USGBC ALabama Chapter
LEED for Schools
The Green Schools Committee is formed of green schools advocates from
across the state. If you are interested in advocating for Green Schools in
Alabama, please contact Rebecca Bryant or your branch leadership. In the
past year the Green Schools Committee has worked on many exciting
projects. We've listed a few below:
- "Adopted" schools in Baldwin County, supporting the work of student groups to green their existing schools.
- Organized a video conference between high school and Auburn University Students. The Auburn students shared their experience with the Sustain a bowl project, where dormitories on campus compete to see who can achieve the greatest reduction in energy use, water use, and waste.
- Hosted a Green School Field trip for students, teachers, administrators,and community members. The Field Trip travelled to New Orleans and toured two of the districts new LEED certified schools.
There is much work to be done and we welcome your energy and ideas. The
following are some of the potential projects for committee members in
2011:
- promote the Mayor's Green Schools Alliance
- "adopt" a school or school district and work on a green schools resolution,
- implement the Green Schools Caucus in the State legislature
- plan and market a LEED Schools workshop and/or other Schools event
Statewide Schools Advocate: Rebecca Bryant; rebecca@watershed.pro
LEED for Schools Committee:
W a t e r s h e d
Green Consulting and Education for the Deep South
1 South School Street
Fairhope, AL 36532
251.517.5214
News
Download the "Best of Green Schools" 2011 Fact Sheet HERE.
We have a couple of resources and opportunities from Green Education Foundation (GEF) to share with you, in hopes of distributing to your networks of green schools advocates and environmental educators.
GEF’s Sustainability Education State Resource Directory will provide an online listing of organizations and groups across the country that can help schools and communities connect to sustainability education and resources. They have listed each states’ USGBC Chapter(s) and we want to make sure your information is reflected accurately. Please take a moment to look through your state’s tab in the attached worksheet. To make additions or changes to the GEF Resource Directly simply fill out
for each organization you wish to add. Thank you to all who have already participated! For questions and input please contact Erica Richard at GEF:
erichard@greeneducationfoundation.org
Sustainability Education Concepts and Teaching Methods course. You are invited to view and share the registration link for GEF’s new professional development course for teachers. Note: This is different from the GBCI Green Classroom Professional Certificate program information I sent out earlier this week. GEF’s program is about curriculum and instruction, rather than green behavior and practices.
Participation is free during the pilot phase, which takes place November 1 through January 31. The online course launches on November 1, 2011 and enrollment is open through December 15. The course is comprised of 10, 1.5 hour units available in an online, self-paced format. Upon completion, educators will have the knowledge and skills to proceed with sustainability education and programs in their own classrooms and communities. Participation in the course is free. However, an additional fee applies, payable to the accrediting university, for those seeking academic credit. Participants may earn PDPs/CEUs or 1 to 2 credit hours towards their degree program. Learn more about the course at
or register now at no cost:
. Please share with educators in your network. Contact Molly Hislop at GEF for more information:
mhislop@greeneducationfoundation.org
Funding opportunity for coastal environmental education
Please spread the word! The National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region is now seeking proposals under the Gulf of Mexico NOAA Bay-Watershed Education and Training (Gulf B-WET) Program.
The Gulf of Mexico B-WET program is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Funded projects provide meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) for students, related professional development for teachers, and help to support regional education and environmental priorities in the Gulf of Mexico.
The full FY12 Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) can be found at Grants.gov or the following Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office URL: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/grants/B-Wet.htm.
You can download a PDF announcement by clicking HERE.
Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program
The Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program provides free, technical and organizational assistance for schools who wish to create a sustainable outdoor classroom site to be used as an effective educational tool for hands-on, outdoor learning opportunities.
http://www.alabamawildlife.org/classrooms/
