Professional Development
1.2.1 Office of Sustainability PD- entire teaching staff of school
On October 2, 2017 Abby Cocke, an environmental planner with Baltimore City, presented professional development to the entire teaching staff at our monthly faculty meeting. The PD covered the Baltimore City Sustainability Plan: One of the goals of the plan is for every school to become a Maryland Green School. She then presented different ways teachers and school staff could involve students in this goal. She covered the work being done in BCPS with students leading sustainability and energy projects funded by the Green, Healthy, Smart Challenge grants. She also talked about the City’s Student Environmental Leadership Action Team noting some of their accomplishments and encouraged teachers to involve Cross Country students.
Abby covered the breakdown of the Maryland Green School application for the entire staff and suggested ways they could support the school’s application.
Documents attached: Email from Abby confirming her participation and staff sign in sheets from the Faculty meeting
1.2.1 Office of Sustainability PD- entire teaching staff of school
On October 2, 2017 Abby Cocke, an environmental planner with Baltimore City, presented professional development to the entire teaching staff at our monthly faculty meeting. The PD covered the Baltimore City Sustainability Plan: One of the goals of the plan is for every school to become a Maryland Green School. She then presented different ways teachers and school staff could involve students in this goal. She covered the work being done in BCPS with students leading sustainability and energy projects funded by the Green, Healthy, Smart Challenge grants. She also talked about the City’s Student Environmental Leadership Action Team noting some of their accomplishments and encouraged teachers to involve Cross Country students.
Abby covered the breakdown of the Maryland Green School application for the entire staff and suggested ways they could support the school’s application.
Documents attached: Email from Abby confirming her participation and staff sign in sheets from the Faculty meeting
1.2.2 - Cross Country has 32 Teachers. 6 of our teachers have participated in environmental professional development.
1.2.2 Air Quality Workshop: Cohen, Pappy, Vaday
Three teachers attended MAEOE Air Quality Workshop. Below is the receipt for Vaday, Cohen and Pappy as well as a follow up email to the teachers confirming their attendance. Cross Country will implement this in our middle school spring 2018.
1.2.2 - Maryland Science Center Workshop: Ms. Goodson
ESOL teacher Joan Goodson attended the educator, “Live from the Sun” at the Maryland Science Center on Saturday, March 3, 2018. We discovered the latest news about our nearest star with up to the minute images of the sun with sunspots and solar flares on the Science on a Sphere. The sun has untapped potential as a source of sustainable energy. We learned that the Sun’s huge explosions can endanger technologies we all rely upon. I plan to use these resources with my students as well as share with other educators at my school. This workshop was made possible through a grant from NASA.
1.2.2 - Capstone Challenge - Nitrogen Reduction Project - Buls
2018 is the 3rd year that Cross Country has participated in the Ingenuity Project's Capstone Challenge. Students are challenged to engineer a device that reduces Nitrogen in the Water. All teachers facilitating the challenge must participate in Professional Development with the Ingenuity Project.
1.2.2 - BioEYES training Ms. Buls 2/10/2018
Project BioEYES, is a weeklong, hands-on science project that brings live zebrafish into the classroom. K. Buls went to a mandatory training at JHU Carnegie Center in order to bring the program to Cross Country 8th graders. The first year, BioEYES comes into your school and leads the program. The second year has scientists come to the school twice at the beginning and end of the program and following years, BioEYES provides the equipment and the program is led by the teacher. This year, we will be doing the program with all 76 8th graders at our school.
Project BioEYES, is a weeklong, hands-on science project that brings live zebrafish into the classroom. K. Buls went to a mandatory training at JHU Carnegie Center in order to bring the program to Cross Country 8th graders. The first year, BioEYES comes into your school and leads the program. The second year has scientists come to the school twice at the beginning and end of the program and following years, BioEYES provides the equipment and the program is led by the teacher. This year, we will be doing the program with all 76 8th graders at our school.
1.2.2 - NDMU STEM Leadership/Sustainability - Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. Buls
- Mrs. Bishop and Ms. Buls are attending Notre Dame University of Maryland for their Leadership in K-8 STEM education MA. Both teachers have taken the required Sustainability class which focuses on teaching lessons and creating curriculum in Environmental Literacy. Ms. Buls graduated from the program in December 2017 and took Sustainability in Fall 2014. Ms. Bishop will graduate in December 2018 and took the Sustainability course in Fall 2017.
EVERYTHING BELOW THIS DIVIDER TOOK PLACE BEFORE THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR
Classroom Management in the Garden - City Blossoms Workshop
On Thursday, March 13, 2014 Cross Country Elementary Middle School hosted a workshop led by City Blossoms to share techniques for Classroom Management in the Garden. Fifth grade science teacher Adrianna Olds, 2nd grade teacher Dawn Smith and Kristine Buls attended and teachers from other city schools who received the Nature Works everywhere grant attended.
Kristine Buls also attended the workshop "Activities in the Garden" also sponsored by City Blossoms on Saturday, February, 22 was at the Green School in Baltimore, MD. This workshop introduced Nature Conservancy lesson plans and gave instruction on building Mason Bee houses. Participants also went home with seeds to plant in their schoolyard gardens.
On Thursday, March 13, 2014 Cross Country Elementary Middle School hosted a workshop led by City Blossoms to share techniques for Classroom Management in the Garden. Fifth grade science teacher Adrianna Olds, 2nd grade teacher Dawn Smith and Kristine Buls attended and teachers from other city schools who received the Nature Works everywhere grant attended.
Kristine Buls also attended the workshop "Activities in the Garden" also sponsored by City Blossoms on Saturday, February, 22 was at the Green School in Baltimore, MD. This workshop introduced Nature Conservancy lesson plans and gave instruction on building Mason Bee houses. Participants also went home with seeds to plant in their schoolyard gardens.
