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 will consist 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.
2008 RESTORE Institutes
National RESTORE Institute (complete Application Packet) July 23 - August 1, 2008
Wisconsin RESTORE Institute complete Application Packet July 8 - 18, 2008
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
National RESTORE Leadership Institute Brochure
WI-RESTORE Leadership Institute Brochure
General Information
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 will allow 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 15 years of experience so that new EPS Facilitating Centers' staffs will be prepared and motivated to implement their own state-specific EPS programming for K-12 teachers. This initiative offers teams comprised of two facilitating center staff members, four K-12 teachers (2 teachers from 2 schools per site) one graduate level, two-week (80-hour) institute.
Teams will apply to participate and commit to serving as EPS Facilitating 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 Facilitating Center Handbook, along with an EPS Resource Binder and EPS K-12 Curriculum Guide, will also be provided. EPS activities are cross-referenced with standards and include curricular objectives and student learning assessment ideas.
Responsibilities of Participating Organizations
- Commit long-term to implementing the EPS program in your home state, and recruit collaborative teacher teams. (Applying organization)
- Form a team that will attend the Leadership Institute of two non-formal educators/resource personnel from your facility and four K-12 teachers (preferably 2 teachers from 2 schools) interested in pursuing schoolyard restoration sites on their school grounds.
- Collaborate and network with EPS staff and other participating facilitating centers before the institute to share expectations and identify strengths and needs.
- Participate in a 10-day Leadership Institute.
- Offer a one-week EPS Institute (or equivalent) the following summer. (Applying organization)
- 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. (K-12 teachers)
- Develop an ecological native planting for the school site. (K-12 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.
Financial Matters
- Each EPS Facilitating Center team will receive partial reimbursement of their travel costs during the 2008 Institute.
- Lunches are catered during the 10-day institute.
- Participating EPS Facilitating Centers are responsible for the costs of planning and implementing the 2009 one-week Institute.
- Each participating team receives services and materials through this program with a monetary value of approximately $20,000.
Credit
The 2008 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 course is a UW-Madison graduate level course, and registration fees are waived. Participants are responsible solely for the UW segregated fees ($108.77 for Special students; $162.14 for UW-Madison Graduate students). Registration information will be sent in April 2008.
Program Schedule
Spring 2008
EPS and facilitating center staff network and collaborate via phone and email to identify strengths, needs, and expectations to ensure long-term commitment and sustainability. Facilitating center staff meet with school teams and school administrators to collaborate on the RESTORE initiative and discuss plans for school restoration projects.
Summer 2008:
Two-week, RESTORE Leadership Institute (80 hours; Monday - Friday):
National Restore Leadership Institute: July 23 - August 1, 2008
WI-RESTORE Leadership Institute: July 8 - 18, 2008
Fall 2008 through Spring 2009 At Schools:
Form on-going school teams. Initiate a native habitat planting on/near school grounds. At Facilitating Centers: Design a one-week institute and recruit up to 10 school teams (four-to-six teachers) to participate. EPS staff provides one on-site visit to each facilitating center. Content and process of these site visits will be determined jointly by EPS and facilitating center staff. All Sites: Hold a half-day videoconference meeting to network, share experiences and strategize program planning. (Videoconferencing services provided.)
Summer 2009 Implement one-week (or equivalent) Institute at your facilitating center.
Fall 2009 and Beyond At Schools: Continue cycle of native planting implementation and use. Maintain student and staff involvement. At Facilitating 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
WI-RESTORE Leadership Institute
Application Checklist
- 6 Participant Forms
- two (2) Facilitating Center Staff
- four (4) K-12 Teachers
- Facilitating Center Form
- 2 Signed School Administrator Letters (1 per school)
- Please keep copies for your records
Return to:
EPS-RESTORE, UW-Madison Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Highway Madison, WI 53711
For questions about the institute or application procedure, call the National Earth Partnership for Schools Program office.
Cheryl Bauer-Armstrong, Director (608) 262-5264 or cherylbauer@wisc.edu
Rick Hall, Outreach Specialist (608) 262-5367 or rdhall@wisc.edu
Carol Edgerton, Office Manager (608) 262-9925 or caedgert@wisc.edu