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Missouri EE News December 2011

mdc endangered species contest entry

Image above is from the MDC Endangered Species Postcard Contest – find the complete story at: http://meea.org/members/newsletters/moeenews2011.12.html

Contents

fox squirrel

 

MEEA and NAAEE News

MEEA Welcomes New Board Members and Officers

MEEA's new board president is Deb Ballin. Deb has over 20 years experience in Science Education in Northwest Missouri. She currently works as a traveling teacher within the St. Joseph School District for the Gifted and Talented Program.

Mike Kromrey continues as past president for the coming year. Mike has served as the Education Outreach Coordinator for the Watershed Center of the Ozarks since 2006.

Kim Garbs is MEEA's new president elect. Kiim assisted in data management for the publication of Flora of North America at Missouri Botanical Gardens. She earned an MA ED at UMSL while teaching in the Lindbergh school district and now teaches in the Ft. Zumwalt District.

John Sode continues as secretary. John teaches physical science, integrated science, chemistry II and chemistry III for Marshfield HS. John holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instrruction from MU. He also helps manage his family's forest preserve in Illinois.

Fran Fry is taking on a second two year term as treasurer. Handily, she has an Associates Degree in Accounting. She also holds certificates in Environmental Education from MEEA, and Facilitator Certificates for PLT, WET and WILD. She lives and works in St. Joseph with her husband, kids and foster kids.

Board members finishing their terms this year are Heather MacCleoud, with the Department of Higher Education, Karen Armstrong with the Department of Conservation, and Sharon Ruhnke, a retired teacher and volunteer at the Pony Express Museum.

New Board members are Cathy Farrar, a science teacher at Normandy HS, Pat Holloway, a Conservation Education Consultant in Cape Girardeau, Kelly White, a teacher at Christ Light of the Nations in North St. Louis, and SueAnn Wright, who organizes the Pembroke Hill High School Envirothon Program and took her team to an 11th place fnish in the International Envirothon.

President's View by Deb Ballin: Looking Back and Looking Ahead

President’s View by Deb Ballin WOW! Another year seems to have just flown by! MEEA continues to move ahead in environmental education and 2012 - election year - is right around the corner. As members we want to make sure we do our homework and research the stand of each candidate on important issues and that we vote for the candidates that best demonstrate our views. The environment is critical to our survival. Policies that help to conserve our resources so that they can be maintained for generations to come will only be put in place if we elect those that believe in our mission.

A lot has happened over the past year. The partnership with STOM has taken root and we hope that it will continue to grow. The joint MEEA/STOM conference went well with over 200 attendees. The work on aligning the MEEA certification with NAAEE standards continues. The Environmental Literacy Plan has been accepted. MEEA is on board with support for the DESE Green Ribbon Schools Initiative. Funds from the EPA grant are now available to assist with our efforts.

This coming year will be a challenge. It is going to take a commitment from everyone to make a difference. First, as an organization we need to increase our membership but sheer numbers alone won’t accomplish what we would like to do. MEEA needs for every member to increase their commitment and become more involved. We need to accept the challenge. As active MEEA members we all need to increase the impact MEEA has on environmental education across the state.

The MEEA Board is welcoming four new members. Congratulations to: Cathy Farrar (O’Fallon), Pat Holloway (Puxico), Kelly White (St. Louis), and Sue Ann Wright (Shawnee Mission/Kansas City area). Welcome back to returning board members Kim Garbs (O’Fallon), Karen Armstrong (Kirksville), Heather McCleoud (Jefferson City), Sharon Ruhnke (Troy/St. Joseph area), John Sode (Marshfield), and Fran Fry (Maysville).

Thanks to Mike Kromrey (Springfield) for all his hard work this past year as the 2011 MEEA President. We also need to say thank you and farewell to departing MEEA Board members Nancy Snider (St. Louis), Carol Mahan (Rolla) and Andrea Putnam (Jefferson City). We hope they will continue to be active in the general membership of MEEA. A special thanks to Jan Weaver (Columbia) who is the glue that keeps MEEA intact and running smoothly. Jan is like the Energizer bunny; wish we could all keep going like she does! Just remember – we are not alone. By working together within MEEA we can meet the challenges of 2012 together,

Sincerely, Deb Ballin 2012 MEEA President

NAAEE Welcomes New Executive Director

Judy Braus brings to her new role as NAAEE Executive Director a wealth of experience in the environmental education profession, with a focus on conservation education, diversity and inclusion, and using the power of education to help create healthier communities that empower local communities, stakeholders, and individuals to help restore and protect the environment. She comes to NAAEE from the National Audubon Society, where she was the Senior Vice President of Education and Centers, overseeing an extensive nationwide network of nature centers and educators. Prior to that, she led the education programs at World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the U.S. Peace Corps, and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). http://www.naaee.net/us/jbraus

Environmental Education News

Change the Equation Finds Most States Set Science Proficiency Bar Too Low

When state science proficiency standards for 8th grade were compared to those set by NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), only 4 of the 37 states evaluated set a standard equivalent to NAEP's.

