Missouri EE News February 2012
Audubon Riverlands "RiverVision Leadership" Academy wins Together Green Grant
Environmental & Sustainability Education and Education News Green Ribbon Schools deadline coming up March 2, 2012. The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools will recognize schools that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement. The recognition award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security. Deadline for Missouri application is March 2. Go here for more background and links to the state and federal Green Ribbon School pages. Alley Springs seeking presenters for Annual Junior Ranger Day, April 27 Every year the National Park Service presents a "Junior Ranger Day" which is an educational opportunity for 4th and 5th graders from about a dozen schools around the area. They come to Alley Spring (near Eminence, MO) where they experience educational booths and presentations from a variety of agencies, all centered on the theme of Watershed Stewardship. The date is April 27, it's an all day event. Typically we start the day with a live animal presentation by the Springfield Zoo. This year they are bringing bald eagles. Then the kids disperse and do a round-robin in small groups to a dozen or so booths. At the booths they are exposed to a variety of educational content. (See second attachment at the bottom for last year's booths.) The groups stay at each booth for 10 - 20 minutes.(Timing will depend on how many booths we end up with.) We'd like to invite you to participate! I'm sure there are several folks in your organization who could further your mission by presenting to 500+ young people - the voters and decision makers of tomorrow. Pretty much any topic that could be considered "watershed stewardship" would be appropriate. The area is very open, so there are no limits on your booth / display space. contact Bill O'Donnell at 573-323-8093 or Donnell@nps.gov if you are interested and able to participate DESE Debuts Monthly Newsletter: Top 10 by 20 Update The Top 10 by 2020 outlines 4 goals - 1) All Missouri students will graduate college and career ready; 2) All Missouri children will enter kindergarten prepared to be successful in school; 3) Missouri will prepare, develop and support effective educators;and 4) The Department will improve efficiency and operational effectiveness. The newsletter will provide regular updates on issues and activities that affect the goals. http://www.dese.mo.gov/comm/newsletter/ National Science Teachers Association Legislative Update Math and Science Funding -The final budget agreement that Congress passed in mid-December and the President has signed into law to fund FY2012 federal education programs through next September includes $150 million for the Department of Education’s Math and Science Partnership program, roughly $25 million below the FY2011 funding level. In their original budget proposal House Republicans wanted to eliminate this program next year.... NCLB 10 years later - Research shows that NCLB has impacted teachers’ practice both positively and negatively, said Laura Hamilton, senior behavioral scientist at RAND. While the law resulted in a deeper focus on student learning and increased attention to students in underserved groups, it also reduced the time teachers spent on untested subjects like science, she observed. Even in reading and math, teachers tended to focus more on the content to be tested and test-preparation activities, she added.... House Elementary and Secondary Education Act Bills - After negotiating for months to develop bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind), House Education and Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) announced in mid-December that talks between Republicans and Democrats have been discontinued and would only “further stall the process.” On January 6 Rep. Klein introduced partisan legislation that addresses two controversial issues in ESEA—teacher performance and evaluation and the ESEA accountability system. Read complete NSTA Legislative Update here Two Missouri Organizations win Audubon/Toyota Together Green Grants Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center a grant of $50,000 to help install 40 raingardens in Joplin following tornadoes. Wildcat Glades partnered with Joplin Family YMCA, Boys and Girls Club of Joplin, and Missouri Stream Team #3714 to provide kids in need with free camps and nature programs and to teach them how to create rain gardens for low income communities. http://www.togethergreen.org/Grants/GranteeDetails.aspx?granteeID=190 The Audubon Center at Riverlands won a grant of $45,000 to expand their successful RiverVision Leadership curriculum to an additional 100 middle and high school students in underserved communities in the St. Louis area. Riverlands partnered with the Army Corps of Engineers, and the St. Louis Area Office of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. http://www.togethergreen.org/Grants/GranteeDetails.aspx?granteeID=146 National Center for Science Education takes on defence of climate change education As science educators are increasingly reporting attacks on climate change education, the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is announcing that they will also be defending climate change science in public school science education. Join hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler as Dr. Eugenie Scott explains this new initiative for NCSE by adding climate change to their portfolio in defending good science education. http://laboutloud.com/2012/01/episode-73-special-announcement-ncse-now-defending-climate-change-education/ From National Science Teachers Association and Lab Out Loud: Science for the Classroom and Beyond National Governor's Association issues STEM report: Building a STEM Education Agenda In addition to making the case for STEM, the report focuses on six key steps that states have taken to address U.S. STEM education:
download a copy of the report here Lincoln University wins EPA Grant to promote environmental careers EPA wants to increase Lincoln University’s awareness of federal opportunities while helping to create an environmentally conscious campus through student-led initiatives. Of utmost importance, both organizations share a goal of sufficiently preparing African-American students for future careers in environmental and scientific fields. The agreement also focuses on student employment and volunteer programs, research participation, lectures and seminars on environmental issues, and community outreach. Environmental News Missouri "Great Rivers State" license plate available The Missouri Stream Team Watershed Coalition (MSTWC) is coordinating a sign up for a new Great Rivers State license plate with the Department of Revenue. At least 200 plates have to be pre-sold before February 29. Find out more: http://mstwc.org/act-now/specialty-license-plates/ MU scientist Frederick vom Saal wants FDA to ban BPA, endocrine disruptors Frederick vom Saal has been investigating the impact of BPA, bisphenol-A on fetal development of mammals for the past 20 years. Based on his research, he has concluded that BPA, used to soften plastics, can affect the action of hormones.Simina Mistreanu, Columbia Missourian January 31, 2012 for the rest of the story NASA research finds that climate change is caused primarily by greenhouse gases A new NASA study tries to lay to rest the skepticism about climate change, especially vocal this year on the GOP presidential campaign trail. It finds, like other major scientific research, that greenhouse gases generated by human activities -- not changes in solar activity -- are the primary cause of global warming. Wendy Koch, USA Today, January 31, 2012 for the rest of the story January 2012 unusually violent for tornadoes in U.S. and unusual warmth plays a role The 70 twisters reported this month is the third-highest in January since accurate tornado records began in 1950, said Greg Carbin, warning coordination meteorologist with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. Since 1950, only January 1999 (with 212) and January 2008 (with 84) saw more tornadoes. Doyle Rice, USA Today January 30, 2012 for the rest of the story Keystone competitor's pipeline would cross part of Missouri While the political debate rages over the future of the Keystone XL pipeline, a competitor is proposing a line that would cut across Missouri and provide an alternative to Keystone for shipping Canadian tar sands oil to the Gulf Coast. Columbia Daily Tribune (from the St. Louis Post Dispatch) January 30, 2012 for the rest of the story
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