EEA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes – pending approval Date: February 8, 2006 Location: Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross, GA Board Members Present: Patty Ackerman, Kim Bailey, Elise Berman, Stacy Graison, Walter Lane, Jennifer McCoy, Susan Meyers, Kim Morris-Zarneke, Trecia Neal, Richard Osorio, Leslie Poythress, Deborah Riddleberger, Anne Shenk, Donna Stewart. Others Present: Carrie Davis (EPD EE Intern), Cindy Reittenger (Member at Large), Mary Terry (EEA Advisory Board Liaison) 1. Welcome – Anne Shenk Anne welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at 9:28. 2. Approve Minutes of Previous Board Meeting – Kim Bailey Kim Bailey made a motion to approve the minutes from the November board meeting. Kim Morris-Zarneke seconded. Motion passed. 3. Director's/Officer's Insurance – Anne Shenk Anne explained that nonprofits typically have to make sure we are safe with all events we sponsor. Anne contacted Center for Nonprofits in November to get three estimates for insurance coverage. We recently received one estimate. Anne passed the estimate around. It is $900 a year for 1 million of coverage but we need to know more details about what it covers. Kim Bailey also got an estimate for $1000 a year for 1 million of coverage. Trecia thought it sounded expensive. Carla suggested approving spending no more than $1,000 to purchase this insurance. The group discussed concerns over liability and why EEA needs this insurance. Jennifer will check with GA Association of Water Professionals to see what they have and what they pay. We need to get this insurance before the MAG trip to Mexico in 1½ weeks. Carla motion to purchase the Director's/Officer's insurance provided we can get for $1000 or less. Susan Meyers seconded. Motion passed. 4. End of Year Committee Reports – Anne Shenk Anne distributed the format for end of year committee reports (Appendix A). This will help with the transition to new board/committees/president. Reports will be due by April 15. Kim MZ suggested providing original committee goals/work plan to committees if needed for comparison. Anne will send Appendix A electronically to each committee chair. 5. Treasurer Report / Report on Hiring A Bookkeeper – Carla Rapp At the last board meeting, the board voted to investigate hiring a bookkeeper. Carla got 3 quotes and presented them to the Exec. committee. The Exec. committee recommends hiring Jana Warren at $25 per hour (lowest rate plus Jana works in GFA office with Carla.) See the resume for Jana Warren (Appendix B). Carla made a motion to approve hiring Jana for up to 100 hours per year at $25 per hour ($2500) effective now – end of 2006.
Transcript
EEA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes – pending approval Date: February 8, 2006 Location: Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross, GA Board Members Present: Patty Ackerman, Kim Bailey, Elise Berman, Stacy Graison, Walter Lane, Jennifer McCoy, Susan Meyers, Kim Morris-Zarneke, Trecia Neal, Richard Osorio, Leslie Poythress, Deborah Riddleberger, Anne Shenk, Donna Stewart. Others Present: Carrie Davis (EPD EE Intern), Cindy Reittenger (Member at Large), Mary Terry (EEA Advisory Board Liaison) 1. Welcome – Anne Shenk Anne welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at 9:28. 2. Approve Minutes of Previous Board Meeting – Kim Bailey Kim Bailey made a motion to approve the minutes from the November board meeting. Kim Morris-Zarneke seconded. Motion passed. 3. Director's/Officer's Insurance – Anne Shenk Anne explained that nonprofits typically have to make sure we are safe with all events we sponsor. Anne contacted Center for Nonprofits in November to get three estimates for insurance coverage. We recently received one estimate. Anne passed the estimate around. It is $900 a year for 1 million of coverage but we need to know more details about what it covers. Kim Bailey also got an estimate for $1000 a year for 1 million of coverage. Trecia thought it sounded expensive. Carla suggested approving spending no more than $1,000 to purchase this insurance. The group discussed concerns over liability and why EEA needs this insurance. Jennifer will check with GA Association of Water Professionals to see what they have and what they pay. We need to get this insurance before the MAG trip to Mexico in 1½ weeks. Carla motion to purchase the Director's/Officer's insurance provided we can get for $1000 or less. Susan Meyers seconded. Motion passed. 4. End of Year Committee Reports – Anne Shenk Anne distributed the format for end of year committee reports (Appendix A). This will help with the transition to new board/committees/president. Reports will be due by April 15. Kim MZ suggested providing original committee goals/work plan to committees if needed for comparison. Anne will send Appendix A electronically to each committee chair. 5. Treasurer Report / Report on Hiring A Bookkeeper – Carla Rapp At the last board meeting, the board voted to investigate hiring a bookkeeper. Carla got 3 quotes and presented them to the Exec. committee. The Exec. committee recommends hiring Jana Warren at $25 per hour (lowest rate plus Jana works in GFA office with Carla.) See the resume for Jana Warren (Appendix B). Carla made a motion to approve hiring Jana for up to 100 hours per year at $25 per hour ($2500) effective now – end of 2006.
