• What: A blended (live virtual sessions and online learning) 34-hour Act 45 program.
• Audience: superintendents, assistant superintendents, curriculum directors, curriculum coordinators, principals, and assistant principals.
• Cost: There is no cost to participate in this Act 45 course.

The Advancing Environmental Literacy Leadership Academy is a blended (live virtual sessions and online learning) 34-hour program that has been thoughtfully and purposefully designed to build the capacity of district and school leaders in increasing environmental literacy within their organization through the development of a systematic environmental literacy plan.

The major ideas/objectives of this course align to theories of change that suggest that educational leaders must identify their ultimate vision and desired outcomes and develop a strategic plan containing the activities and supports to achieve the ultimate goal. Through this course, educational leaders will be guided through the strategic planning process by identifying a guiding coalition of various stakeholders to support the work, development of a vision for environmental literacy, articulate the goals, strategies, and activities to achieve their vision, and identify funding and community assets to sustain their environmental literacy plans.

Idea/objectives that guide the program:

1. Create an informed vision for environmental literacy that ensures equitable access for all students.
2. Develop a systematic environmental literacy plan that focuses on reducing environmental impacts, improving student and staff wellness and health, and developing effective environmental and sustainability educational programming.
3. Identify and access community assets and resources to ensure the sustainability of the environmental literacy plan.

Time and Requirements

Over an 8-week period beginning on August 2, 2021, the three aspects of the program will intertwine to ensure that participants gain the concepts and competencies necessary to develop a comprehensive, systematic environmental literacy plan to improve environmental literacy for all students. Course completion is scheduled for September 26, 2021.

1. Live-virtual sessions with environmental literacy experts from various organizations within Pennsylvania.
   • August 10, 2021, 9-11 a.m.: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Overview for Administrators.
   • August 31, 2021, 9-11 a.m.: Environmental Literacy Planning and Curriculum Integration.
   • September 14, 2021, 9-11 a.m.: Funding and Sustainability.
2. Reading and reflecting online to assigned chapters in the text and various other assigned supplemental resources, websites, and articles.
3. Job-embedded assignments and a culminating project to plan for and act upon the content of the program.

Facilitators

• Lauren Beal, Ed.D., supervisor of curriculum and instruction, Lancaster-Lebanon IU13.
• Tamara Peffer, content advisor for environment and ecology, Pennsylvania Department of Education (DEP), and executive director, Pennsylvania Advisory Council on Environment Education.
• Steve Kerlin, Ph.D., director of education, Stroud Water Research Center.
• Gilbert (Bert) Myers, environmental education specialist program supervisor, DEP.

More Information

If you are interested and want to learn more, please contact stem@iu13.org.