In the years that PEI has been working with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), many memorable moments have occurred. One that stands out for PEI Program Director Denise Buck occurred during a site visit on the Olympic Peninsula in preparation for a teacher workshop. “Our coastal coordinator was
For a group of teachers from Eastmont School District, February 11 was a day to remember. At a time when most professional learning workshops for teachers happen indoors, the group spent a day outside – on snowshoes, no less! – analyzing water and snow chemistry as part of
Students from Ellensburg’s Discovery Lab awoke on February 23, filled with anticipation. Today was the day they would meet Governor Inslee, share their findings about the shrub-steppe ecosystem with local legislators and connect with other student groups who have similar interests. Their school wouldn’t open for another hour
Like many states, Washington has a teacher shortage. Unlike any other state, Washington passed legislation in 2022 establishing an Outdoor School program for students statewide. The combination of these two factors creates a unique demand for educators trained in outdoor-based learning. PEI is meeting that demand through a
Time is one of the most precious resources teachers have and there never seems to be enough of it. For those who want to pursue further training through a workshop, finding the time to do it can be a challenge. With that in mind, several members of PEI’s
You know an event was successful if people are disappointed when it’s over. When PEI’s Explore the Salish Sea workshop wrapped up on February 11th, participants weren’t ready for it to end. “No one wanted to leave,” says Daniel Cuevas, PEI’s East Sound South FieldSTEM Coordinator. “We were
Dora Kemp is passionate about the subject of food waste. At Sheridan Elementary School in Tacoma where she teaches a dual language kindergarten class, she observed how much food went into the garbage each day but when Kemp attempted to interest her students in the topic, her message
In August 2020, a group of teachers attending one of PEI’s Washington Invasive Species Council (WISC) workshops learned about invasive American bullfrogs from a knowledgeable guest presenter with a strong background in the subject. After sharing ways to identify the non-native frogs and details about how they kill
The Olympic Peninsula is home to some of the most remote school districts in Washington State, meaning teachers who want to improve their practice often have to travel up to four hours to attend professional workshops. Fortunately, for the past eight years, they’ve have had the advantage of
The word ‘fun’ doesn’t leap to mind when considering educational standards. Hitting Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is challenging enough. Add Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) targets, Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) standards and Culturally Responsive Teaching principles and educators may be forgiven for wanting to throw in
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