Elise seconded. Discussion: Richard suggested we have something specific written in terms of job responsibilities. Carla agreed. Richard suggested we also determine a billing schedule up front. Anne noted Carla will be working with bookkeeper to develop an EEA Treasurer’s manual. Motion passed. Carla distributed the Treasurers Report (Appendix C). Carla noted it shows the 2005 balance, actual income for 2005 Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, year-end statement and projected budget for 2006. We need to add the insurance for $1000. Carla also noted the amount for the OCC budget is not what OCC sent but it doesn’t matter because income will match expenses anyway. Leslie wants to increase PR expenditures from $500 to $1000 to do two roll-up banners (or one if budget allows) and brochure printing. The group discussed whether we should go with a higher quality product. Do we need two exhibits? It would be nice to keep one in the coastal area and one in the metro Atlanta area. After the discussion, the PR committee requested to increase their budget to $2500. Leslie would also like to purchase pencils/pens (5000-10,000) as items to give away at conference. Donna suggested putting the EEA Web site address on these. Kim MZ suggested increase to PR budget to $3000 to cover this. Deborah noted this can be voted on when we vote to approve the entire budget. Carla noted we just need to make sure we can afford this. Kim Bailey asked Deborah to explain the $1,412.00 carryover listed in the budget under Scholarships. Deborah explained this was unused funds from the 2004 and 2005 scholarship programs. Funds remained and were carried over for various reasons such as people declining scholarships at the last minute. The group discussed what should be done with carryover scholarship funds. Since these funds were raised specifically to provide scholarships, it was agreed they should be used for 2006 scholarships and not absorbed into the general budget. Deborah noted that the scholarship committee should try to expend all scholarship funds each year. This is sometimes difficult because people decline scholarships at the last minute. The group agreed that it would be OK to absorb any small balance from now on provided EEA makes sure this is clear in the wording about what silent auction donations and purchases go towards. Carla noted that she has paid $100 for Web site domain name registration (doesn’t show up in budget yet). Kim MZ made motion to approve budget with following changes: Increase Nominating expenditures from $200 to $500 Increase PR expenditures from $500 to $3000 Add line item for Directors & Officers insurance at $1000 Change Scholarships to be $5435 plus $1412 = $6847 Change Summit expenditures to $2,500 Change Higher Ed. expenditures from $0 to $500 Jennifer McCoy seconded. Motion passed. 6. Revised MOA/MOU/Partnerships/Initiatives Policy – Walter Lane Walter made motion to adopt the revised MOA/MOU/Partnerships/Initiatives policy (Appendix D) Carla seconded. Motion passed. 7. Raffle License from 2005 Conference – Anne Shenk and Richard Osorio Anne explained that it is a felony to hold a raffle without a license. EEA did not have a license in hand when we held the raffle at the March 2005 conference. Richard explained that he filed paperwork before the conference but did not know there was a $100 fee. He did not realize we didn’t have the license until Carla asked for a copy of it. When he stopped by the Athens/Clarke
Co. office after the conference to get it, he discovered the license application had been rejected because the $100 fee had not paid. Walter later got a raffle license for EEA from Newton county but it did not cover all of 2005. Richard has agreed to contact Athens/Clarke Co. to report our error and see what we need to do. Richard also plans to meet with an Attorney next Thurs. before contacing Athens/Clarke Co. 8. Nominating – Deborah Riddleberger Deborah explained the following that in the past, EEA’s membership had not known how nominations occurred. She distributed a copy of the Nominations Policy she recently developed (Appendix E). Deborah then made a motion to approve Nominations Policy as presented. Walter seconded. Motion passed. The group then discussed that we may need to amend the by-laws in the future since they currenlty prohibit serving more that two consecutive terms (6 years). Office term does not currently supercede the board member term. Deborah distributed the Nominations Form (Appendix F) and noted that any other nominations are due by Feb. 15. We have 13 board member vacancies. 9. Membership / Lifetime Membership Category – Anne Shenk for Kitty Esco No report. 10. Public Relations – Leslie Poythress and Donna Stewart Leslie and Donna passed around a 1 page flyer about EEA. Anne suggested listing Kim MZ for president since Kim will take over on May 1. Kim MZ noted we also have a “Building Capacity for EE” flyer. Leslie and Donna reported they are making a brief PPT to tell about EEA, initiatives, etc. Leslie also reminded everyone to let her know if you need any EEA thank you note cards and/or certificates of appreciation. Leslie reported that she is still collecting feedback on the EEA brochure. Please send any comments about changes to Leslie. At GSTA, we will have the current brochure and building capacity handout available at the EEA Exhibit. In order to have the revised brochures ready for the EEA conference, Leslie needs to receive comments/revisions to current brochure within 1 week. 11. Newsletter – Karen Garland and Sheri Henshaw Susan has copies of the conference newsletter to distribute to folks to help promote the conference. We now have non-profit bulk mail permit ($320). Is there are yearly fee? Karen G. is going off board in May. It would be good to get next person onboard so they can help Karen with the April edition and “learn the ropes.” 12. Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) – Susan Meyers and Trecia Neal Susan and Trecia distributed the MAG Quarterly Report (Appendix G). 13. Outdoor Classroom Council 2006 – Susan Meyers, Kim Bailey, Mary Terry, and Deron Davis
