Other Applicants
Paula Bossler
Beth Pascalli Hirsh
Grant Category
Grant Cycle
Fall
Description
Each site will provide specific curriculum objectives that will be accomplished based on standards. Because both partners serve a common demographic, there will be crossover of activities, projects and curriculum. The following Guiding Principles provide an overview as to how KBE will optimize time in the grow dome for “in-school” hours. KBE In-School Program Objectives: 1.Student education, food production and food procurement are the primary purposes of the Kings Beach Dome Raising Project. 2. Dome programs are inclusive by design, promoting a respect for all life. 3. The dome will be a space for experiential “hands-on” education, incorporating the full cycle of learning associated with healthy food; from growing to nutrition to cooking. 4.The Dome will be an “outdoor learning classroom” which will utilize the environment to expand learning and stewardship opportunities for students without having to leave the premises. 7. The Dome will be a place to model environmental stewardship and sustainability while emphasizing the importance of seasonality to these concepts. 6. The Dome will increase relevancy of earth and life sciences through hands-on ecological and nutrition lessons. 5. The dome project will involve teachers and support their multi-disciplinary curriculum, primarily in the subjects of math, science and social studies, while also promoting student self-growth, respect for diversity and fundamental business skills. 8. The hands on projects directly relate to TTUSD 2012 implementation of California Common Core Standards. 9. Community involvement from KBE school administration, KBE staff and parent volunteers will be the foundation to the functionality and sustainability of the Dome and its inclusion into the school day, culture and community. 10. Students will provide simple and culturally relevant take home messages and practical skills to put what they’ve learned into practice at home; especially with health and nutrition. 11. Domes and garden programs shall serve as training spaces and models for others interested in developing a similar program within their community. 12. The Dome program will provide an opportunity for food procurement for the KBE school kitchen while serving as a future business skill program.
Success of Program
KBE has the following measureable goals to assess the success of the DRP. First, we will compare test scores in subjects including mathematics and science using both formative assessments (classroom-based checking for understanding) and summative assessments (standardized tests, benchmarks, and Annual Yearly Progress growth) to gather data on student growth with having the dome. In addition, students will have categorized grades by "indoor" science instruction and "project-based, outdoor" science instruction to analyze their progress separately for each learning environment in order to separate out student growth with the dome. The second KBE goal will be to evaluate the "ease of use" of the Dome and it's environment as it relates to student achievement of California Common Core Standards. Summative assessments including the CA STAR Test, CELDT, TTUSD District Standard Assessments (DSAs), and the Annual Yearly Progress reports will be used to evaluate this goal. The third goal for KBE will be to implement a program structure for incorporating the Harvest of the Month into the DRP. Parent volunteers, class schedules, and dome schedules will be coordinated to allot time per class to explore the chosen fruit or vegetable in the dome. Qualitative measures of student behavior and eating habits will be monitored by teachers, KBE staff, and parent volunteers to assess the successfulness of combining Harvest of the Month with the DRP. The fourth goal will assist in lowering food costs for TTUSD by utilizing fresh produce from the dome for district provided meals and snacks. This goal will be measured by analyzing food costs on a yearly basis before and after having the dome. The final goal for KBE is to cooperate with the BGCNLT on "out of school" programs. The KBE website and BGCNLT website will be used to update the community on dome programs. KBE staff and BGCNLT staff will collaborate on projects during occasional Professional Learning Community (PLC) times, through electronic messages, and during meetings planned outside of school hours. Measuring the success of this goal will occur through the amount of time dedicated toward updating websites and coordinating meetings to collaborate on programs.
Implementation
KBE and BGCNLT will be collaborative partners with the DRP Team including but not limited to; KBE Administration, staff, PTO and parents along with BGCNLT staff and DRP Directors Susie Stuphin and Eve McEneaney. Local funding from foundations and grants will provide the initial finance for the Kings Beach Dome Project. KBE will share ownership of the Kings Beach Dome with BGCNLT and KBE will provide “in-school” programs. BGCNLT will act as the fiscal agent and will provide the “out of school” programs. Under DRP guidelines, KBE and BGCNLT are responsible for organizing a garden management plan to ensure the domes success and integration. The management plan must be submitted with a proposed site application. KBE and BGCNLT will identify a “Dome Director” as part of their management plan. This director will oversee maintenance, direct the seeding schedule and crop rotation, handle facility issues, schedules between sites, site management, communication with teachers and community partners with curriculum and direct communication with the DRP team. The management plan will also include a Gardening Board which will consist of the Dome Director, staff member from BGCNLT, a parent from KBE and a KBE certified staff representative. This will ensure that all needs are met. Also included in the management plan will be the extended service offered by DRP team which will include but not limited to; in-kind supplies, ordering the dome kit, sourcing additional materials, site assessment, managing construction of the Dome, scheduled maintenance, visits working with each Dome Director to ensure proper working order, year-round, at no additional costs. Outsourced growing, if needed, will incur an additional extra cost. The DRP coordinator is working to obtain Department of State of Architects (DSA) approval for the custom designed “Sierra Dome”. The Sierra Dome is being re-engineered to accommodate are region’s codes for our environment; 250psf snow load, 100 mph wind gusts every three (3) seconds. The Sierra Dome is a 28’ in diameter and comes as a kit from the manufacturer, Growing Spaces. Once Growing Spaces has approved release of the Sierra Dome, KBE will provide a deposit to the DRP. DRP will place the order for the Sierra Dome and oversee the delivery, construction and set-up of the dome. The timeline for the order to be placed and a deposit will be January 2013. The timeline for the dome to be delivered is approximately Spring 2013. KBE project involvement will include the Science Teacher, S.W.E.P, parent volunteers, and KBE students during "in-school" calendar hours. BGCNLT project involvement will include the Dome Director, Green Team Leader, BGC Staff, parent volunteers, and children during "out of school" hours, weekends, and TTUSD vacations.
Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?
The Dome Raising Project will help provide an opportunity for grade level PLCs and the science teacher to collaborate on incorporating cross-curricular content and California Common Core Standards into project-based, student-centered lessons to be carried out in the Dome. In addition, this grant will provide a focus toward coordinating TTUSD elementary science teachers into their own PLC group to collaborate on dome programs and management. With continued support, this grant could provide financial assistance toward the vertical planning of science curriculum for grades K-12.
Other funding sources
Yes
Notes
This collaborative Dome project aligns directly with the new Common Core Standards for TTUSD. Because of the unique partnerships, grades K-12 will be included in this project and a technology aspect will be incorporated based on combination of Science/Technology teacher placement.
Comments
Measure A funds used for the KBE Science Position will be indirectly available.