San Mateo County Office of Education
Redwood City, California
The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, includes 23 public school districts that serve more than 113,000 students at 270 public and private schools.
The Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative (ELSI) at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) provides backbone support to promote environmental literacy and help prepare leaders to integrate environmental sustainability and a climate ready mindset across a school's campus, curriculum, community, and culture. Through projects, programs, and events that support all stakeholders, SMCOE’s ELSI Department equips school communities with the knowledge, skills, values and experiences to both survive and thrive. Learn more about this broader initiative by visiting their website.
County Education Data
170 public and 100 private schools
113,000+ students and 5,100+ teachers across the 270 schools
93,554 K-12 public school students
32.7% of public school students qualify for free/reduced lunch
40% unduplicated count for public school students
2,250 acres of public school land in the county
Location
San Mateo County is in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, on a peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Climate
Temperate climate, annual temperatures: ~40°F - 80°F
Cool season: daytime temperatures 50°F - 60°F
Precipitation: ~62 days per year
Rainfall: 23” per year, mostly November - April
Outdoor Learning
for COVID-19 Recovery
.
SMCOE is one of the co-founding organizations for the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative, and SMCOE’s Environmental Literacy Coordinator, Andra Yeghoian, began working with her partners on this topic in May 2020. In coordination with this Initiative, SMCOE’s ELSI Department has been working to provide technical assistance to school stakeholders in San Mateo County who are integrating outdoor learning into their on-site learning models.
Note: Since August 2020, San Mateo County has been on the state’s watchlist for having more than 5% of the population with COVID-19; therefore, the 23 public school districts have had to begin the year with 100% distance learning. Still there are a number of school communities that have already started planning and installing outdoor learning areas, which will allow for outdoor learning to be “Plan A” when students are able to return to their school sites. “Plan B,” indoor or at-home learning, is in place now and will also be used when weather or other environmental factors do not allow students to be outdoors at school.
This year, SMCOE’s Environmental and Sustainability Initiative (ELSI) is collaborating directly with 12 local school districts to put plans in place for outdoor learning as a component of their COVID-19 recovery plans.
SMCOE’s staff are supporting local school site and district educational leaders in their county in exploring how to repurpose their outdoor spaces in a cost-effective way to reduce the burden on indoor classrooms while providing fresh air, hands-on learning opportunities, and the health benefits associated with increased access to nature. As part of this effort, SMCOE provides technical assistance to schools and districts in their county, and acts as a thought partner, sharing best practices, and providing guidance on different phases of launching outdoor learning programs at the school and district levels.
SMCOE’s technical assistance is designed to help school leaders move through the various project phases for bringing outdoor learning from planning to success:
Strategic Planning: Site assessment and design, budgeting, purchasing supplies, stakeholder communication, needs assessment for staff (including training), establishing partnerships, etc.
Implementation: Supporting infrastructure implementation, providing professional development, supporting launch with students, etc.
Sustained Success: Evaluating and adjusting programs, expanding from short-term to long-term use of outdoor learning, etc.
In many ways, SMCOE’s technical assistance for outdoor learning has been both about supporting schools to leverage outdoor learning for this immediate crisis, but also to prioritize smart and sound investments that build a culture of outdoor learning that can transition to thriving Living Schoolyard programs in the long-term.
Read below to learn about specific barriers and opportunities that have been part of the journey for SMCOE in providing regional technical assistance for outdoor learning. Check out the SMCOE Technical Assistance Services Overview for embedded resources that could scale to other counties and regional backbone agencies.
Interview
We interviewed SMCOE’s Environmental Sustainability and Literacy Initiative (ESLI) Department staff in November to find out more about their work.
Q: What does support look like for different stakeholder groups that are leading the efforts to bring outdoor learning to their school communities?
ESLI: “Each stakeholder group has a slightly different context and needs different types of support so our assistance varies for each group. For a more detailed description see the SMCOE Outdoor Learning Case Study.
