Earth Partnership for Schools

Participants in the 2006 RESTORE Institute identify plants in the Wisconsin Native Plants Garden overlooking Curtis Prairie, the world's oldest restored prairie.

RESTORE Institute

The Earth Partnership for Schools RESTORE (Restoration-Education, Science Training and Outreach for Regional Educators) Initiative was established to expand our nationally recognized model for teacher professional development to a nationwide audience, leading to improved teacher classroom practices.

Our goal is to use native plantings and the process of ecological restoration on school grounds as a means of placing education reform into core subject areas. EPS emphasizes inquiry-based learning, multiple intelligences, and interdisciplinary connections in a hands-on, collaborative setting.

Involvement in the RESTORE initiative includes participating in a two-week Leadership Institute for national RESTORE teams (each team consists of two non-formal educators/resource personnel from your facility and four K-12 teachers).

The goal of the RESTORE Institute is to create a national learning community of professionals interested in high-quality teacher professional development and schoolyard habitat restoration education. Institute graduates gain content-based knowledge, learn evaluation techniques, and receive curricular materials, along with ongoing support from Earth Partnership for Schools staff. They leave the institute prepared to sponsor one-week Leadership Institutes at their respective EPS Regional Facilitating Centers.

2010 RESTORE Institute

Please review the following links for application information:

RESTORE Overview
Responsibilities of Participating Organizations
Financial Matters
Credit
Program Schedule
Application Forms
Application Checklist
Contacts

Additional Information and Brochures

RESTORE Leadership Institute PowerPoint

For Teachers

2010 RESTORE Leadership Institute Brochure

Earth Partnership for Schools Brochure

General Information

RESTORE Brochure

The Challenge Facing Children Today and 10 Restoration Education Steps

RESTORE Overview

The Earth Partnership for Schools (EPS) Program began in 1991 as an outgrowth of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum's focus on ecological restoration as a way to establish a positive relationship between people and the land. EPS is a model K-12 teacher professional development program that enhances teaching and student learning through the process of restoring native ecosystems on school grounds.

The vision of RESTORE (Restoration-Education, Science Training, and Outreach for Regional Educators) is to promote and replicate EPS ecological restoration-based education in other states in order to improve teacher professional development and effective use of schoolyard ecological restoration sites as outdoor classrooms for student learning.

The RESTORE initiative is intended to provide extensive training to teams of educators who want to establish EPS Facilitating Centers in their states. The RESTORE Leadership Institute will share the EPS professional development model in an experiential format, which allows teams to strategically plan how they will bring the EPS program to their region. New practices of teacher professional development, inquiry science, ecological restoration, program design, and learning theory will be explored collectively as teams share ideas and expertise and create a sense of community around this common area of interest. They will experience activities that show how to use the restoration process to teach science, math, and related core subjects.

EPS Institutes have tremendous potential for teacher enhancement. As one teacher stated: "The way the course was laid out with all the activities being an integral part of the restoration process is unbelievable in my opinion. It is rare to have a course pack so much pertinent information into ten days. We experienced every aspect of the restoration projects that we are going to do with students." Students at all levels, with diverse learning styles and varied socioeconomic backgrounds learn scientific concepts through this hands-on, context-rich restoration-based experience.

RESTORE builds upon the EPS program's 18 years of experience so that new EPS Centers' staff will be prepared and motivated to implement their own state-specific EPS programming for K-12 teachers. This initiative offers teams a training at the RESTORE Leadership Institute at UW-Madison Arboretum. Teams will apply to participate and commit to serving as EPS Centers. Within one year of their institute experience, these teams will plan, implement, and evaluate a one-week teacher professional development institute (or equivalent) in their home states for interdisciplinary teams of 4-6 teachers from 10 schools. Additional networking, program support, and follow-up will be offered to teams. An EPS Center Handbook, along with an EPS Resource Binder and EPS K-12 Curriculum Guides will also be provided.

