Premier K-12th Grade Outdoor Education Program Expands Training on Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Education
APTOS, Calif. (PRWEB) November 28, 2019 -- WOLF School is celebrating 30 years of leading Outdoor Science School programs for students and their teachers with a renewed focus on Leadership. WOLF School, formally known as the United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) Web of Life Field (WOLF) School, is a residential outdoor environmental education school serving K-12th grade. Both teachers and students engage in WOLF’s dynamic programs at our outdoor classrooms in the redwoods, foothills, and across California at UCCR managed camp, conference and retreat facilities.
This school year, WOLF School educators are focusing on leadership and professional development in order to increase their knowledge of scientific concepts taught during WOLF programs, and to learn how to better create equitable access for all. “We are making it a priority to learn best practices for creating positive social learning opportunities for our students.” says WOLF School Director Heather Butler. WOLF’s staff continue to pursue a variety of trainings and incorporate these seeds of leadership into their teaching and program to benefit all who attend WOLF. This school year:
WOLF School Associate Director Desiree Gant currently participates in an 8 month Inside Education Program sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education that will result in her being able to help WOLF educators better understand the different schools and students that WOLF serves.
WOLF Educator Halli Boman recently attended Project Aquatic Wild, a nationally-recognized workshop focused on planning and delivery of hands-on activities on aquatic species and habitats and will present a workshop based on these activities for fellow educators in January.
WOLF Lead Naturalist, Tyler Feld, attended the 2019 LGBTQ Outdoor Summit in October where he learned methods to improve equity and representation of the LGBTQ community in outdoor settings. Tyler brought his new knowledge to WOLF’s November staff training and shared new ways to help make WOLF School more welcoming to LGBTQ students, staff, and teachers.
WOLF School Staff also attended events on Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Education, and Marine Biology and Sustainability. Butler also attended a California State Parks Foundation “Pathways to Parks” Conference that addresses ways to help California’s youth increase their health and get access to parks and the outdoors.
WOLF School staff meet monthly to share their experiences at their leadership workshops and work together to improve the program, teaching practices, and the WOLF School community. WOLF School’s goal is to help children enjoy and engage with science and the outdoors through hands-on activities. WOLF School’s Mission is to build respect, appreciation and stewardship within the web of life. WOLF School is a program of UCCR, a nonprofit facility, program, and management organization.
For information or to attend one of WOLF Schools programs in STEM/science, history, or teambuilding, contact us at WOLFSchool.org. For information about UCCR please visit UCCR.org
Tina Heck, United Camps, Conferences & Retreats, http://www.uccr.org/cazadero, +1 530-265-6636, [email protected]
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