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November 9, 2005
Meeting Notes
Attendees: Beth Trowbridge, Bree Murphy, Heather Beggs, Steve Hackett, Catie Bursch, Melonie Shipman, Carmen Field, Carol Swartz, Terry Thompson, Ingrid Harrald, Lois Bettini, Kris Holderied, Elizabeth Wasserman, Glenn Seaman, Hillary (from Independent Learning), Christine Sgro, Janet Szajkowski, Nancy Kleine, Marilyn Sigman, Marianne Kronk
New Programs
Hillary (Independent Living): - a teen program is starting up in January and running
through May > open to any high school students and
run through Community Schools (3 – 5 pm once a week)
> call 235-7911 for more info
Ingrid (Cook Inlet Keeper): - CEMP (Citizen Environmental Monitoring Program now
doing wetland sites and adding bio-assessment in the
summers only > looking for partners on this
Steve: Is the Keeper doing any plant observations?
Ingrid: Not really; the focus is on ENRI protocols (with
macroinvertebrates); students can get involved only
during the summer
Bree (CACS): - continue to offer CACS spring programs
- new this year:
- tried homeschool oceanography with students from Wasilla &
Kenai Peninsula
- Science on the Spit, based out of the yurt (K – 5th grade)
- dock tours focusing on marine life
- Kids Day Across the Bay (summer) > not as many kids as expected
- joint Coastwalk programs with Refuge, working with Melonie’s
Marine Debris program (also at Day of Science in Seldovia) >
hoping to start Coastwalk in other communities
- using aerial photos from KBRR now with Coastwalk, plus GPS
Beth (CACS/WNC): - BioKids is new for 7 – 12 year-olds, with art and nature focus (a
drop-in program) > really successful & will continue; once a week
with 10 – 12 kids (nearly full)
- evening programs on Fridays from 6 – 8 pm, focusing on art &
nature with artist intern > lack of advertising; will continue
- 1-week winter program for 8 – 12 year-olds over 12 – 14 weeks
(limit: 12 – 15 kids), with focus on earth (kids sign up) > next year
will focus on watersheds with field trips
- Winter Ecology school program piloted with Fireweed last year;
this year it will be coordinated with Connections homeschool
students
Heather (Pratt): - introduced Lois Bettini, the museum’s new education coordinator
- this January, the museum staff will be looking for ID cards for aquaria;
a new tank will replace the sand tank
- next art/science exhibit collaboration will be BUGS
Lois (Pratt): - passed out 2 handouts (Pratt Museum – An Overview (vision statement)
and Programs at a Glance) > she would like input on the vision statement
in January
- WHIZ Kids has started with newly hired local kid (Nigel) > 2 days / week
(drop-in program)
- lifelong learners being incorporated into mentor/internship programs
- docent training once a month at museum > first was with Carmen last
month; next is Nov. 17 (Jennifer Adleman speaking on interpreting
exhibits related to geology & geography)
- she’s overhauling entire ed program at museum and how it’s outreached
in this community
- in April she’ll release info on a program based on entomology > Bug Me
Week in 2nd week of July; students to get involved in museum’s insect
collection
Carmen: fyi - educators at Kachemak Bay Learning Center teach
entomology
- hopefully there’ll be a bug class at Kachemak Bay Campus in Sep/Oct
Christine (HSWCD): - has done canoe trip to Kenai NWR, bear safety with National
Park Service staff, an inventory program with her Natural
Resource & Technology class > high school students meet
Mon & Wed nights 6 – 8 pm for 1 credit of science/vocational
arts; most are 10th grade (8 girls this year); have greenhouse;
students are FFA members – they recently placed 22nd out of 39
teams in national forestry contest at FFA Conference in
Kentucky
Carol: Who can enroll?