Kim reported that the symposium will be held on Friday, October 27 at Charlie Elliott Conference Center. The theme will be “Leaping into Green & Healthy Learning!” This will the 10th Annual Symposium. If anyone wants to join this committee, now is the time! (Patty Ackerman expressed interest.) 14. Advisory Committee – Mary Terry Petey Giroux and Diane Davies will chair the Advisory Committee, replacing Deron Davis as chair. Anne will meet with them next week and is seeking input from board on what they would like help with. The advisory board will also soon be extending invitations to join the advisory board. 15. Website/ Logo – Nikki Price, Richard Osorio, Susan Sams Richard showed drafts of EEA logo drafts by William Weems and explained concepts behind the designs. Richard then solicited feedback on the designs. Carla likes the simple design and colors. Trecia likes top and bottom images best (they show more detail in leaf). In general, the group does not like the designs that represent the letter “E.” Richard will be sending a follow-up questionnaire about the logo designs. Kim B. asked if Richard would also be getting a sample logo based on the original EEA logo as requested earlier by the board. Richard replied that he would. 16. College Affiliates/ Preservice – Theodosia Wade No report. 17. Update on Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center and EE Certification Program – Richard Osorio Richard distributed and discussed the GPEEE handouts (Appendix H). 18. Date for May Board Meeting – Kim Morris-Zarneke Kim polled the group about possible dates for the next EEA board meeting and selected May 18, location TBA. 19. Adjourn Meeting was adjourned before lunch in the Simpsonwood cafeteria. The EEA Conference Committee planning meeting was scheduled for after lunch. Submitted by Kim Bailey, EEA Secretary
EEA Board Meeting Minutes Date: February 8, 2006
Location: Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross, GA
Appendices Appendix A – End of Year Committee Reports Appendix B – Jana Warren Resume Appendix C – Treasurers Report Appendix D – MOA/MOU/Partnerships/Initiatives Policy Appendix E – Nominations Policy Appendix F – Nominations Form Appendix G – MAG Report Appendix H – GPEEE Handouts
EEA Board Meeting Minutes Date: February 8, 2006
Location: Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross, GA
Appendices Appendix A – End of Year Committee Reports Appendix B – removed from the web 3/6/2007 Appendix C – Treasurers Report Appendix D – MOA/MOU/Partnerships/Initiatives Policy Appendix E – Nominations Policy Appendix F – Nominations Form Appendix G – MAG Report Appendix H – GPEEE Handouts
Appendix A
EEA END OF THE YEAR COMMITTEE REPORT 2006 This report, along with your work plan from the beginning of the year, will be given to the next committee
chair for 2006-2007. Please complete the following and return to Anne Shenk, [email protected] by April 15
TITLE OF COMMITTEE: ________________________________________________
Co-Chairs:
1. __________________________________________________________________ Name email address
Total Projects and Committees 39,280.59 29,400.00 36,500.00 30,290.44 47,060.00 44,500.00 13,082.46
BOA Balance as of 12.31.05 123,447.50
Appendix D
EEA Policy on Partnerships
Author: Walter Lane
Rationale for proposed policy: EEA is and has been a part of various partnerships with different organizations for a number of years, (e.g. Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning (EIC), Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (GPEEE), EEinGeorgia.org, Project WET, and Adopt-a-Stream). The executive committee offers the following definitions for two types of partnerships: Program Partners: EEA and an outside organization enter into a relationship to promote and support the mutually defined goal(s) of the program (e.g. EEA & EPD worked together on EEinGeorgia.org to develop an EE clearinghouse website). A partnership must be approved by the board of directors and requires a formal written agreement (e.g. MOA or PSA) between the two parties that would be signed by the President of EEA and either the secretary or the treasurer and the appropriate authority of the partnering organization. Fiscal Partners: EEA serves as the fiscal agent for an outside organization with a relevant mission. All income (e.g. program fees, grants, etc.) is paid directly to EEA and all expenses are paid by EEA. This partnership would have to be approved by the board of directors and would require a formal agreement (e.g. MOA or PSA) between the two parties that would be signed by the President of EEA and either the secretary or the treasurer and the appropriate authority of the partnering organization.
