MVFN EEP update December 2006
By Pauline Donaldson
In May, Janine DeSalaberry retired as Chair of EEPP, the important BOD position in charge of our Environmental Education Projects Program. Many thanks for your years of dedication to EEPP Janine. A great variety of projects funded by MVFN took place in the 2005-06 school year. As Janine reported at the May 2006 AGM: “Roughly 1,700 children and 90 adults were given the opportunity to learn about snakes and other small creatures. Both Paul Fry, with his excellent program, “The Critter Guy” and Jeff Hathaway, with his “Sciensational SSnakes!” were outstanding, providing vital scientific information with a hands-on experience. …As the principal of Maple Grove Public School wrote: “the presenters were truly exceptional speakers and were able to engage the students throughout the presentations. The learning that occurred is still evident in the information that they are able to recall…” Some of the other programs receiving an injection of financial support were visits by astronomer/author, Terrence Dickenson to Almonte schools, and a Grade 2 full day program of stream study and a land animal learning program at Mill of Kintail in June. In closing Janine welcomed Patricia Larkin the new Chair of EEPP for 2006-07, and offered her continued support for the program. MVFN’s EEPP typically funds both hands-on education in schools and field trips, such as a November class trip to MVC’s Water Festival at Mill of Kintail. If you require further information on EEPP funding, contact Patricia Larkin at 613-256-5301 or by e-mail lkmarsh@magma.ca.
Application for the last $5000 installment of the current Trillium grant has been made and EEPP is awaiting receipt. Late in 2006, the BOD enthusiastically launched work on another gala fund raiser for EEPP, which is to be held in 2007.
In September, MVFN’s Board of Directors approved EEPP funding to Maple Grove Public School in Lanark for an exciting new environmental program, the “Maple Grove EcoSchool Initiative”. Under the guidance of Nature Works Learning, Grades 3-8 are learning more about their school in the areas of water use, energy use, waste/recycling and schoolyard landscape/planning. An ‘EcoTeam’ of teachers, support staff and students performed an ‘audit’ to see how school operations measure up in these 4 categories.
Having completed this they will develop action plans in the New Year to improve performance. Environmental literacy is the goal of student-produced newsletter articles, an EcoSchool Bulletin Board and an “EcoTree” in the schools’ entrance where good news ‘leaves’ are attached as the year progresses. We wish the staff and students of Maple Grove school much success in this project. Look for further updates on the EcoSchool project in the coming months.
Students at R.Tait McKenzie school get ready for frost watch, Nov’06.
Photo: Neil Carleton
Stream study at Mill of Kintail, June ‘06.
Photo: Pauline Donaldson
