Volume 12, Issue 7

July, 2006

Executive Director's Corner: Ali Goulstone Sweeney
(303-273-9527 or director@caee.org)

This Month's Topic: The Heart and Soul of CAEE

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Last Week "CAEE-the office" hosted a barbeque for "CAEE-the Alliance". About 50 or so folks came for good food, good fun and to celebrate all that is good about environmental education. Sometimes, I think we forget the 'A' in CAEE but it is the most important part. "CAEE-the office" is 2 people, but "CAEE-the Alliance" is more than 700 people and our connection to each other - that together we are something far greater than we can be individually. At the barbeque we recognized some extra special volunteers who go above and beyond for CAEE. The Alliance has so much success and momentum right now, not because of the two people in the office, but because of the many folks who volunteer their time and energy to work for the Alliance. The Alliance is growing - we've just passed the 700 member mark, and now the 150 volunteer mark. So many people working toward the same goal - now that's an Alliance!

I wanted to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of our volunteers. They are as dedicated as they come - pitching in to help with the big events, building relationships, bringing in new people, building support for environmental education, and much, much more. These volunteers work for CAEE in addition to their day jobs, and their family responsibilities, and well… life. We couldn't do it without you and want you to know you are the heart and soul of CAEE. Thank you for all you do to support the Alliance.

We would like to recognize all those who have donated their time and energy to CAEE this year:

Master Plan Connection:

Take CAEE's Online Stakeholder Survey!

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WE’RE ALL EARS!

The Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) needs to hear your voice in our new online stakeholder survey. Over the past 15 years, CAEE has successfully expanded its services for environmental educators in Colorado. Yet, we need feedback from stakeholders throughout the state to help shape our future. We ask you to help us by sharing your thoughts, ideas and concerns. We will use your responses to better meet your needs.

The survey should take only about 20 minutes, and will make a big difference for environmental education in Colorado. Complete the survey by September 1, 2006 and your name will be added to a drawing to win a fabulous prize!

Click here to complete the survey today!

Your help is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions please contact info@caee.org or 303-273-9527.

Environmental Education Awards

Send in your nominations by August 25!

Get involved in the revision of Colorado Science Standards

Representatives from the science community have the opportunity to participate with the Colorado Department of Education in examining the Colorado Model Content Standards. There are several opportunities for input: (1) Editing the current document, (2) Commenting on the suggested revisions to a working group, (3) Commenting on the proposed document to the State Board of Education.

Focus groups are being solicited to review the document and: (1) Reduce the number of benchmarks by identifying and combining redundant statements, (2) Replace curricular activities and test-item level benchmarks with the key concepts they represent, and (3) Fill in any gaps to ensure the validity and alignment of standards and benchmarks

The application form to be part of the Focus Groups is available online at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/index_olr.html.

The Focus Groups will take place in Breckenridge on the following dates:

• Sept. 27: Physical Science (Standard 2), Apply by August 31
• Sept. 28: Earth and Space Science (Standard 4), Apply by August 31
• Oct. 10: Processes (Standard 1, 5 & 6), Apply by September 10
• Oct. 11: (A Focus Group will be held that will include a few participants from each prior group plus new members who will check the prior four group's recommendations for scientific accuracy, continuity of execution and representation of remarks.)

Space will be limited to 15 people per group. Those selected will participate in one focus group only (with possible exception of the last focus group). The criteria for selection of participants will be based on demographic representation, content expertise, and experience with ELL and SPED students. For more information, please contact May_L@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6931.

Bulletin Board

Upcoming Workshops, Classes, etc.

Visit www.caee.org/calendar.html for an online listing of upcoming events!

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Dinosaur Discovery Day - August 5, 10:00AM until 2:30PM. West Alameda Parkway, over the Hogback, will be closed from 9:00AM until 3:00PM. Trained guides explain features, give short demonstrations, and answer questions. Visitors can hike at their own pace or take the Vanosaurus Shuttle Bus for $2.00 per person (children 4 and under are free). At the Visitor Center there will be a free Orienteering Hoedown with members of Geocaching Colorado presenting a "GPS Treasure Hunt with Geocaching," an introduction to Letterboxing, Dinosaur Stamp Making, the Backyard Bones: Dinosaur Dig Pit, Stegosaurus Branding, and a free mineral specimen for kids! Info at www.dinoridge.org, or call Erin Fair at 303-697-3466 x 11, or Tom Moklestad at 303-697-3466 x 13.