Points of clarification: The goal of this policy is to formally define the relationship and responsibilities of EEA and its partners so that as EEA’s leadership changes the newly elected leadership has written documentation of all of EEA’s partnerships and clearly documented and defined responsibilities for each organization. EEA’s Board of Directors acknowledges that EEA has benefited from its partnerships with outside organizations and the purpose of the partnership policy is to clarify the relationships and ensure their sustainability.
EEA may enter into a contract for services with any organization. EEA pays the organization for certain services provided by the organization as specified by the terms of the contract. This is not a partnership. It should also be noted that by definition, committees of EEA cannot be program partners or fiscal partners of EEA (e.g. Monarchs & OCC). These committees are not programs of separate organizations.
Therefore, on behalf of the executive committee I make the following motion:
Any partnership between the Environmental Education Alliance (EEA) and an outside party requires a formal written agreement [e.g. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) OR a Professional Services Agreement (PSA)] between the partnering organization and EEA. The EEA board of directors must approve the written agreement and the EEA president and either the EEA secretary or the EEA treasurer and the appropriate authority of the partnering organization must sign the written agreement. This document will be kept on file with both the Treasurer and the Secretary. Furthermore:
a. After the partnership has been formally proposed to the board, the initiating partner will
have 90 days to write and submit the agreement to the executive committee, which will
present the agreement to the board of directors.
b. This agreement is an “at will” agreement that can be dissolved after a mutually agreed
upon time (e.g. 30 days) by either party.
c. The written agreement should provide a detailed description of benefits and
responsibilities of the relationship as agreed on by each partner (e.g. vision, mission goals,
work plan, etc.)
d. EEA will require a 10% administrative charge on all fiscal partnerships to cover
administrative costs.
Appendix E
Nominations Policy
1. The EEA President shall, on or before August 15 of each year, appoint a Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of nominees for the
positions of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer (every other year), and Board
Member vacancies. Any member of EEA may submit suggested nominations for
vacancies by having nominees complete and submit a Prospective Board Member
Application to be received by the Nominating Committee between January 1 and
February 15 each year. Self nominations are also accepted.
2. The Nominating Committee shall prepare and distribute a ballot of eligible nominees at the annual EEA conference held in March. Members will vote on the positions of Vice-
President, Secretary, Treasurer (every other year), and Board Member vacancies.
Board Member nominees will be listed and members will choose nominees based on the
number of vacancies for that year. (For example: There are 10 Board Member slots
open and there are 15 nominees for these 10 slots. Members will choose their top 10).
EEA members that do not attend the conference will be mailed a ballot. Ballots must
be received by the Nominations Committee by April 1. Results of the election will be
announced by April 15 of each year.
3. The Nominating Committee will prepare a short article to be included in the Conference Newsletter explaining the nomination process.
4. The Board Member term is three years and may serve two terms (maximum of 6 years).
Board members whose first term ends shall be invited by the executive committee (or
nominating committee) to serve a second term. After a year off the board, an
individual can once again be elected to the board.
5. To provide that some continuity of administration be maintained, the Vice President will succeed the President-Elect and then the President-Elect will succeed the President.
6. Members-at-large are appointed by the President and may be asked, or volunteer, to
perform special projects, chair committees and bring valuable input on discussions for
EEA and the Board. These positions do not have voting rights and are considered ex-
officio. Time commitment varies depending on the task(s) being performed.
Any changes to this policy must be approved by the Board of Directors.
Appendix F
The Environmental Education Alliance
Prospective Board Member Application
Check one: Today’s Date: ________________ □ Self-nominated □ Nominated by: _________________________________ Current EEA member: ___Yes ___No I am being nominated for the position of: ____Vice-President ____Secretary ____Treasurer (odd years) ____ Board Member
Personal Information
Last Name: ___________________________ First Name: _____________________________
Please include a brief professional bio to include answers to the questions below. This bio will appear on a ballot that will go out to the members of EEA and be posted on our webpage for members to review. 1. How do you define the audience you serve (i.e. teachers statewide, students in a particular
geographical area, grade levels, etc.)? 2. What are your areas of interest/expertise in relation to environmental education? 3. Discuss your professional background. 4. What are your goals for environmental education in Georgia?
You will receive an email informing you that we have received the application. If you have
any questions, please email or contact Deborah Riddleberger at 706-757-3114.
Job Descriptions
Vice-President
The Vice-President commits to three years of service: first year as Vice-President, second year as President-Elect and
third year as President. Terms begin May 1. Nominees for Vice-President must have served on the EEA Board of
Directors for at least one year (as per bylaws). Duties include:
• Assist the President in all aspects of the work of the Board of Directors and EEA operations.
