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INITIATIVES
The Green Strides Webinar Series: For All Schools Moving Toward the Pillars
Webinar

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The Green Strides Webinar Series provides school communities the tools to reduce their schools' environmental impact and costs; improve health and wellness; and teach effective environmental education. It provides all schools access to the resources that help them move toward the Pillars of our U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition award.

Sign up for Green Strides Webinar Series email updates to receive information on future webinars. All times are given as Eastern Standard. View archived webinars here.

May 15, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Engaging your Community on Green Apple Day of Service (USGBC)

Register here. The first ever Green Apple Day of Service saw more than 1,200 events take place in all 50 states and in 49 countries. Join the Center for Green Schools in preparing for the second annual Green Apple Day of Service, on September 28, 2013. During this webinar we will introduce the basics on what this day means and how your community can get involved. We’ll discuss the kinds of projects you can take on to transform your classroom, school or campus, how to put a project team together, and other resources you may need along the way.

May 22, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Teacher Ranger Teacher (NPS)

Register here. Discover how to teach your class about the environment, outdoor recreation and our nation's historic places by participating in the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher professional development program. Work alongside National Park Service rangers and education specialists in the development, implementation and evaluation of environmental education, outdoor recreation, or history and civics education programs. This webinar will include information on opportunities to participate, how to receive graduate credit, and some examples of previous teachers' experiences in the program. Teacher Ranger Teacher offers opportunities in both STEM and history/civics education.

May 29, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Authentic Student Voice and Leadership in GreenSchools! (USFS/PLT)

Register here. In a growing number of Project Learning Tree GreenSchools! across the United States, students are becoming involved in decision-making activities that affect their environment and community as well as themselves, their peers, and their whole school. When we say student voice we are talking about more than simplylistening to students. Student voice is the individual and collective perspective and actions of young people within the context of learning and education. Many of today's young people share a concern for building, maintaining, and serving community and only lack a platform. This webinar will feature dynamic Green Team student leaders who will share compelling and personal testimonials about the transformative power of student leadership in the Green Schools movement.

June 5, 2013, 4-5 p.m. A Public Land for Every Classroom (NPS)

Registration information coming soon.
Public lands, partners and schools face a common challenge of relevancy to today’s youth. By joining forces, we can build creative, effective, and sustainable bridges to engage students in project-based learning and stewardship of communities. Join the partners of the Public Lands for Every Classroom family of programs exploring techniques to form public-lands-school/community partnerships and engage youth in authentic learning experiences that support the Common Core standards and create new generations of engaged citizenry.

June 12, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Summer Reading for Environmental Education (EDN)

Register here. Summer reading lists offer an opportunity for students to continue their educational journey when school is not in session. Through Earth Day Network’s innovative Reading for the Earth™ campaign, students all over the country are learning about environmental issues and challenges through reading. In this webinar, Earth Day Network will facilitate a discussion on some of the benefits of summer reading for the environment and highlight some effective books to get students engaged in the discussion.

June 19, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Better Energy Performance through Building Envelope Improvements (BMS)

Registration information coming soon.
This webinar will present a description of the challenges faced to increase the energy efficiency and health of schools, particularly as they pertain to building envelope. Topics will include use of daylighting, use of insulation and other materials, evaluating building materials for green schools, and solutions to challenges.

June 26, 2013, 4-5 p.m. BioDiversity Discovery: Creating Next Generation Standards (NPS)

Register here. The National Park Service (NPS) is engaging in "Biodiversity Discovery," a variety of efforts, such as bioblitzes, in which members of the public, including scientists, students, and visitors work together to discover living organisms in the parks. This webinar will offer a historic overview of the growth of biodiversity discovery in the national parks, provide a synopsis of NPS Call to Action #7 "Next Generation Stewards, and identify areas of youth involvement, including the NPS/National Geographic Society Bioblitzes; the Taxonomist in Parks initiative, the Biodiversity Youth Ambassador program, and NPS strategies to further biodiversity education.

July 10, 2013, 4-5 p.m. School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (CDC)

Registration details coming soon.
The CDC will introduce participants to their School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. These guidelines are a synthesis of research and best practices for schools to prevent obesity and promote physical activity and healthy eating among students. Participants will learn about the burden of childhood obesity, the role of schools in promoting health, the nine guidelines CDC recommends for schools to create a healthier environment, and CDC resources to assist with implementation. Click here to learn more about the guidelines.

