Dec. 8, 2022 Newsletter
The first half of the 2022-2023 seasons has been inspiring as our CAELI community continues to grow with new members and with our success in advancing environmental literacy to school communities across the state. We look forward to returning in 2023 with a renewed sense of purpose in our mission and hope you take this time to enjoy a restful holiday season!
The end of the calendar year offers a time for reflection and renewal. With the challenges schools face amid a global pandemic, the need for connection, care, and trauma-informed practices in schools became clear. This month, we share how the CAELI team revisited our Theory of Action to renew our commitment to equitable access to environmental literacy for students in California.
A Blueprint for Change: CAELI’s Theory of Action Revised
A theory of action is how we map out our long-term goals for sustainable change in communities. In response to CAELI’s growing membership and evolving governance structure, CAELI members collaborated through the spring and summer of 2022 to revise the CAELI Theory of Action. This fall, the Theory of Action was finalized, and CAELI members and Innovation Hubs are working hard to strive to catalyze change in the education system, to ensure all students routinely have outdoor and classroom-based environmental experiences that transform learning and improve physical, emotional, and psychological health and well-being.
CAELI Leadership Council Member Named Environmentalist of the Year!
CAELI Leadership Council member Mackenzie Wieser has been named Environmentalist of the Year by the Environmental Council of Sacramento! The award recognizes Mackenzie’s work as CEO of Splash, where she created a new program for middle-school students to dive deep into climate-related issues and gain exposure to green careers.
Innovation Hub Spotlight
CAELI’s Innovation Hubs represent a growing community of people dedicated to environmental literacy and outdoor education for youth. Here, we introduce one of our Innovation Hub leaders!
Opportunities, Events, and News
- Ten Strands is seeking a full-time Climate Corps Fellow who will support the Ten Strands Partnership Team in developing and implementing technical assistance and network activation services for its core initiatives, e.g., the California Environmental Literacy Initiative and the National Outdoor Learning Initiative. Learn more here.
- The Community of Practice for Schoolyard Forests is a support network for school districts, county offices of education, and public agencies looking to establish schoolyard forests at scale. Register to join the community and catch up on what you missed in the most recent virtual forum event! Watch here.
- Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom approved AB 185, which revised the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant, and allocates $3,560,885,000 to LEAs for five purposes, one which includes explicit reference to environmental literacy. As part of a two-week sprint, CAELI members created a three-page guide for school districts and county education offices to implement this funding to advance environmental literacy. Check out the full guide here!
- West Los Angeles Community College is seeking a founding director for its newly created California Center for Climate Change Education initiative. Established as part of recent legislation, the Center is designed to serve as a resource for community colleges on climate change education. Learn more here.
- Ten Strands is a proud partner of The Carbon Almanac, a publication working to instill climate and environmental knowledge in schools and communities! Learn more about the Almanac and download free resources for educators to teach about climate change. Learn more here.