• In the absence or disability of the President-Elect, perform the duties, have the authority and exercise the
powers of the President-Elect.
• Serve on the Executive Committee.
• Serve on at least one committee that coordinates a core function of EEA (i.e., Newsletter, Membership,
Conference, Outdoor Classroom Council)
• Co-manage, in collaboration with the President-Elect, the annual conference.
• Conduct other specific tasks as requested by the President.
Secretary
The Secretary’s term is one year. Terms begin May 1. Nominees for Secretary must have served on the EEA Board of
Directors for at least one year (as per bylaws). Duties include:
• Take minutes at all Board and Executive Committee meetings.
• Disseminate minutes and other associated documents to Board members as soon after meetings as possible.
• Send next meeting dates to Board members immediately after meeting.
• Collect handouts at meetings and send to Board members who were not present or had to leave the meeting
early.
• Keep copies of all prior minutes, financial reports, and handouts for a comprehensive archive of Board activity.
• Keep accurate records of all bylaw amendments and send any required information to the appropriate Georgia
State Office.
• Serve on the Executive Committee.
• Conduct other specific tasks as requested by the President.
Treasurer
The Treasurer’s term is two years. Term begins May 1. Nominees for Treasurer must have served on the EEA Board of
Directors for at least one year (as per bylaws). Duties include:
• Have custody of the corporate funds and securities.
• Keep full and accurate records of receipts and disbursements of the corporation, or have accounts maintained.
• Deposit, or have deposited, all monies and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the corporation into
depositories designated by the Board of Directors.
• Disburse the funds of the corporation, or have such funds disbursed, as ordered by the Board of Directors.
• Prepare financial statements, or have financial statements prepared, each month or at such other intervals as
the Board shall direct (i.e., quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors).
• Authorize to hold, maintain, and sign on all checking, investment, or other financial accounts.
• Send invoices to parties owing money to EEA.
• Manage income and expenditures for restricted funds of agencies maintaining a fiscal partnership with EEA.
• Advise the Board on financial matters for their action.
• Submit required reports, forms, fees, etc. to appropriate agencies.
• Keep IRS 501 (c) 3 status current and clearly identified.
• Serve on the Executive committee.
• Conduct other specific tasks as requested by the President.
Board Member
Board member’s term is three years and individuals may serve two consecutive terms. A nominee for board member
should be a member of EEA. Term begins May 1. Duties include:
• Make attendance at regular quarterly Board meetings and other special meetings of high priority (50% of the
yearly meetings at a minimum).
• Notify President if unable to attend any meeting or if you have to arrive late.
• Serve on at least one EEA committee/project/working group. You are welcome to serve on several committees.
• Voluntarily assume responsibility for various tasks that arise from Board discussions, and seek to involve others
(non-board) in EEA projects or tasks. Complete agreed upon tasks in a timely manner.
• Promote EEA events and activities with employing agencies, to other members, and the general public.
• Assist the President-Elect in support of the annual conference and/or Outdoor Classroom Symposium by
soliciting workshops, encouraging attendance, and serving as a volunteer during the event (set-up, break-down,
registration, etc.)
• Conduct other specific tasks as requested by the President.
Appendix G Monarchs Across Georgia
Quarterly Report to EEA Board – February 8, 2006
Steering Committee
Z Ganaway hosted our last committee meeting on January 20, 2006 at her home in Atlanta. A copy of the meeting notes is available upon request.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 16, 2006 at a restaurant TBD near Simpsonwood Conference Center to coincide with the EEA Conference weekend.
Advisory Committee The following people have accepted our invitation to serve on the MAG Advisory Committee: Dr. Karen Oberhauser (University of Minnesota), Dr. Sonia Altizer (UGA), Anne Shenk (The State Botanical Garden of Georgia), Kevin Mercer (Atlanta Botanical Garden), Henning vonSchmeling (Chattahoochee Nature Center), and Dr. James Adams (Dalton State College).
We have been asked by Dr. Altizer to help promote and recruit volunteers for a new citizen science project to detect OE, a Monarch parasite. This will be included in our next newsletter. Visit www.monarchparasites.org for more information. Monarchs in Mexico 2006 Both of our trips to Mexico with Dr. Bill Calvert are full. We have 9 Georgia participants in the February 18-25, 2006 trip and 14 in the February 25 – March 4, 2006 trip. Our final pre-trip meeting was from 2-4 p.m. on January 20, 2006 at Fernbank Science Center and our post-trip meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 23, 2006 at the same location after school.