July 24, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Recycle-Bowl Competition and Educational Resources (KAB)

Register here! KAB’s Recycle-Bowl was created to provide students with a fun, interactive way to learn about waste reduction and environmental responsibility through in-school recycling. At the close of the four-week competition, the school in each state that collects the most recyclable material per capita will win $1,000. A national champion then will be chosen from among the statewide winners to receive an additional grand prize. Educational recycling activities also will be provided online and through a registration toolkit. To learn more about the competition, join Keep America Beautiful for a one-hour Recycle-Bowl kickoff webinar. The webinar will explain the competition, provide an overview of available resources and highlight the use of the recycling competition at a school.

July 31, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Engaging Parents to Foster Healthier, More Successful Students (CDC)

Registration details coming soon.
This webinar will discuss how parent engagement in school health positively influences the health of children and adolescents. Research shows that parent engagement in schools is closely linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills. Parent engagement also makes it more likely that children and adolescents will adopt healthy behaviors such as healthy eating and being physically active. An adolescent health researcher at the CDC will describe how parent engagement in schools positively impacts adolescent education and health outcomes, and will identify evidence-based strategies and actions for engaging parents in school health as it relates specifically to physical activity, nutrition, and chronic conditions. The webinar will end with an in-depth overview of CDC’s resources for parent engagement in school health.

Aug. 7, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Mold and Moisture Control in Schools: Potential Health Effects and Safe Clean-Up Practices (EPA)

Details to come.

Aug. 14, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Training Tools for Healthy Schools (CDC)

Details to come.

Aug. 21, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Guide to Implementing Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CDC)

Details to come.

Sept. 4, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Food Day (Center for Science in the Public Interest)

Details to come.

Sep. 11, 2013 2 p.m. Green Purchasing (GSI)

Details to come.

Sep. 18, 2013 4-5 p.m. Schoolyard Habitat Program (FWS)

Details to come.

Sept. 25, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) Conservation and Design Program (FWS)

Created 2 decades ago as an innovative way to teach children about wetlands and waterfowl, the Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) Conservation and Design Program reaches more than 27,000 students each year, giving them the opportunity to learn scientific principles, connect with their natural world, and artistically express their knowledge of the beauty, diversity and interdependence of wildlife. Learn more about the program and the new JDS educational curriculum, released earlier this year, that is designed to spark youth interest in habitat conservation through science, art, math and technology.

Oct. 2, 2013, 4-5 p.m., Creating a Culture of Energy Efficiency: Innovative Ways to Engage the Whole School While Saving Money And The Environment (Alliance to Save Energy)

Registration information coming soon. This webinar covers the best innovative practices and approaches to engaging the student body while generating cost-savings through student-led energy reduction initiatives. The school building becomes a learning lab for students to apply STEM and language arts skills while inspiring the students to create a culture of energy efficiency. This webinar also addresses specific elements that can be used to complete the Green Ribbon Schools award application.

Oct. 9, 2013, 4-5 p.m. The Cool School Challenge: Addressing Energy Efficiency and Climate Change in K-12 Schools (NWF)

US K-12 schools spend almost $8 billion/year on energy, and the Department of Energy estimates that 25% of that is wasted. Learn how you can use the National Wildlife Foundation Eco-Schools USA’s Cool School Challenge and carbon calculator to reduce your energy use and carbon footprint.

Oct. 16, 2013, 4-5 p.m.: What Can We Learn From Schoolyard Trees? (USFS/ Smithsonian)

Register here. Want to learn the true value of your schoolyard trees? Through using Project Learning Tree's School Site investigations, students learn how to critically assess their school grounds and discover how their school site can be improved. This webinar will highlight student driven school yard transformations and improvements from across the country and empower participants with the tools and expertise to calculate the "real" value of their school trees through an online program that calculates a tree's services, such as, energy savings, clean water and air, and carbon sequestration. It will feature tree experts from the Nation’s Capital, including the Smithsonian Museum and Casey Tree Foundation, along with Green Team members from one of our successful schools.

Oct. 23, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Health and Academics (CDC)

Details to come.

Oct. 30, 2013 2-3 p.m. Water Access in Schools (CDC)

Details to come.

Nov. 6, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Designing Schoolyard Natural Play and Learning Areas (NWF)

Registration information coming soon. Natural Play and Learning areas offer an opportunity for children to investigate the natural world, achieve learning outcomes, and be physically active. This webinar will provide guidance on designing schoolyard Natural Play and Learning Areas, and will be led by Professor Robin Moore of NC State University.