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The Oakwood EE Dissemination Renewal Grant was approved in January of 2008

Four Oakwood EE four teachers: Ashley Kommes, Brian Megale, Susan Meunier and Troy Schlegel were invited to present at the National Charter School Conference in New Orleans, June 2008.

As of the end of May, 2008, over 100 schools have been in contact with Oakwood EE on topics such as start-up, implementation and dissemination grant inquiries, curriculum and requests for a visit.

May 2008 - A Regional Workshop for educators was held at the EAA Lodge in Oshkosh, WI. It was sponsored by the Oakwood EE Charter School affording educators in the state a glimpse at charter school start-ups, Department of Public Instruction oversight for charter school application and guests talking about charter schools, associations and issue.

Jim McGrath and Ellyn Lahr presented at the Wisconsin Charter School Association conference in April, 2008. Their topic was the 'greening' of the Oakwood Environmental Education Charter School.

The 2007 Teachers Academy was held at Oakwood in August of 2007 attracting educators from as far away as Hawaii to learn about integrating environmental education into curricular activities.

The team of Troy Schlegel, Brian Megale, Steve Finley and Jim McGrath presented on the Success of Chartering at Oakwood at the National Charter School conference in Albuquerque, NM., April, 2007.

The Oakwood EE Dissemination Grant was approved in September, 2006.

The first EE Charter School full-color newsletter is available for viewing!

Online training is now available for viewing!

The following are from the Northwestern Newspaper

Posted Sept. 28, 2003
Charter has ‘Big Day’ event

Students study outdoors at Sheldon Nature Center

By Bethany K. Warner
of The Northwestern

The Big Day, held last week for fifth-graders and fourth-graders, was the kick-off event this year for the charter school, allowing students to hear from nature experts and run mini-experiments out in the Sheldon Nature Center. “We tried to build the curriculum around the nature center,” said Jim McGrath, chairman of the charter school’s steering committee and former Oakwood principal. “The overall theme is to improve education through integrated, hands-on activities.” During the two hours out in the nature center, the fourth- graders got to learn about the differences between reptiles and amphibians, banding migratory birds, the history of fur trading in Wisconsin and the raptors. The fifth-grade students focused on plants and the different habitats found in the nature center. “It extends what they’re learning in the classroom,” said teacher Mike Tauscher. “It teaches them what’s out there.” Wind River Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release displayed Aurora, along with Jupiter, an American Kestral and Orion, a short-eared owl. Randie Segal, executive director for Wind River, said the Big Day events were a great way to learn. “It teaches kids to be respectful and responsible,” Segal said. “This is an ideal situation.” Ann Sheldon, who donated the land for the nature center, who was on hand for the events said she was thrilled. “I just can’t believe it,” Sheldon said. “I keep thinking I’m having a beautiful dream. It’s phenomenal. When we put the pond in, little did we know what this would turn into.” Presenters from the Heckrodt Wetland Reserve explained differences between frogs and snakes. Sheldon Cooper from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh explained about banding migratory birds and the Oshkosh Public Museum explained about the French fur traders in the 1660s. The learning that started last week will continue later in the year, said fourth-grader social studies teacher Jill Puhlmann-Becker. Topics like the history of fur trading will come up again, she said, to reinforce the teaching. For the first Big Day, principal Kirby Schultz said it turned out better than they had planned. “It was incredible. It was bigger and better than what we imagined,” Schultz said. “The two days exemplified what we want our students to get from the environmental education charter. “

Bethany Warner: (920) 426-6668 or bwarner@thenorthwestern.com.

Posted Dec. 18, 2003

Choosing giving over receiving

By Hlee Vang
of The Northwestern

Wednesday morning, however, they were the busy elves, happily bagging up hundreds of notebooks, lead pencils, colored pencils, rulers and erasers into large Ziploc bags ready to be shipped out to students in Iraq and other countries. The kindergarten students of Kate Miller paired up with their study buddies in Michael Tauscher’s fourth- and fifth-grade class for the project to send school supplies to students in countries that are less fortunate. The project, an idea Tauscher picked up from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, replaced the classes’ usual secret gift exchange. Instead, fourth- and fifth-graders in Tauscher’s class took a vote with their heads down on their desks. They were asked who would rather buy something for a secret Santa gift exchange, and who would rather buy school supplies for schoolchildren in Iraq. “Everyone voted to send supplies to kids in Iraq,” said 10-year-old Ethan Caflisch. A total of 170 school supply kits were assembled Wednesday and were ready for pickup by members of UW-Eau Claire that day. Caflisch’s classmate, Sara Bose, 11, said it disturbed her to know children of other countries didn’t have enough basic supplies in their schools. “I don’t like it. It’s just not right,” Bose said. “You can’t just write with your fingers.” Kindergartner Trenton Thompson, 5, said he doesn’t care if he won’t have a secret Santa this year. “I already have a bunch of toys in my room,” he said. Classmate Abby Panske, 5, agreed. “I have too much toys in my basement. I want to give them supplies,” Panske said. Fourth-grader Jenna Mohelnitzky said she didn’t even need to go shopping for her share of school supplies for the project. “My mom bought all these extra school supplies at the beginning of the year so we just used that,” she said. Miller said the project was a major activity for her and Tauscher’s classes, but students and teachers throughout the entire school – and even parents – contributed. “We had so much involvement from Oakwood families. It turned out to be a school-wide effort,” she said. Miller said this project was one way to connect students to current events. “A hands-on activity really brings to life the news they hear every night,” she said. Furthermore, it provided a chance to teach outside of the textbooks. “We thought, at Christmas time, this would be a great lesson to teach about giving to others. It’s a way to foster education in Iraq as well,” Miller said. Kindergartner Ryan McBride, 6, said he hopes the students in Iraq will have fun with what they’re sending over. “I hope they have enough to use for school. I hope it will help them,” he said.

Hlee Vang: (920) 426-6656 or hvang@thenorthwestern.com.

By Bethany K. Warner
of The Northwestern

The warning to protect the environment came from Tom Aranow, of Ecological Insights, portraying Mr. Shay, a naturalist from 1834 who stumbled into present-day Wisconsin. “It’s up to you as stewards,” Aranow said. “I’ve got to trust you because it’s all in your hands.” Aranow’s “Lost Naturalist” program fits well with the environmental charter’s curriculum, said fourth-grade/fifth-grade teacher Michael Tauscher. The students in the environmental charter classes spent the first quarter learning about habitats and will focus on recycling and sustainability in the second quarter, Tauscher said. Aranow has been presenting to school groups, at senior centers and to groups like the Audubon Society for the last eight years. The inspiration for the program, he said, came from trying to find a way to make teaching about prairie ecology more interesting for teachers. “Being a history buff and an ecologist, I thought I could put it together,” Aranow said. Aranow’s presentation featured pictures of plants and animals native to Wisconsin. As he showed the pictures, Aranow explained how many plants – such as ironweed or lead plant – got their names. Students also had an opportunity to learn bird calls for birds such as the thunder pumper. But as he concluded, he warned students about the role humans have played in destroying the environment that was present in the state in the mid-1800s. Aranow also presented Thursday night to the Wild Ones, a conservation group, and partner of the Oakwood environmental charter. Bethany K. Warner: (920) 426-6668 or bwarner@thenorthwestern.com. Big Day Fall 2004!

Join us on a slide adventure with students and expert speakers at Sheldon Nature Center.  Students explored the 'wildlife' in Sheldon nature as well as a few other examples not from the Nature Center.  Can you identify an example of a non-resident animal? Click the title above to see the show!  More to come shortly!