Elise Berman (GA Power) has donated schools supplies for the trip. Walter Lane (Project Wild) has donated
5 Spanish curriculums. Carla Rapp (Project Learning Tree) is donating pencils and 5 Spanish curriculums. Babs
McDonald (USDA Forest Service) is shipping 100 copies of the Tropical edition of The Natural Inquirer to our hotel in
Morelia, MX. We collected ~$1000.00 in cash donations for the purchase of children’s books from Scholastic Mexico.
With the 30% discount and free shipping to our hotel in Morelia, 250 Spanish books were purchased to distribute to
the schools that we will visit. We were unable to coordinate with the Project WET contact in the Mexican state of
Michoacan to provide training for teachers in the area.
Pollinator Garden Certification
We are thrilled to announce that we now have 9 applications for our new Pollinator Garden Certification. Press releases, certificates and signage are being sent out. The certified gardens are as follows:
Schoolyard Gardens: Arrowhead Environmental Education Center, High Meadows School, and Worth County Primary School
Backyard Gardens: Susan & Jeff Meyers, Karen, Eric & Daniel Garland, Trecia & Eric Neal, Linda Lamb& Paul Griffin
Workplace & Community Gardens: Stone Mountain Memorial Association (2)
Events
MAG steering committee members have been busy promoting MAG programs and teaching adults and students about Monarch biology and ecology. Here is a partial list of the events and programs that were done in the last quarter. January 10 - Stone Mountain Garden Club January 10 – Georgia Native Plant Society meeting, Atlanta – promoted GA Milkweed Atlas project and Pollinator
Garden Certification January 12 – Garden Club of Georgia meeting, Statesboro – youth activities for their Youth Environmental
Education Program February 1- Gainesville Garden Club February 8 – Chamblee Garden Club
Grants and Funding
The $500.00 Master Gardener grant application for MAG training is still pending. We received $150.00 honorarium for speaking at the January meeting of the GA Native Plant Society. Besides our regular merchandise, we will be selling two new children’s books from Bas Relief Publishing at the EEA Conference store. They are Milkweed Visitors by Mary Holland and Monarch! Come Play with Me by Ba Rae.
Newsletter
The next edition of the MAG e-newsletter is scheduled for distribution in February. Please visit our website www.monarchsacrossga.org to add your e-mail to the list. Trainings
Two workshops are currently on the calendar: (1) April 5 – 6, 2006 through the NW GA RESA to be held at Arrowhead and (2) April 28 – 29, 2006 at Southwest GYSTC in Bainbridge. We are actively seeking new venues for our educator workshops.
Unfortunately we have lost two of our newly trained facilitators (Amanda Kail and Erika Yamamoto) due to job changes.
Respectfully submitted, Susan Meyers Steering Committee Co-Chair Monarchs Across Georgia www.monarchsacrossga.org 1497 Candleberry Court Lilburn, GA 30047 (770) 925-0672 [email protected]
Appendix H
Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education: Update
Save the Dates: August 18-20, 2006
EE and Higher Education in Georgia: Exploring the Landscapes of Environmental Education in Teaching, Research, and Public Service and Outreach Friday through Sunday, August 18-20, 2006 Georgia Center for Continuing Education University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia Hosted by the College of Environment and Design 609 Caldwell Hall, UGA, Athens, 30602-1845 Faculty, staff and students from Georgia’s institutions of higher education and their partners in EE are invited to share and learn about current and emerging EE research, teaching practices, and outreach programs and events. Conference amenities: Concurrent and poster sessions Exhibitor space Featured speakers Conference proceedings UGA EE Courses @ Gwinnett EHC
Summer The Nature of Environmental Education (EE): A Comparative Study of EE in Georgia, Costa Rica and the United States LAND 4910/6910 – 3 Credit Hours May 15-June 7, 2006 Travel across Costa Rica to learn about the development and sustainability of environmental education (EE) programs. Through extensive field studies over three weeks of immersion, you will experience an incredible journey across diverse landscapes of people, culture, and places and explore how EE is making a difference. Course will be taught by Richard E. Osorio, Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, College of Environment and Design. Tuition and Fees: $2550 for 24 days of travel (does not include airfare – approximately $600 roundtrip). Course is limited to 16 students For more information and to request an application, contact Quint Newcomer, Director of Costa Rica Programs in the Office of International Education, 207 Barrow Hall, at [email protected]. Application deadline is March 15, 2006 Environmental Literacy and Education 3 Credit Hours
June 8-July 31, 2006 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Mondays and Wednesdays Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, Buford, Georgia Curricula and Instructional Practice in Environmental Education 3 Credit Hours June 8-July 31, 2006 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center Fall Summer courses will repeat (Literacy on Monday evenings; Curricula on Wednesday nights). Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. Tuesday nights (9 week thematic course rotation beginning the start of the school year): Water, Biodiversity, Forestry, and Wildlife (PLU Credit). Building units of study across grades and disciplines to meet standards (AKS, GPS, and EE). EE Service Learning @ UGA
Landscapes for Learning (see attached informational flyer from meeting last week). Interdisciplinary Degree in EE @ UGA
First planning meeting in March (after NCATE review at College of Education).
