Saturday, September 14th we are holding our first Professional Development Training for teachers enrolled in our 2019-2020 Green Schools Challenge. Through this program, DIG offers free online sustainability curriculum aligned with Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ pacing guides and benchmarks, professional development training for all teachers enrolled and grants of up to $350 for schools to implement green initiatives. The Green Schools Challenge program runs from September to April and schools start the year by creating a green team and developing an environmental pledge together. Throughout the year (from October through March) there are 6 topics including Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Waste Reduction, Alternative Transportation, Green Living and Food Security and associated activities, lesson plans and the aligning benchmarks for each topic. Schools submit documentation for activities completed and earn points according to a rubric created for each. Top performing schools are highlighted at an awards ceremony at the end of the school year.
Local Partners that will be present at this event include Miami-Dade County Parks Eco Adventures, the Ocean Conservancy, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Ecorise and Miami-Dade County Schools Department of Mathematics and Science, along with representatives from MDCPS Facilities Department.