The Glenwood Springs Water Conservation Workshop - August 7 & 8. Glenwood Springs Community Center. All workshops are free of charge. Please call early - space is limited. More workshops coming soon at other locations across Colorado. For more info, visit www.greatwesterninstitute.org/workshops.html, call 303-355-4057, or email tracy@greatwesterninstitute.org.

Flying Wild Workshop - Presented by Audubon Society of Greater Denver and the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Tuesday, August 8; 8:30 - 4:30. Audubon Center at Chatfield State Park. Learn how to introduce your students to bird conservation through standards-based classroom activities and environmental stewardship projects. Flying Wild encourages schools to work closely with conservation organizations, community groups and businesses involved with birds to implement school bird festivals and bird conservation projects. Participants will receive the new Flying Wild curriculum book (similar in format to Project Wild, Project Learning Tree, etc.). Cost: $25. Teachers can earn 0.5 college credit from CSM. Contact: Susan Smith, 303-973-9530 or ssmith@denveraudubon.org.

River Watch Workshops. River Watch is a statewide volunteer water quality-monitoring program operated by the non profit 501(c)3 Colorado Watershed Network in cooperation with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. River Watch will be holding two trainings this fall. August 15-17 will be in Denver at the Colorado Division of Wildlife Headquarters (cost: $35). October 17-20 will be at Camp Cedaredge, southeast of Grand Junction (cost: $60 (includes lodging & meals). Students are welcome to attend either training if accompanied by an adult. Continuing education credits (up to 4) will be available from the Colorado School of Mines at an additional cost. If you are interested in attending these trainings or learning more, contact River Watch Program Coordinator Curtis Hartenstine at curtis.hartenstine@state.co.us or at (303) 291-7412.

2006 NPS Forum "More than Brochures-Real Change" presented by Doug McKenzie-Mohr. Workshops are available on September 6 or 7. This full-day workshop introduces community-based social marketing and provides participants with the knowledge they need to deliver effective programs. Register at www.npscolorado.com.

NAAEE 35th Annual Conference: "Gathering at the Headwaters: Building EE in Society." October 10th - 14th, St. Paul, MN. Early Registration Deadline: August 1. Examine how EE can be integrated into facing challenges found in our education systems and natural resource conservation. Enjoy the benefits of the conference and attend specific breakout sessions to discover fresh ideas, update teaching skills, explore ways to address state and national standards through practical sessions and take-home tools, receive teaching resources, listen to keynote speakers, and network with other educators. To register, visit www.naaee.org.

EETAP Online EE Courses
Fundamentals of Environmental Education - Sept. 11-Nov. 17. This course was developed by EETAP in collaboration with national EE experts. It provides educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate quality environmental education into their instruction.
Applied EE Program Evaluation - Sept. 18-Dec. 1. The course is designed to assist environmental educators and natural resource professionals in evaluating their education programs. Participants have the opportunity to develop and apply skills in designing evaluation tools such as surveys, observation forms, and interview and focus group guides.
Graduate, undergraduate, or non-credit enrollment options. Contact: Angela Lemar at Angela.Lemar@uwsp.edu. http://www.uwsp.edu/natres/rwilke/eetap/

Career

Note: these announcements are only position highlights and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

NAAEE/EE-Link offers a jobs database service for EE job seekers or employers seeking EE staff.

To view job postings, visit: eelink.net/eejobsdatabase.html

To submit a job to the database: eelink.net/cgi-bin/ee-link/add_job.cgi

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Bluff Lake Nature Center - Environmental Education Instructor. Closing Date: August 1. Start Date: September 4. 12-15 hours/week, Sept. 1-June 15. $10/hour. Bluff Lake Instructors will be conducting EE lessons which includes safely guiding small groups of students around the trails at Bluff Lake, facilitating activities and providing accurate natural history information. In addition to leading field trips at Bluff Lake, Instructors may also be leading after school science programs in local elementary schools. This position has the possibility to grow into a half-time position or more depending on future funding. To apply, send cover letter and resume to: Sue Schafer, Education Director, Bluff Lake Nature Center, 7350 E 29th Ave, suite 300, Denver, CO 80238, 303-468-3245 or email at sschafer@stapletoncorp.com.