GPEEE Web Site @ UGA Venue to promote and increase environmental, scientific, and cultural literacy. Target audiences: Educators, students, and families. Partnerships with UGA could include other institutions of higher education as well as Georgia Learning Connections and EEinGEORGIA.. Features include: EE certification, professional EE communities, framework for accomplished teaching, benchmarks, code of conduct/ethics, book club, career awareness and workforce preparation, study abroad, service-learning, EE courses and programs of study, best practices for teaching and research in the field. Robust content in searchable database will be a key component. Grad assistant, interns, and students in courses will help design and frame site map. Beta launches in September, 2006.
Georgia EE Certification Program Schedule attached. Beginning this fall (September 15), comprehensive manual (PDF) manual housed at GPEEE Web site. Current students will contribute and review. Will coincide with internal program review and evaluation. Courses to be held at UGA and Gwinnett EHC. Formalize agreement between UGA, Gwinnett EHC, and EEA
EEA Web Site – Update on Logo
William Weems, a Web designer with the University of Georgia, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, has offered a start for us with respect to thinking about the logo and what it should convey. We are starting with something fairly simple today (circle/sphere), renderings that are more abstract than what we are used to with our previous logo. The purpose is to prompt and examine how a graphic symbol is readily identifiable with an organization (what is the logo for National/Atlanta Audubon? Sierra Club? Nature/Georgia Conservancy? US EPA?) at its most basic level while not limiting growth opportunities not reflected in the drawing. Today is strictly an introduction to the process and results so far. Next, I will send you the samples via e-mail along with a brief questionnaire.
Landscapes for Learning Thank you for stopping by today to visit and learn more about the University of Georgia Landscapes for Learning program. We are glad you are here! To begin our conversation, we thought it important to first begin with a draft mission statement and standards for the program: The mission of Landscapes for Learning (LFL) is to design, implement and evaluate exemplary environmental education (EE) service-learning projects for educators, students, and families. LFL service-learning projects will meet the following standards: Increase environmental, scientific, and cultural literacy. Integrate problem-framing and problem-solving methodology. Explore the dynamics among and between social and natural systems. Incorporate interdisciplinary teaching, research, and public service and outreach. Strengthen awareness and understanding of local, place-based community concerns. Emphasize lifelong learning as well as life and leadership skills. Reach out to diverse and underserved, underrepresented audiences. Promote critical thinking and reflection. Embrace partnerships with individuals, organizations, agencies, and institutions. Foster goodwill between the University of Georgia and the families and communities we serve. The program is housed at the University of Georgia College of Environment and Design, Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education. Contact information for the program is noted below: Richard E. Osorio, Coordinator Barbara Payne, Program Assistant Landscapes for Learning Landscapes for Learning College of Environment and Design 706.886.6644 (Home) 609 Caldwell Hall 706.988.9269 (Mobile) University of Georgia [email protected] Athens, Georgia 30602-1845 [email protected] 706.583.2733 (Office) 706.542.4485 (FAX) [email protected] Our goals for today are to: Increase awareness of the LFL program. Generate a contact list of interested persons. Discuss current and emerging service-learning programs on campus that would benefit from an association with LFL. Solicit comments regarding next steps for establishing an interdisciplinary advisory committee representing faculty, staff and students. Seek feedback on Web site (e.g., strategies on how best to promote EE service-learning programs, internships, and more). Examine funding opportunities for LFL Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education
The Landscapes for Learning (LFL) program is the service-learning branch of the Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (GPEEE). In an effort to promote and integrate environmental education on campus, GPEEE has embarked on an ambitious plan. Below are efforts underway, some in very early developmental stages, which may be of interest to you: 1. EE Degree Programs of Study Initial discussions with a number of colleges and departments have started to gauge support for creating multidisciplinary EE degree programs of study. The response, to date, has all been favorable and the first organizational meeting will take place soon to discuss how best to move forward. In addition to an interdisciplinary certificate program in environmental education (undergraduate and graduate), opportunities for students interested in EE could include (at the undergraduate level) a B.S. in EE as well as a minor; at the graduate level, masters, specialists, and doctoral programs of study are also options. Service-learning and studying abroad would be prominent. 2. Code of Ethics/Code of Conduct for EE Practitioners Work is underway to design a code of ethics and code of conduct for EE practitioners. 3. Benchmarks for Environmental Literacy Adapt the learner guidelines from the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) to establish performance-based, systemic, and measurable environmental literacy outcomes for P-16. 4. EE Framework for Practitioners/ Professional Learning Communities in EE/Fellowships Establish a framework, similar to the Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program (GSTEP), to ‘identify the knowledge, skills, dispositions, understandings, and other attributes of accomplished teaching’ for environmental educators. Create, nurture and sustain professional learning communities and fellowship program that support practitioners. 6. Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (Buford, Georgia) Facility opens in the fall of 2006. The University of Georgia has a partnership with this site. 7. Georgia EE Certification Program Professional development and continuing education for formal and nonformal educators. 8. GPEEE Web Site (similar in look to New Georgia Encyclopedia and EarthTrends at WRI) A portal, coming soon, rich in multidisciplinary content and features. 9. EE and Higher Education Conference: August 18-20, 2006/UGA
Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education
Registration Form: 2006 EE Certification Courses
Name ______________________________________________________________________________ Affiliation ____________________________________________________________________________ Title ______________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: Day ________________________ Evening ______________________ FAX: _______________________ E-mail ________________________________
1. Environmental Literacy (20 hours, 2 PLU)
___April 21-23, 2006 (Friday afternoon thru Sunday afternoon): University of Georgia, Athens
Registration deadline: Postmarked by April 7, 2006.