For School Administrators: Depending on which stage of planning the school administrator is in this support has ranged from consultative meetings to set goals to providing support to help them find funding opportunities. School administrators have requested evaluations through site level analysis and campus grounds designs. SMCOE has developed customized resources to assist school leaders in creating buy-in and strategic planning for outdoor learning implementation. One example of a customized resource is this district-wide purchasing guide.
For Teachers: Teacher leaders across San Mateo County are participating directly in the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative, and/or have reached out to SMCOE for guidance on navigating buy-in with administrators, and looking for support to offer professional development to help colleagues gain skills and confidence for teaching outdoors. SMCOE also provided training for over 100 teachers this summer as part of the sixth iteration of the San Mateo Environmental Learning Collaborative (SMELC). This institute focused on training teachers to design and implement Solutionary Project Based Learning Units of Study on environmental justice issues. Here’s a link with more information about the SMELC Teacher Fellowship 2020-21 Cohort.
Community-based Partner Organizations: SMCOE’s ELSI Department convenes these organizations in the Community Based Environmental Literacy Partner (CBELP) Network. A number of these organizations spearheaded a subcommittee that examined possibilities for how CBPs could support school communities with outdoor learning, and have proven critical partners in exploring the feasibility of outdoor learning in summer programming. To learn more about these possibilities visit: CBELP Program Pathways for 2020-21. Students: A number of youth leaders, largely through the San Mateo County Youth Climate Ambassador Leadership Program, which is co-facilitated by SMCOE’s ELSI Team, have stepped forward to lead efforts for outdoor learning in their community. SMCOE is supporting four student groups to assess a school’s outdoor space and to develop plans that include native habitat restoration combined with outdoor seating areas.
Parents: SMCOE has supported multiple parent leaders through consultative meetings and providing outdoor learning overview information. Parents are an essential part of the community and partners in a successful outdoor learning initiative. SMCOE is working with a parent strategic volunteer to assist with creating resources for community buy-in for outdoor learning. The general resources for parent leadership are: SMCOE Outdoor Learning Web Page and a Planning for Outdoor Learning Webinar.”
Q: Where have schools been getting stuck, and how are you unsticking them?
ESLI: “SMCOE has been supporting schools as they move through the unique planning process of adapting their campuses for comfortable outdoor learning environments for COVID-19 recovery. For many schools, the first obstacle in planning is a lack of available infrastructure on school grounds that primarily include blacktop and lawn. SMCOE has helped advise on how to best use existing structures to maximize learning spaces, and which infrastructure is needed to meet a school's outdoor learning goals. For this obstacle SMCOE has developed a San Mateo County Local Vendor List, and supported the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative to create a Campus Assessment Tool. We have also been advising our schools about California’s Department of State Architecture requirements.
Another challenge has been generating community buy-in for outdoor learning. SMCOE has been advising schools and districts about how outdoor learning can support academic improvement, mental and physical health, and social emotional learning. SMCOE can assist school leaders in making case studies of their campuses that are great visuals for those who are interested but unsure if outdoor learning can work for their school.
For the school leaders that are ready to start planning for outdoor learning, finding funding is the next biggest challenge. SMCOE has been working to connect local funding agencies to schools that are ready to purchase the necessary materials for creating outdoor classrooms.
Another opportunity to support schools has been through professional development for teachers to prepare them for teaching outdoors. SMCOE has curriculum resources and training materials ready for educators to help them gain confidence in leading classes in an outdoor setting.”
Click on this link or the image above to view the complete document entitled, “Outdoor Learning and Play Considerations and Strategies for Faculty and Staff.”
Q: What health protocols and reopening guidance has the County put forward that includes the outdoors?
ESLI: “Outdoor learning is supported in San Mateo County by the SMCOE reopening guidelines outlined in the Pandemic Recovery Framework. This framework uses four pillars as a model for a safe school reopening: Health and Hygiene, Face Coverings, Physical Distancing, and Limiting Gatherings. Based on a scientific understanding of how COVID-19 is transmitted, this framework is supporting schools in developing their reopening plans to minimize the risk of the disease spreading in their school community. The Framework recommends that schools use outdoor areas for increased ventilation and physical distancing opportunities. With equity at the heart of this Framework, the goal is to have students with the highest need for on-site learning return in a way that is safe for all students, teachers, and staff. This reflects California’s current health orders and guidelines to provide a pathway for schools applying for a waiver to reopen for on-site learning to use.”
