create even more meaningful opportunities and experiences within your program.
Cost $575. Includes light breakfast and lunch; excludes accommodations and graduate credit. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Learn more and
register here
.
Education for Sustainability (EFS) Leadership Academy
A year-long, residential, leadership academy for those wishing to be part of a learning community exploring education for sustainability, systems thinking, and school transformation.
Our hope is to support education leaders in creating healthier and more just communities. The EFS Leadership Academy is designed for those in education who want to inspire change in partnership with a peer network committed to ecological integrity, economic vitality, and social justice. We will engage you with new ways of thinking, skills to create change and nurture yourself, and present you with innovative ideas and strategies to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the future. At the heart of this work is educators and a sense of hope, love, and resilience. Please join us and your colleagues in making a difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.
Cost $1500. Includes meals and accommodations; excludes travel and graduate credit. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Limited to 16 participants. You can learn more about how to apply for the 2018-2019 cohort of the EFS Leadership Academy
here
. Applications must be submitted by May 4, 2018.
The Summer Institute on Education for Sustainability
July 23 - 27, 2018
Spend five rich days with colleagues from around the country at an informative and restorative institute created to give you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of education for sustainability. This week is part conference, part
workshop, part retreat. The 2018 Summer Institute will draw upon the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals for inspiration, connecting you and your students to a global movement.
Cost $600. Includes light breakfast and lunch; excludes travel and graduate credit. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Learn more and
register here
.
Education for Sustainability Immersion
August 16 - 17, 2018
For those who already have a strong foundation in Education for Sustainability, our two-day Immersion will provide you with the opportunity to reflect, learn, and collaborate with a small group of colleagues from across the country in a residential, retreat-like setting here at Shelburne Farms. The Immersion has a design studio feel with participants self-directing much of their work with a few inspirational speakers and workshops/explore times. Expect to take a deep dive into such topic areas as place-based education, social justice, systems thinking, or other topics in the field of Education for Sustainability that are important to you. This course is action-oriented with an expectation at the end that each participant has a solid project or curriculum to implement. Programming begins on the first day and continues into the evening, and then concludes mid-afternoon of the second day.
Cost $375. Includes meals and accommodations; excludes graduate credits. Limited to 15 participants.
Scholarships are available to cover the course fee. Learn more and
register here
.
Registration
is open for Community Works Institute's 2018 Summer Institutes.
CWI's 2018 Summer EAST Institute on Place Based Service-Learning and Sustainability
June 25-29, 2018
Champlain College, Burlington, Vermont
The longest running service-learning training for educators in the world, Summer EAST is a powerful learning lab for educators, set in one of the most progressive cities in the U.S. A week of inspiration and expert training, amid the breathtaking summer landscape of northern Vermont.
CWI's 2018 Summer WEST Institute on Place Based Service-Learning and Sustainability
July 23-27, 2018
Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California
An immersion for K-16 educators in CWI's acclaimed learning lab, using one of the world's most vibrant and culturally rich urban settings as our classroom. An exceptional week of transformative professional development, program design, and networking.
Learn more about these CWI opportunities
here.
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Green Schools National Network |
info@greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org
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