6. Integrating Nutrition into the Elementary School Curriculum - UMD Extension - Fall 2011
is a 30-hour course for elementary and middle school teachers. The course provides the basics of nutrition, focusing on current health issues relevant to both children and teachers. The following teachers attended the 10 week course that was held at CCEMS during the fall of 2011: Christina Pollack, Cynthia Hodges, Torri Carter, Paula France, Desiree Clark, Breanna Guzman, and Gina Rogers-Queen. Eaddy, Susan Gottheimer, Delores Burgess, Kristine Buls, Rhonda Lewis, Kathi Karlin, Barbara Risby, Suzanne Dolan, Fandreia Bowman and Gina Rogers-Queen.
Teachers learn practical ways to integrate nutrition education into the required curriculum and earn two Maryland State Department of Education credit hours upon completion of the course. This FREE school-based course is designed for elementary school teachers working in schools with limited-income populations.
is a 30-hour course for elementary and middle school teachers. The course provides the basics of nutrition, focusing on current health issues relevant to both children and teachers. The following teachers attended the 10 week course that was held at CCEMS during the fall of 2011: Christina Pollack, Cynthia Hodges, Torri Carter, Paula France, Desiree Clark, Breanna Guzman, and Gina Rogers-Queen. Eaddy, Susan Gottheimer, Delores Burgess, Kristine Buls, Rhonda Lewis, Kathi Karlin, Barbara Risby, Suzanne Dolan, Fandreia Bowman and Gina Rogers-Queen.
Teachers learn practical ways to integrate nutrition education into the required curriculum and earn two Maryland State Department of Education credit hours upon completion of the course. This FREE school-based course is designed for elementary school teachers working in schools with limited-income populations.
7 Learning in the Garden - Real Food Farm - Saturday, March 29, 2014
Sixth/seventh grade social studies teacher Mrs. Towan Cooper attended Learning in the Garden Workshop at Real Food Farm from 1-4pm on March 29th. Jason Reed, garden educator, taught participants how to use gardening design and activities to engage students in Common Core, Environmental Literacy and STEM learning.
Sixth/seventh grade social studies teacher Mrs. Towan Cooper attended Learning in the Garden Workshop at Real Food Farm from 1-4pm on March 29th. Jason Reed, garden educator, taught participants how to use gardening design and activities to engage students in Common Core, Environmental Literacy and STEM learning.
8. Gwynns Falls Field Trip
Program Training - 11/9/2013, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fifth grade science teacher Marcus Southern attended this professional development session which was a five hour introduction to Leakin Park and the Gwynn Falls Trail hosted by the environmental education non-profit Parks and People. This training included an extensive tour of the park from the creek bed of the Gwynn Falls through the surrounding hills past the oldest recorded tree in the Baltimore and to the original Leakin home. While we toured the knowledgeable and friendly Park and People guide led us through a variety of activities to that elucidated the interconnects between the humans and their natural environment. The activities focused on the hydro and biosphere. We were led through activities explaining the water cycle in the park, we made grass water wheels that demonstrated how moving water and can provide humans energy and then we went the location of the still extant water wheel that powered the estate. We also conducted a macro-invertebrate survey and discussed how the presence of certain macro-invertebrates can signal changes in water quality.
Fifth grade science teacher Marcus Southern attended this professional development session which was a five hour introduction to Leakin Park and the Gwynn Falls Trail hosted by the environmental education non-profit Parks and People. This training included an extensive tour of the park from the creek bed of the Gwynn Falls through the surrounding hills past the oldest recorded tree in the Baltimore and to the original Leakin home. While we toured the knowledgeable and friendly Park and People guide led us through a variety of activities to that elucidated the interconnects between the humans and their natural environment. The activities focused on the hydro and biosphere. We were led through activities explaining the water cycle in the park, we made grass water wheels that demonstrated how moving water and can provide humans energy and then we went the location of the still extant water wheel that powered the estate. We also conducted a macro-invertebrate survey and discussed how the presence of certain macro-invertebrates can signal changes in water quality.
9. Energy Challenge - Baltimore Energy Challenge
Cross Country is participating in an Energy Competition between 13 Baltimore City Public Schools. The winner will be the school that can lower its energy use by the greatest percentage from previous years during the period November 2013 through April 2014.
On September 25th, 2013, Cross Country staff participated in the a kick-off event and training. Presenting were:
- Joanna Pi-Sunyer, green schools coordinator, Baltimore City Public Schools
- Kelley Ray, executive director, Baltimore Energy Challenge
Attending were: Farron George, Barbara Arthur, Keisha Chrstian, Nancy Blum, Rhonda Lewis, Torri Carter, Justin Hutchison, Nikomar Mosley, Kristine Buls and Towan Cooper.
We reviewed the terms of the competition, ways to save energy, services available from Baltimore Energy Challenge and ways Cross Country wished to implement the competition.
Cross Country is participating in an Energy Competition between 13 Baltimore City Public Schools. The winner will be the school that can lower its energy use by the greatest percentage from previous years during the period November 2013 through April 2014.
On September 25th, 2013, Cross Country staff participated in the a kick-off event and training. Presenting were:
- Joanna Pi-Sunyer, green schools coordinator, Baltimore City Public Schools
- Kelley Ray, executive director, Baltimore Energy Challenge
Attending were: Farron George, Barbara Arthur, Keisha Chrstian, Nancy Blum, Rhonda Lewis, Torri Carter, Justin Hutchison, Nikomar Mosley, Kristine Buls and Towan Cooper.
We reviewed the terms of the competition, ways to save energy, services available from Baltimore Energy Challenge and ways Cross Country wished to implement the competition.