Executive Director - Backcountry Snowsports Alliance - Boulder. Deadline August 1. The Backcountry Snowsports Alliance seeks an enthusiastic full-time Executive Director to lead the organization in a variety of advocacy, development, and management tasks. For more details of BSA's work visit www.backcountryalliance.org. Send a resume and cover letter to resumes@backcountryalliance.org.

Colo. Division of Wildlife - Program Assistant for Wildlife Education Specialist, NE Region, Denver. Closing Date: August 14. Assist the Education specialist by managing certain aspects and duties of their job for the northeastern region of the state. 3 to 6 months temporary job. Approximately $17.00/hour. To Apply: Debbie Lerch Cushman, 303- 291-7328. Send resume and letter of interest to Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, 80216 or Debbie.lerch@state.co.us

Colorado Watershed Network - Intern Position. Open until filled. The Colorado Watershed Network (CWN) works to promote the health of Colorado's watersheds through nonbiased and community based science. This position will become familiar with all aspects of what it takes to support watershed health, including the River Watch program. Position will also support marketing and outreach of CWN, located at the Denver office. 32 hours per week. $10-$12 per hour. Work schedule is somewhat flexible. This is not a full-time position. No benefits offered, but paid time off. Contact: Jacob Bornstein, 303-291-7437, 303-291-7456, cwn@coloradowatershed.org, www.coloradowatershed.org

Greeley Water is seeking hard working applicants for several positions that have experience in Water Resources, Engineering, Colorado Water Law, Modeling and GIS to operate and manage a multifaceted and expanding municipal water system. Team members must be skilled in communication, confronting challenges, and providing solutions to complex problems. See http://www.nationjob.com/alljobs/cgrc

The Colorado Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., a member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc., is looking for qualified instructors for its 4-course Environmental Study School. The National Garden Club, Inc. has developed the program, and the Colorado Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. is in the beginning stages of starting this school for their members and non-members. If you are interested in helping get the Study School started, please contact Elfriede Goeben by E-mail at ogoeben@msn.com.

Grants and Awards

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Save America's Treasures Grants. Deadline: August 31st for grants over $5,000, all others year-round Patagonia Save America's Treasures Grants fund innovative groups overlooked or rejected by other corporate donors who take strategic steps to protect habitat, wilderness, and biodiversity. Visit http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/treasures/application.htm#funded#funded for details.

Starbucks Foundation Grants. Letters of Inquiry are reviewed twice per year during two periods: February 1st - March 1st and August 1st - September 1st. Starbucks Giving Voice Grant funds programs for youth that integrate literacy with personal and civic action in the communities where they live. Grants range from $5,000-$20,000. Visit http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/grantinfo.asp for more information.

Red, White, and Green Climate Change Grants. Deadline: September 1. This grant opportunity from Youth Service America and the Civil Society Institute is for young people (ages 15-25) to implement a service-learning project about climate change that engages both their community and candidates running for election in November 2006. Projects should be youth-led and must take place between October 1 and November 30, 2006. http://www.ysa.org/awards/

Resources

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New Release Offers 147 Tips for Teaching Sustainability. Six Fort Collins, Colorado-based sustainability thinkers and educators have joined to co-author "147 Practical Tips for Teaching Sustainability." The book features ideas and suggestions for what to include when designing sustainability curricula or any other effort at communicating the broad principles of sustainability. The core concepts featured include: systems thinking, interconnections between nature and human society, ethics, values and the sacred, learning from nature, the best use of technology, the role of personal responsibility, and the collective need for new visions. (Atwood Publishing, 2006, http://www.atwoodpublishing.com/books/245.htm)

Mayor Hickenlooper Unveils Greenprint Denver Initiative. During his third annual State of the City Address, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper focused on issues of sustainability while unveiling the ambitious agenda of the City's Greenprint Denver initiative. The Greenprint Denver action plan centers around energy and emissions, green building and industry, urban design and transportation, water and the environment, and waste reduction. Details of the plan are available at www.greenprintdenver.org.

Posting of resources or events does not constitute endorsement of those materials or activities by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education or sponsors of CAEE.

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Phone: 303-273-9527 Fax: 303-273-5780
E-mail: info@caee.org

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