Chris: open to any high school student (homeschool students
welcome)
- now preparing for Envirothon, focusing on global change and
water stewardship
- call 299-2706 for more info on this program
- students need community work projects (they need hours for
FFA)
Melonie (AMNWR): - programs now only focusing on Refuge resources, especially
Aleutians / Pribilofs > programs include Kodiak WhaleFest,
summer Native camps, joint projects with the Commander Isls,
and international schools
- Poppy is being given the USFWS’ national Sense of Wonder
award
- there will be a divisional meeting on outreach with Refuge staff
in Dec. > they’ll probably be cutting back on Homer education
programs (still Club Mud, but less of others); probably fall will
be blackout time for Homer programs
- there will be a new education coordinator for the Refuge
between April 1 and June 1 because Melonie is going to
Minnesota
Janet Szajkowski: - appreciate opportunities to work with local EE providers & Nancy
Kleine
- ~ 245 K – 12 students in Connections locally (114 in 7th – 12th
mostly (Connections) high school)
Steve (IDEA): - Steve is a secondary contact teacher for IDEA, with math/science/EE
specialties
- ~ 160 K – 12th students Anchor Point and south (in KPBSD there are
almost 600)
- outdoor programs involve parents directly
- in spring he offers Roadside Geology (during fall – Earth Science Week
in Oct., using AK Mineral & Resource Kits (belonging to MMS) > he
also leads 1/2 –day boat tour, highlighting geology with 90 people on
Rainbow Connection (will continue)
- RAVEN correspondence school (will continue)
Bree: homeschool students coming to Homer from north of Anchorage
and up Peninsula, supporting perhaps a spring homeschool
series of programs
Nancy: winter programs are good because lots is happening in the
spring; there are lots of homeschool kids (~1300 total
on Peninsula)
Lois: is teaching entomology online now; entomology will be available
online for exhibits during next year
Kris (NOAA): - NOAA would like lab used, though it’s limited for school groups >
great field facilities include dry/wet lab, pier and more
- NOAA has given UAF money for community use of lab
- NOAA has many lesson plans on its education website
(www.education.noaa.gov)
Elizabeth (NPS): - Lake Clark opened an office in Homer last spring, i.e. a satellite field
Office
- partnered with Refuge & Reserve at Islands & Ocean this past
summer/fall
- working on curriculum for Lake Clark for AK Peninsula schools
(ready within a year)
- she’s developing a jr. ranger program for the Park Service >
interested in partnering
- handed out Lake Clark brochure & Interpretive Themes info sheet,
plus Web Ranger brochure
- Nov. 18 will be a climate change talk at 7pm (“Climate Change – What
Lies Ahead: The Story Behind Alaska’s Warm Welcome” by John
Morris of regional NPS)
- Dec. 2 at 7pm Alan Bennett will give an overview on NPS inventory
& monitoring – “Vital Signs: Monitoring Our National Parks (Alan is
the project’s coordinator)
- Dec. 28 at noon Elizabeth will give a virtual tour of Lake Clark
National Park
Glenn (NOAA): - handed out an overview of his project, a College of Rural AK
program
- Native communities want to be involved in resource management
- vision: distance learning and classes offered in the region,
incorporating TEK and western science
- 10 students from Chugach region, with scholarship money available
- for the past 6 months, he’s been solidifying partnerships > a new
advisory group will meet in Anchorage Dec. 5, 2005
Terry: - Coastal Training Program (CTP) is managed by Rick Foster at KBRR
- Rick works with planning & zoning commissions
- next program will focus on roads & their impacts > future workshops:
gateway community project, ethical wildlife viewing
Bree: What is the ethical wildlife viewing workshop?
Terry: Terry Johnson is organizing this; KBRR is just helping as needed
- the Reserve is strengthening its relationship with the ADF&G
SportFish Deptarment, especially with its invasive species programs
Lois: KBRR could partner with museum on commercial fish interpretation on
invasives outreach (example: mud snail)
Steve: ecotourism training may meet goal of KBEEA audience
Catie: - the CIAP teacher field trip planning website looks good > all EE organizations /
KBEEA members are invited to outreach their programs here (contact Catie)
- handed out Fall ’05 Discovery Lab schedule (winter ’06 schedule will be
available in December)
Heather: Are we tracking hits to the website?
Catie: Yes, we had 2,000 in October.
Lois: I direct teachers to this website.
