We are merging the Environmental Science and Career and Technical Education concepts into a single proposal because of the feedback we received at our community forum.  Many people were concerned with the perception that the career and technical proposal would not draw college bound students.  Others stated the environmental science proposal was too narrow of a focus.

Rationale/Problem Statement:

This part of the proposal is already contained in the “green power” document that you already have: In short: Not making AYP; enrollment declines in middle school; need to reach out to local community and build a coherent 7-12 program for this neighborhood and for the city.

The rationale for the teaching and learning center components of the proposal include the need to create places and ways to train teachers to work in innovative urban school settings and the need to give in-service teachers direct experience and practice with pedagogical practices that are effective with diverse kids in their city classrooms.

The proposal has three parts:

1) Environmental Science & Technology Institute @ Humboldt

We propose to create a 7-12 program at Humboldt Junior and Senior High School that directly meets the challenges delineated in the problem statement above. The program includes an environmental science focus using career and technical approaches at the core of the curriculum. This curriculum will be integrated with active, inquiry-based instruction and school and student service to the community—in a “green” context. 

--Environmental STEM and Career and Technical Education at core the of the curriculum

--Community Service

--Career Exploration Internships

--Partnerships with City of St. Paul

--Partnerships with Ecolab and Travelers, current business partners

--Evolution of a green building

--Environmental Arts and Fine Arts focus to support students’ creative energies

--Expand the AVID program throughout the curriculum

--Support environmentally based career and technical education programs

2) Environmental Science & Technology Institute @ Humboldt

The proposal activates a learning-centered school using the following non-negotiable learning components.

--High engagement strategies for students in all classes---including reading and writing intensive experiences across the curriculum

--Direct instruction using Disciplinary Literacy as the pedagogical foundation

--Development of formative and summative assessments common in all curriculum areas

--Service learning to strengthen community support and engagement

--Sensitive to students and their families as active participants in the learning process

--To allow the kind of intensive, hands-on learning necessary for deep and enriching experiences around environmental, career and technical education, and community topics.

3) Environmental Science & Technology Institute @ Humboldt

This school will not be an island. It will thrive because of a wide and intentional variety of partnerships that will ensure high levels of rigor, relevance, and relationships in the school and its community.

--Science/STEM/”Green” Partnerships that rely on career exploration and technical education

            -Humboldt operates as a model “green” facility

            -Humboldt students involved in STEM focused internships

            -Humboldt students explore career and technical education programs

--Teaching and Learning Center Partnership with University of Minnesota, St. Olaf, St. Thomas and the Minnesota State University System

            -Significant levels of pre-service teacher and administrator                                preparation on site

--Teacher Learning Center Partnership with District’s Secondary Professional Development and Curriculum Department

            -District professional development and curriculum staff                                       housed at Humboldt

            -All Humboldt classrooms supported as demonstration sites                             showing effective pedagogies

            -Ongoing professional learning for Humboldt teachers on site daily

-Humboldt becomes district professional development home base—allowing for internal district training and ability to offer fee-based services to other districts

            -SPPS positioned as state leader in professional development                                    for learning and teaching

Benefits:

--Increased student learning

--Increased levels of effective teaching

--Increased engagement of the community in support of student learning

--Increased community attendance at this high school

--Narrowed gap between curriculum, professional learning, and classroom

--Model site for environmental, career technical education and community service

--Enacted rigorous curriculum tuned to student and community needs

-- Active and relevant business and higher education partnerships

--Visible commitment to the West Side and surrounding suburbs