Responsibilities of Participating Organizations

Commit long-term to implementing the EPS program in your home state, and recruit collaborative teacher teams. (Applying organizations)
Form a team that will attend the Leadership Institute made up of two non-formal educators/resource personnel from your organization, four teachers (preferably 2 teachers from 2 schools), and at least one natural resource staff person interested in pursuing schoolyard restoration sites on school grounds.
Collaborate and network with EPS staff and other participating EPS Centers before the institute to share expectations and identify strengths and needs.
Participate in a RESTORE Leadership Institute (July12-22, 2010).
Offer a one-week EPS Institute (or equivalent) in 2011. (Applying organizations, teachers assist)
Start a school curriculum/site committee during the school year at each school following the institute. The committee will be comprised of teachers representing a variety of grades and disciplines. Students and community members may also be members. (Teachers)
Develop an ecological native planting for the school sites. (Teachers)
Participate in program evaluations and/or provide classroom and student-based assessments you have used. Our funders request evaluation of Earth Partnership program activities.
Act as a resource person for EPS Center staff and other natural resource staff who are developing schoolyard habitats. (Natural Resource Agency)

Financial Matters

Each EPS Center team is responsible for travel, meals, and lodging costs during the 2010 Institute.
Lunch costs are covered during the RESTORE Leadership Institute.
Participating EPS Centers are responsible for the costs of planning and implementing the 2010 one-week Institute.
Each participating team receives services and materials through this program with a monetary value of approximately $30,000.

Credit

The 2010 Leadership Institute is offered through University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Curriculum and Instruction for three credits.

These credits are classified as "special student" credits. The credits can be transferred to graduate credits by the graduate department with whom you are enrolled.

The Leadership Institute course is a UW-Madison graduate level course, and tuition is waived. Participants are responsible solely for the UW segregated fees (approximately $130). Registration information will be sent in April 2010. Optional additional credit for action research projects is also offered as a UW-Madison graduate level course, and tuition is waived.

Program Schedule

Spring 2010

EPS staff in Madison and EPS RESTORE teams network and collaborate via phone and email to identify strengths, needs, and expectations to ensure long-term commitment and sustainability.

EPS partnering organizations' staff meet with school teams and school administrators to collaborate on the RESTORE initiative and discuss plans for school restoration projects.

Summer 2010

July 12-22: RESTORE Leadership Institute at UW-Madison Arboretum

Fall 2010 through Spring 2011

At Schools: Form ongoing school teams. Initiate a native habitat planting on/near school grounds with support from EPS Center staff..

At EPS Centers: Design a one-week institute, and recruit up to 10 school teams (four-to-six teachers) to participate. Teachers collaborate with Center staff. EPS staff provide one on-site visit to each center. Content and process of these site visits will be determined jointly by EPS and EPS RESTORE teams.

All Sites: Hold a half-day video conference/meeting to network, share experiences and strategize program planning.

Summer 2011: Implement a one-week (or equivalent) EPS Institute at your EPS Center.

Fall 2011 and Beyond

At Schools: Continue cycle of native planting, implementation and use. Maintain student and staff involvement.

At EPS Centers: Provide support to schools. Integrate EPS programming into your center's education program. Feel free to contact EPS staff for consultation.

Application Forms

National RESTORE Leadership Institute

Application Checklist

Partnering Organization Administrator Form(s)
Two (2) Partnering Organization Staff Forms
Four (4) Teacher Forms
At least one (1) Natural Resource Agency Staff Form
Two (2) Signed School Administrator Letters

Please keep copies for your records

Return to:

Earth Partnership for Schools - RESTORE
UW-Madison Arboretum
1207 Seminole Highway
Madison, WI 53711

Deadline: February 15, 2010
After February 15, call for availability

CONTACTS - NATIONAL EARTH PARTNERSHIP FOR SCHOOLS OFFICE

For questions about the institute or application procedure, call the Earth Partnership for Schools office:

Cheryl Bauer-Armstrong, Director - (608) 262-5264 or cherylbauer@wisc.edu
Rick Hall, RESTORE Project Specialist (608) 262-5367 or rdhall@uwarb.wisc.edu
Marian Farrior, Action Research Project Coordinator (608) 265-5214 or mlfarrior@wisc.edu
Carol Edgerton, Office Manager (608) 262-9925 or caedgert@wisc.edu

Contact EPS