Q: Do you have any examples of plans or photos of work in progress that schools have been working on with your guidance that could be shared more broadly?
ESLI: “We recommend a case study of the Portola Elementary School to see an example of a San Mateo County school that is planning for outdoor learning.”
Outdoor Learning Video Series
The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, is collaborating with 12 school districts in their county to put plans in place for outdoor learning. The video series below provides an overview of their work and resources that SMCOE is using to provide support to their local districts. Please note that newest materials are at the top of this list and older ones are below.
Update on Fall Progress
In this recorded presentation, Andra Yeghoian, SMCOE’s Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator, shared her office’s approach and the progress their team has made to date. This recorded presentation was given on October 27, 2020 during one of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s bi-weekly “Working Group 11” meetings, which provide a forum for schools and districts to share their outdoor learning questions, plans, and progress. SMCOE is also one of the co-founders of the National Initiative, and Andra Yeghoian co-leads Working Group 11.
Planning for Outdoor Learning
July 21, 2020: This webinar produced by the Environmental Literacy Initiative at San Mateo County Office of Education features outdoor learning case studies from San Mateo County, including one example shared by a principal, two examples shared by community-based partners that piloted programs over the summer, and a teacher's perspective on what it takes to prepare to teach outdoors.
Introduction to Outdoor Learning and COVID-19 Recovery
July 16, 2020: This video provides a brief overview to how school communities in San Mateo County can get started with integrating outdoor learning spaces into the COVID-19 Recovery Plans. To learn more and/or request technical assistance, visit this link.
San Mateo County Case Studies and Planning Summaries
The following links provide examples of case studies and overview planning documents from organizations that are either planning and/or implementing learning in the outdoors within San Mateo County.
Private Schools:
Outdoor Learning Planning and Implementation
Sea Crest School — Living Schoolyard in COVID-19 Case Study
Centennial Montessori — Outdoor Classroom Instruction Case Study
Synapse School — Urban Outdoor Classrooms Case Study
Public School Districts:
Site Level Planning and Implementation
Site Level Overview Plan Examples — Panorama Elementary (K-5), Portola Elementary (K-5), Tierra Linda (6-8)
District Overview Plan — Ravenswood City School District
District Implementation — Portola Valley School District brings back students with indoor and outdoor classrooms
Programs Implemented By Community-Based Partners
Summer Camp — Between Pie Ranch and Pescadero Elementary
Summer Camp and Afterschool Enrichment — Grassroots Ecology Youth Stewards Program
Summer Camp — Marine Science Institute Science Camp
Synapse School, a private school in Menlo Park, California, is profiled by NBC Bay Area as they prepare to welcome around 200 students back using new outdoor classrooms they created. Credit: NBC Bay Area, September 5, 2020
“I haven’t talked to a single district that thought it was a bad idea. Sometimes it’s just a shift of perspective that’s needed, looking at a campus with fresh eyes and seeing how much space is really there.”
Media Coverage
“Outdoor Learning is Safer, But How Are Schools Doing It?” — Education Dive, September 9, 2020
“Menlo Park School Sets Up Outdoor Classrooms” — NBC Bay Area, September 5, 2020 (newscast, video)
“Will the Outdoors Become the New Classroom of the COVID Era?” — Governing, August 28, 2020
“Is Outdoor School a Viable Option This Fall? Three Experts Weigh In” — Slate, August 4, 2020
“Inside the Quest to Reopen Schools by Moving Classes Outside” — Fast Company, July 25, 2020
“Outdoor Classrooms in the Age of COVID-19: Pros and Cons” — Education Week, June 1, 2020
National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative
The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative supports schools and districts around the country in their efforts to reopen safely and equitably using outdoor spaces as strategic, cost-effective tools to increase physical distancing capacity onsite and provide access to abundant fresh air. The Initiative seeks to equitably improve learning, mental and physical health, and happiness for children and adults using an affordable, time-tested outdoor approach to keeping schools open during a pandemic.
