Professional Development
Hillcrest teachers continue to further their own Environmental Literacy through PD opportunities that enhance their abilities to incorporate environmental and outdoor education into their current curriculum as well as train them to bring that curriculum out of the classroom and into the outdoors.
- In the last 3 years, 9 full-time staff members have attended Professional Development that has included strong environmental and outdoor education components. See training listed below.
- As evident in Environmental Issue Instruction and BMP sections, Hillcrest has a teaching staff, administration and support staff that is engaged in the many environmental activities and projects taking place at the school. Each year our unity and motivation in Hillcrest's greening efforts continues to grow beyond our teaching staff; this year our school nurse attended a Project WET training!!
- Our entire staff has supported our Green School application process. For instance, on November 1, 2013, Lisa Black, art teacher and Chair of the staff Environmental Committee, addressed the entire staff about the Green School application process and reminded staff of upcoming environmental projects and activities at the school.
Amanda Winpigler, Joy Brown, and Christa Wheeler- October 13, 2011 - Genesee Valley Outdoor learning Center - "Say Yes to Wellness Program"- Teachers are trained and certified to facilitate the annual fourth grade Outdoor Adventure Program at the Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center. The main goal of this program is to provide a unique experience for students and teachers which serves to connect the following components: understanding the connection and responsibility to the environment, building a positive self-image, identifying individual and group strengths, learning to set goals and integrating problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
Margaret Koenig-October 10-11, 2013, Grade 5: Engineering is Elementary - Museum of Science, Boston's Everyone Engineers Workshop. Ms. Koenig, who received a scholarship from Raytheon, spent two days in Boston, MA , one of which was spent in a workshop that trained her to use the "A Slick Solution" curriculum . "A Slick Solution" helps students bridge their knowledge of ecosystems and food webs to a broader understanding of the interconnectivity of the environment and the possible impact that humans can have on it. This unit introduces students to the field of environmental engineering, the connectedness of ecosystems and food webs, and how pollution, such as an oil spill, can have a profound impact on the environment.
Neysa Sylvestri and Karen Stakem- February 3, 2014, Grade 1: I Am a Scientist: Eco-Explorers. This professional development provided teachers with the opportunity to navigate through the curriculum, discuss current practices and apply these to the lessons, and participate in some of the activities which included students collecting data on the temperature of the air and soil in both the forest and meadow ecosystems. This workshop is offered by the BCPS Office of Science to review the elementary outdoor science curriculum units. It is intended for new teachers, teachers new to a grade level, and teachers who have not had this professional development previously.
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Lisa Black - March 1, 2014, Art Teacher and Chair of the Environmental Teacher Committee at Hillcrest attended the 8th Annual Arts Integration Conference at UMBC. This year's conference was titled Natural Connections - Linking Art, Nature & Environmental Education. The keynote speaker was Dr. Aimee Burgamy who teaches art at Trickum Middle School in suburban Atlanta. Her students are known for public projects that raise environmental awareness. Dr. Burgamy is also well known for her advocacy efforts on behalf of art in public education and art as an essential ingredient in cross-cultural understanding. In addition, this conference consisted of hands-on workshops, a national Gallery of Art session, MAEOE Green School presentation, and networking opportunities.
Marilyn Yousem (Librarian and Art Teacher) and Debbie Head (School Nurse) - March 22, 2014 - Project WET, Howard County Conservancy. This full day workshop trains formal and non-formal teachers how to bring current water resource issues to their students and classrooms.