Carol (KBC-KPC): - this semester’s science classes included: Biology of Whales,
Cycles in Nature, Mushrooms, and Oceanography
- next semester’s classes include: global climate change (with Ed
Berg
- 5 weeks beginning in late March on Thursday evenings), fish
biology with Willy Dunne in March, Physical Geology, Intro to
Biology, teacher trainings, and Elderhostel programs
- if your agency/organization has a brochure to share with students,
give them to Carol for distribution
Carmen (KBRR): - the Reserve’s High Seas Drifters and Careers in Marine Science
(indoor lab programs), Estuary Ecology & Research (outdoor
programs), and Discovery Labs continue to be offered
- she attended a science inservice in the MatSu and many teachers
requested sharing EE activities via the Web
- the Reserve is sponsoring an art contest through March 17, 2006
(My Estuary Art Contest)
- Reserve staff is now teaching Plankton Art classes for K – 12th
grade students (a spin-off from last year’s plankton art workshops
for artists)
- the Reserve’s education staff is now coordinating more than ever
with the research staff, accompanying them on field work
- Carmen manages 3 listserves: KBEEA (those not subscribed are
invited to join), KBay Teachers, and Climate Change Teachers
- the teacher field trip planning website to be copied for Seward EE
opportunities per NPS staff
- Day of Science in Seldovia with Partners in Education went really
well; Carmen gave positive feedback from school principal Curt
Liberty; discussion to add new partners (such as NPS) and offer to
homeschool students (tentatively April 7, 2006), as well as repeat
for Seldovia in 2006-07 school year
KBEEA Outreach Committee
Banner: - done by Catie and Kevin; posted on wall
- it will be kept in the Islands & Ocean graphics room in tube
- add National Park Service (Elizabeth will confirm NPS or Lake Clark NPS) &
Kachemak Bay Campus to list of partners on this banner or a 2nd one
- print up 4 – 6 banners eventually
Rack card: - Carmen to work on rack card this winter; she apologizes for tardiness
- can money from marketing I & O pay for printing these? Other sources?
- Marilyn will pull together details on KBEEA for future newspaper feature article
- Add Elizabeth/NPS and Lois/Pratt to Committee
- 2006 Committee members: Gale, Lois, Melonie, Marilyn, Carmen, Catie, Elizabeth
- next committee meeting: Tuesday, January 10 at 9:00 am at Pratt
COLLABORATIONS
Elizabeth: How are people finding out about our programs? Mostly unknown
Partners in Education
PlanktonFest ’06: - scheduled for March 15 at I&O, with Discovery Lab and
more, depending on partner activities
Bree: Can plankton ecology training be an annual event
for CACS volunteers (and others)?
Carmen: Yes, but we’ll schedule it for a different day.
Microscopic Ocean Art & Nature - Kevin Co (KBRR) took photos of exhibit (not easily
accessed yet)
Elizabeth: Can Plankton Art workshops be
offered for adults in the future?
KBay Science Conference
Terry: - dates have changed to March 24 – 26, 2006 at HHS
Mariner Theater with Sunday field trip to Kasitsna Bay
Lab > starts at 1pm Friday; Saturday will feature talks on
nearshore and watershed habitats; reception & poster
session will be offered, too
- theme: Observing our Bay
- keynote speakers to be invited: Nick Tanape, Lance
Trasky, & Bumppo Bremmicker
- there will be an option for teachers to earn credit
Teacher Trainings - after discussion, it was agreed to offer a Project WET /
Project WILD – Forest Ecology teacher workshop during
the 3rd week of June > Beth and Marianne will coordinate
on this
Bree: a CACS 1-credit course for teachers is coming up,
preparing teachers for coming to the CACS
Peterson Bay Field Station
Online Resources Bree: CACS has a new online opportunity to create a map
from ShoreZone mapping info
KASITSNA BAY LAB OVERVIEW (by Kris Holderied)
Kris gave a Powerpoint presentation, describing how the lab has changed due to its recent remodel and how KBEEA members might use this resource. Visit http://www.westnurc.uaf.edu/kbay.html to learn more about the Kasitsna Bay Lab located between Jakolof and Seldovia Bays on the south side of Kachemak Bay.
- The new pier might be a location for a student monitoring project.
- The 2 dorms sleep ~ 48 people.