Change the Equation (CTEq) is a non-partisan, non-profit CEO led coalition of corporate leaders dedicated to mobilizing the business community to improve the quality of STEM learning. They partnered with American Institutes for Research to map passing scores of the 37 states that administer both their own and NAEP's 8th grade science test onto NAEP's standard.

Only New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusettes and Louisiana (barely) set the same standard of 170 out of 300 for proficient. Missouri set the 8th most rigourous standard of 160 for proficiency.

View the 4 page executive summary at http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/StateScienceAssessments.pdf

Project Wet Unveils New Portal

The new website includes an interactive map for finding the WET Coordinator in your area, a Blog, and social networking tools (Facebook and Twitter). The portal is for coordinators, facilitators and educators who ahve taken or are taking a 2.0 workshop. Check out the new site http://portal.projectwet.org/

Project WET Seeks 3-6 Grade Educators for a Discover Water.org National Pilot Study

With DiscoverWater.org now live, Project WET is seeking educators willing to commit to using at least one module of the website between now and the end of the school year in their classroom. Teachers who volunteer will be asked to complete three short surveys about their experiences using DiscoverWater.org. Participating teachers will receive free classroom sets of some of Project WET’s publications and materials as incentives, as well as some free downloads of Project WET materials. Each teacher’s name will also be added to a pool for drawings to win prizes such as gift certificates to Amazon.com. If you are interested in participating, please email wetusa@projectwet.org for more information and instructions.

MO DESE Announces Green Ribbon Schools Program

Schools in Missouri may now seek national recognition for being “green,” state education officials announced today. The Green Ribbon Schools awards program, launched as a pilot this year by the U.S. Department of Education, will recognize public and private schools for taking a comprehensive approach to “greening” their school.

The award criteria call for schools to demonstrate high levels of achievement where staff, students, officials and communities have worked together to create energy efficient, sustainable and healthy school environments.

Award criteria also call for evidence of healthy behaviors and environmental education, which will help promote knowledge in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to prepare students to participate in the green economy.

The deadline is March 2, 2012, for Missouri public and private schools to submit applications to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for initial review. A team of reviewers from state agencies related to education, health and the environment will select up to four Missouri schools for national nomination. The U.S. Department of Education will select approximately 50 award winners for the 2011-12 pilot year.

While the award confers no federal funds, Green Ribbon Schools winners will be invited to participate in national and local recognition ceremonies, similar to those conducted for the national Blue Ribbon Schools award program. The recognition may also inspire further green efforts nationally and locally and increase staff, parent and community support.

DESE will release additional details about the nomination process to schools next week.http://dese.mo.gov/news/2011/greenribbon.htm

Five Students win MDC Endangered Species Postcard Contest
More than 4000 students participated with schools submitting their 674 best cards

JEFFERSON CITY Mo — Have you ever heard of a cerulean warbler? What about a pink mucket? The first is a colorful bird native to Missouri. The second is a native freshwater mussel. These endangered species are among many that are disappearing from Missouri’s midsized rivers and their corridors, such the Platte, Salt and Osage.

To help Missouri’s students learn about these and other endangered species, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) holds an annual contest in which students in kindergarten through grade 12 illustrate postcards with drawings of state endangered species or species of conservation concern.

This year, about 4,100 students from across the state created postcards depicting the theme, “River habitat—we gotta have it!” Schools sent their students’ best efforts—a total of 674 cards—to be judged. Five talented students took first-place honors, one each for the contest’s five grade categories.

  • First-grader Myles Hamacher of St. Francis Xavier in Jefferson City won first place in the K-2nd- grade category.
  • Fourth-grader Ray Winter of St. Catherine Laboure’ in St. Louis won in the 3rd-4th-grade category.
  • Sixth-grader Sydney Haistings of St. Paul's Episcopal Day School in Kansas City took the top prize for the 5th-6th-grade category.
  • Eighth-grader Katie Heflin of Heflin Homeschool in St. Peters won the 7th-8th-grade category.
  • Twelfth-grader Ryan Vernon of California High School in California took first place in the 9th-12th-grade category.

