Credits

Working Group on Teaching and learning

The dedicated volunteers from around the country, listed alphabetically below, participated in the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s Working Group on Teaching and Learning (WG#4/5) between July and December 2020. The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all of the organizations and individuals who are collaborating to make this Initiative possible.

Working Group Leaders

  • Vanessa Carter, San Francisco Unified School District

  • Rachel Pringle, Green Schoolyards America

  • Emily Weiss, The Lawrence Hall of Science

Working Group Participants

  • Elizabeth Babcock, The California Academy of Sciences

  • Sarah Barnes, Sierra Nevada Journeys

  • Erica Beck Spencer, The Lawrence Hall of Science

  • Ann Bumby    

  • Will Cameron  

  • Whitney Cohen, Life Lab

  • Jeff Cole         

  • Sylvia Collazo

  • Susan Dalton  

  • Rachel Danford, Outlearn Consulting

  • Marie Dennan, Big Green

  • Lisa Donahue

  • Kori Donley, Seven Peaks School

  • Jennifer Elsen

  • Erica Fine, E Movement

  • Toby Goldberg, Environmental Volunteers           

  • Cynthia Holt    

  • Quinn Hunter  

  • Janice Kelley, Nature Detectives

  • Noura Khamees

  • CC King          

  • Heather Kuhlken, Families in Nature

  • Brooke Larm, Bowers School Farm

  • Michelle Lawton         

  • Alison Makela

  • Jeanne McCarty, Out Teach

  • Nicole Mueller 

  • Trena Noval    

  • Carl Oosterman, CuriOdyssey

  • Michelle Renaud, Poway Unified School District

  • Lisa Ristuccia

  • Olivia Rose, The Watershed Project

  • Kim Schauer, Fairfax County Public Schools

  • Heather Schwartz     

  • Tahereh Sheerazie, EnrichLA

  • Joanna Snyder, The Lawrence Hall of Science

  • Megan Sulsberger      

  • Jane Tesner Kleiner, Nature+Play Designs

  • Samir Thadani

  • Laura Thompson, Big Green

  • Yael Warshai

  • Sarah Whitaker          

  • Seraph White, Outdoors Empowered Network

  • Diona Williams, Out Back Learning, LLC

  • Dwain Wilson, The Wildwoods Foundation

  • Dianna Zeegers, Big Green

Advisors from the Equity Working Group

  • Coming soon!

Advisors from the Health Working Group

  • Coming soon!

Working Group on School meals and other programming

Coming soon!

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 solutions 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.

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative was co-founded in May 2020 by Green Schoolyards America, The Lawrence Hall of Science, San Mateo County Office of Education, and Ten Strands. It has now grown to include more than 20 other partner organizations that are collaborating to build a national movement, hundreds of participating volunteers, and foundation partners.