COLLABORATIONS (continued)
Arctic Winter Games
Marianne: - Games take place March 5 – 11, 2006
- opening ceremonies on Sunday, March 4 at 7 pm
- curling & cultural events taking place in Homer > cultural
event on Thursday, March 9 at 6 – 9 pm; organizers are
looking for events on Thursday and Friday
- organizers looking for volunteers – sign-up online; volunteers
must have background check
- final schedule due out Jan. 9, 2006
- Does anyone have items for goody bags? (need lots of them,
as there will be ~ 800 special guests / 3,000 volunteers / 2,000
coaches & participants)
Women of Science ‘06
Beth: - There will be a Women of Science event at Islands & Ocean
Jan. 21 for Girl Scouts from around the Homer area > if
anyone’s interested in participating, contact Beth or Tina
Seaton
G.L.O.B.E. Update
Elizabeth asked for an update on GLOBE monitoring in the Homer area > Marilyn gave overview, commenting that intertidal protocols that were to be developed never got integrated; Beth said folks at the Wynn Nature Center are doing some atmospheric data collecting
Homer Eco-tourism Marketing group (Kachemak Bay Ecotourism Network)
Heather: - passed around KBEN / Green Sea Star Network handout
- KBEN has adopted AWRTA principles (sustainable &
ethical ecotourism practices)
- Homer trail map is now available (as of July ’05); funded by
ACF; 4,000 printed; free; will print more
Carol: Cost of printing might be a good Homer Foundation
proposal.
- there is a Wild Homer brochure now
- a Watchable Wildlife of Kachemak Bay brochure is being
created by ADF&G / Karla Hart > will include Kenai
Peninsula Wildlife Trail (road & ferry system); 2007
publication date
- KBEN met in the spring and again last week > it was decided
that a membership organization was needed for marketing
Homer as an ecotourism destination cooperatively
November ‘05 meeting outcomes:
- advertising > need new phrase to replace
Discover Homer Naturally”
- offer trainings, such as sustainable ecotourism
- coordination with other groups
Carol: Economic development is important.
Melonie: Leave blank space on rack cards for
marketing and tracking (an idea).
Kasistna Bay Lab Use by Educators
Kris: - NOAA has $15,000 to spend for community use of lab (doesn’t
include transportation)
- blackout months for use will be in March and during summer
- NOAA wants more use of the newly remodeled lab facilities
- boats & vehicles are available, but none are in good shape
- she will let Lois and others know of intership/mentorship
opportunities at the lab
- NOAA ship Miller Freeman may come to Homer for a couple
days at the end of March or early April to do fishery surveys
Bree: What are the fees for use of the lab?
Kris: Not yet sure.
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Marilyn: A limited # of boats are available for transporting
groups to the lab.
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Bree: Can lab researchers do community presentations?
Kris: Yes, this effort was started by Gordon Thayer.
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Catie: How will lack of classroom (a need for most education
programs) be met? Would Alliance support of providing
more classroom space help?
Kris: Not sure and probably not.
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Ideas: - summer SAPling program (Pratt) activity
- summer high school student programs
- ferry class on ACC (AK Coastal Current) / plankton
collecting data
MISCELLANEOUS
Heather: Can Kris be a COSEE liason for the Alliance?
Kris: Yes.
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Carmen: Reminded everyone that KBEEA member list, with links to each
organization’s website, is on the teacher field trip planning website (at
http://www.homerfieldtrips.com/id5.html)
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Carmen: Gave update on Tidepool Guide effort in spring ’05 > Catie made
buttons, which were attached to orange Refuge vests; these were
worn by KBRR ed staff on beach during May minus tides…no
students / classes showed up
- perhaps we should try to contact schools to see exactly when class
groups are planning to visit Bishops Beach
2006 IMPORTANT MEETINGS & EVENTS
January 10, 2006 KBEEA Outreach Committee meeting (9:00 am at Pratt)
February 2, 2006 Homeschool Day of Science planning meeting (9:00 am at I&O) for
April 7, 2006 classes
February 8, 2006 Semi-annual KBEEA meeting (9:00 am – 2:00 pm at I&O)
- agenda items to include: Science Conference education update, Arctic
Winter Games update, ANROE Conference info, NAME Conference
info, summer programming, Tidepool Guide strategies
March 9 – 11, 2006 ANROE Statewide Conference in Anchorage
July 9 – 12, 2006 NAME Conference in Seward
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Kachemak Bay Environmental Education Alliance 