“Participating students learned about Missouri’s endangered species and the importance of sustaining healthy habitats,” said MDC Graphic Designer and contest coordinator Marci Porter. “A lot of teachers really took advantage of the educational opportunities tied to this contest, which is what we ultimately hope for.”

All five first-place winners will have their postcards printed and sold through MDC’s Nature Shops. View the top three entries from each grade category and get more information on the contest at

http://mdc.mo.gov/education/inside-classroom/other-classroom-resources/endangered-species-postcard-contest/postcard-co

From MDCNews - to subscribe visit http://lists.mo.gov/mailman/listinfo/mdcnews

Missouri Fuels for Schools Grants Fire Up School Biomass Boilers (MDC News Release)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Six southern Missouri schools are leading the way toward the use of biomass heating technology, according to Missouri State Forester Lisa Allen, who is also Forestry division chief with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Allen and other officials traveled across southern Missouri to hold ribbon cutting ceremonies the week of Oct. 24, commemorating the newly operating biomass thermal energy heating systems that make up the Missouri Fuels for Schools program.

MDC awarded $6 million in grants to the schools from 2010 to 2011 funded under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and administered by the U.S. Forest Service, according to MDC Forest Management Chief John Tuttle. Construction is complete on all six of the projects, which began in the fall of 2010. "Missouri's schools, children, and forests will see lasting benefits from these Recovery Act projects," said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "Jobs, education, and healthy landscapes are what this work was all about."

Gainesville R-V School District, Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty High School, Eminence R-I Elementary School, Southern Reynolds County R-II School District, Steelville R-III School District and Perry County School District 32 involved students and faculty in their highly celebrated ribbon cutting ceremonies.

More on the Missouri Fuels for Schools Project at http://missourifuelsforschools.totorcd.org/ and http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/missouri-fuels-schools-projects-bring-celebration

Earth Force and GM Recognize Teachers for Environmental Education

Earth Force and the General Motors Foundation announced the final five winners of the Chevrolet GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network) Educator Award. It recognizes educators who integrate environmental education into their school or community curriculums.

The winners are:

  • Fulece Hughes of Kansas City, Kan.
  • Kristen Golomb of Pittsburgh, Pa.
  • Scott Steensma of Onaway, Mich.
  • Teddy Dillingham of Arlington, Texas
  • William Nieter of New York, N.Y.

Recipients will be featured on http://www.greeneducator.org, along with their teaching tools and methods for getting students involved.

Read the entire story at http://news.yahoo.com/earth-force-gm-recognize-teachers-environmental-education-080452560.html

Survey Shows Majority of Americans Think Warming Affects Weather

From LiveScience, Stephanie Pappas, December 13, 2011

When asked about specific weather events, 67 percent of Americans strongly or somewhat strongly agreed that record-high temperatures in the U.S. in 2011 could be linked to climate change. Sixty-five percent said the same of the 2011 drought in Texas and Oklahoma. Sixty percent linked climate change to both the Mississippi River floods of spring 2011 and the record snowfalls in the U.S. in 2010 and 2011. Likewise, 57 percent said that Hurricane Irene, which hit the East Coast in late August, was worsened by climate change.

Complete story at Live Science http://www.livescience.com/17446-americans-link-bad-weather-climate-change.html

Pot Growers Destorying National Forests

From LiveScience, Jennifer Welsh, December 12, 2011

Marijuana smokers might praise their drug of choice as "natural," but pot growers in national forests all over the country have caused "severe" damage to these natural treasures, according to testimony by the U.S. Forest Service's director of law enforcement.

Complete story at http://www.livescience.com/17417-marijuana-growers-national-forests.html

Warm Spike in 2010 Caused Greenland to Rise

From Amazing Planet, Staff, December 12, 2011

Unusually high temperatures last year caused a spike in the melting of Greenland's glaciers, which in turn caused large portions of the underlying bedrock to rise nearly a quarter of an inch.

Complete story at http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/2140-2010-warm-spike-caused-greenland-rise.html

Most Dangerous Toys of 2011

Life's Little Mysteries, Staff, December 13, 2011

Each fall, public safety experts from U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), the federation of state public interest research groups, browses toy stores across the country looking for potentially dangerous toys. Despite the stringent regulations imposed on toy manufacturers in the United States, these experts never fail to find a handful of items on store shelves that appear innocuous, but actually pose toxic, choking, strangulation or excessive noise hazards to children. The team, led by public health advocate Nasima Hossain, detailed their findings for 2011 in a year-end report and in correspondence with Life's Little Mysteries.

(Basically, toxics, choking hazards, sound - don't assume brand name toys are safe)

Complete story at http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/dangerous-toys-2011-2236/

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