Category: News & Views

York student explorers join global collaboration in Brazil

York students Patty McMurray, Andrew Fitzgerald and Todd Brockelman (left to right) gather water quality data in a freshwater channel of the Pantanal.
York students Patty McMurray, Andrew Fitzgerald and Todd Brockelman (left to right) gather water quality data in a freshwater channel of the Pantanal, a region of Brazil.

York Middle School science teacher Jeff Wilford might annually explore the swampy wetlands of Brazil, but don’t mistake him for Indiana Jones. It’s research he wrestles, not anacondas.

Wilford admits he’s not much of an adventurer, but when the opportunity arose to partner with Earthwatch and the National Geographic Education Foundation to travel with a team of educators to the Pantanal region of Brazil in 2003, Wilford dusted off his pith helmet.

Since 2006, Wilford has returned to explore the Pantanal each summer with students from York High School.

“We wanted to give students a real dose of what it means to be a biologist in a remote and challenged region of the world,” Wilford explained. “As well, we have strived to create an unmatched cultural experience.”

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Education leaders develop middle-level learning at Bright Futures meeting

The Department of Education’s Bright Futures report, a report on the current state of middle-level education to make recommendations for improvement, brought 64 leaders from all avenues of education to Belgrade Lakes last month. Continue reading “Education leaders develop middle-level learning at Bright Futures meeting” →

Students start culinary program to better school lunch

Teachers at The REAL School, a public alternative and special education school in Falmouth, started an agriculture and culinary arts program this past year, utilizing adventure- and project-based service learning practices to enhance the school lunch program with locally grown produce. This brief video by Wisconsin PBS documents the school’s approach and the inspirational results.

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Transportation data form (EF-M-43) for year ending June 30, 2012 is not required, but due in 2013

UPDATE: Please not that the form for the year ending June 30, 2013 is due, as of Sept. 15, 2013. It can be accessed here: http://www.maine.gov/education/forms/misteam/efm43/efm43menu.htm. If you have not yet completed that, please do so as soon as possible. Please contact Paula Gravelle with any questions at 624-6792 or paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov.

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