___June 20 (1 p.m.- 5 p.m.), June 22 (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), and June 27 (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Gwinnett EHC Registration deadline: Postmarked by June 6, 2006.
2. Foundations of Environmental Education (20 hours, 2 PLU) ___ July 11 (8 a.m.- 5 p.m.), July 13 (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and July 18 (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Gwinnett EHC Registration deadline: Postmarked by July 1, 2006.
3. Professional Responsibilities of the Environmental Educator (20 hours, 2 PLU) ___ January 20-22, 2006 (Friday afternoon thru Sunday afternoon): University of Georgia,
Athens Registration deadline: Postmarked by January 6, 2006. ___ July 18 (1 p.m.-5 p.m.), July 20 (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), and July 25 (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Gwinnett EHC
___ February 3-5, 2006 (3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Friday; 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday): UGA, Athens Registration deadline: Postmarked by January 20, 2006. ___ September 15-17, 2006 (3 p.m.– 7 p.m., Friday; 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday & Sunday): Gwinnett EHC Registration deadline: Postmarked by September 1, 2006.
5. Fostering Learning (20 hours, 2 PLU)
___ March 3-5, 2006 (Friday afternoon thru Sunday afternoon): University of Georgia,
Athens, Georgia Registration deadline: Postmarked by February 20, 2006. ___ October 27-29 (Friday afternoon thru Sunday afternoon): Gwinnett EHC Registration deadline: Postmarked by October 13, 2006.
6. Assessment and Evaluation (20 hours, 2 PLU) ___ June 13 (8 a.m.- 5 p.m.), June 15 (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and June 20 (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Gwinnett EHC Registration deadline: Postmarked by May 30, 2006. EE Certification: Course and Registration Details
• The EE certification program is open to formal and nonformal educators as well as volunteers and docents.
• To fulfill your EE certification program requirements, you only need to enroll in one course per topic area for a total of six courses.
• You can begin the EE certification program with any course. It is required, however, that you complete all six courses within a three year time period.
• All courses have a ‘take-home’ assessment component (e.g., responding to essay questions, designing and submitting lesson plans, etc.).
• Professional Learning Units (PLU) for participating Georgia certified classroom teachers will not be awarded until successful completion of course assessment. Participants are allowed 4 weeks after each course to complete this requirement.
• You can use the registration form to enroll in as many courses as you wish; however, payment is expected with your registration form. You may also choose to register on a ‘course by course’ basis and submit a separate registration form for each course.
• Courses must have a minimum of 15 participants. You will be notified shortly after the registration deadline if a course you have registered for must be cancelled.
• Each course provides instructional and educational resources. Meals and lodging are on your own.
• As dates and locations are finalized, additional courses will be added to the schedule. Please check www.EEinGEORGIA.org and www.eealliance.org for the most current course schedule.
• Registration fee is $65 per course. Environmental Education Alliance of (EEA) Georgia member fee is $60 per course. To download an EEA membership application, please visit:
• www.eealliance.org/membership.htm
• Make check payable to the UGA College of Environment and Design. Confirmation of course registration fee will be sent to your e-mail address.
• Request for refund of registration fee must be received in writing one week prior to the beginning of a course. Submit request by e-mail ([email protected]) or by fax (706.542.4485).
• All participants must pre-register for course(s). There will be no on-site registration.
• Mail registration form and payment to: Richard E. Osorio Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education College of Environment and Design 609 Caldwell Hall The University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 30602-1845
• If you have questions, please contact Richard at 706.583.2733 or via e-mail at [email protected].
