Too much to list!

Archive Notice:

This is an archived version of the emailed newsletter: “Updates!” All contact info has been deleted for privacy sake. If you need information on any of the events/items posted on this blog please email ccheupdates@gmail.com for further information.

Copper Country Home Educators
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WPA Homeschool Conference in Oshkosh WI May 1-2
It's time to register for the WPA homeschool conference and curriculum fair on May 1&2 in Oshkosh Wisconsin. Several registration packets have been left at the Portage Lake District Library, or you can get more information at www.homeschooling-wpa.org or call the WPA at 608-283-3131.
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Local History Smackdown

Dear past and prospective Local History Smackdown coaches:

This is a reminder that Keweenaw National Historical Park is seeking

high school teams from the four-county area to participate in the

Seventh Annual Copper Country High School Local History Smackdown.

The competition offers local-area high school students an opportunity to

showcase their knowledge of the history, geography, and geology of

Keweenaw, Baraga, Ontonagon, and Houghton counties. The format is

similar to a spelling bee: teams of four players are asked

"short-answer" questions, which increase in difficulty as the rounds go

higher. The contest features a double-elimination format: two wrong

answers and teams are out of play. Preparation can be formal or

informal, but teams that invest time in advance may proceed further in

the competition. However, those who simply want to be a part of a fun

night of local history are still encouraged to participate.

The Smackdown will take place at the Calumet Theatre in Calumet at 7:00

p.m. on Thursday, April 23, 2009. The deadline for registering a team is

March 27, 2009, so assemble a team and start planning for your name to

be inscribed on the Smackdown trophy!

For further information and to register teams contact (withheld for archive)

Dear past and prospective Local History Smackdown coaches:

Regarding the reminder I sent you earlier today the link to the Team

Registration Form on our webpage is temporarily broken. So, if you wish

to register today, I am attaching it as a Word file for your use. There

are instructions on the form on how to submit it.

Again to remind you, the deadline for registering a team remains March

27, 2009. That is that latest date by which we can order t-shirts for

the event, amongst other preparations.

If you have questions about the Smackdown or on how to register a team

or teams please contact me, (withheld for archive)

(See attached file: 2009 Team Registration Form2.doc)

If the attached form does not work please email cche (just reply to this this email) and I can forward the actual email about the Smackdown.

2009 41K View as HTML Open as a Google document Download

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Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education

A partnership of

Copper Country & Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School Districts and Michigan Technological University

Serving schools and communities in Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic, Ontonagon and Keweenaw Counties

Website: http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/

For Immediate Release: March 4, 2009

For More Information: (withheld for archive)

Learn about Renewable Green Energy at the Portage Library

Wind? Solar? Running water? Biofuels? Find out which renewable energy sources are possible choices for home heating and electricity. Renewable Green Energy in the U.P. will be the topic of a family program from 6:30-8:00 pm, Monday, March 16 in the community room of the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton.

TJ Brown, outreach coordinator for Northern Options Energy Center in Marquette, will engage children and adults in learning about renewable energy options in the Upper Peninsula. Brown has expertise in residential energy savings techniques and Energy Star home construction. He frequently presents programs on energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Following the half-hour presentation, many fun hands-on activity stations will be set up around the library for children and families to investigate alternative energy choices. Families will enjoy making windmills and water wheels, measuring wind speed, comparing solar gain, and designing a well insulated "home."

This is the second program in the Energy Education Series coordinated by the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education and Michigan Technological University at the Portage Lake District Library. Funding for the program is provided by the Michigan Energy Office and Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO). Find out more at www.wupcenter.mtu.edu

For more information, contact (withheld for archive)

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KNAP

KEWEENAW NATURAL AND ATTACHMENT PARENTING

Keweenaw Natural and Attachment Parenting (KNAP) is a new resource for parents in the Keweenaw Peninsula who are interested in practicing attachment parenting and embracing a natural lifestyle for their families.

Examples of attachment and natural parenting include: natural childbirth (incl. homebirth), breastfeeding, babywearing, sharing a family bed, elimination communication (diaper-free babies), cloth diapering, vaccine choice, alternative medicine, gentle discipline, homeschooling, healthy eating (unprocessed, local, organic), and green living (avoiding chemicals, living sustainably).

All Keweenaw-area parents interested in any aspects of attachment and natural parenting are welcome!

To join KNAP, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KNAP/ and click on Join This Group!

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Subject: Summer09 Teacher Institutes
>
> FOUR exciting summer teacher institutes at Michigan Technological University
> for K-12 classroom teachers and non-formal educators.
>
> Brochures and application forms: www.wupcenter.mtu.edu.
> Application Deadline: Friday, May 15, 2009 ~ 20 spaces available
> For more information:(withheld for archive)
> > (1) Great Lakes Watershed Investigations Teacher Institute ~ June 15-19, 2009
> Cost: $150 includes 3 credits; $375 with on-campus meals/lodging
> Description: This Institute is designed to teach educators about the physical, chemical, and biological components of the Great Lakes ecosystem, using the Lake Superior watershed as the classroom. This 5-day course will engage educators in a wide array of Great Lakes topics including watershed dynamics, stream monitoring, evaluating the health of the Great Lakes, amphibian & salamander monitoring, tracking Great Lakes fisheries (lake sturgeon and Coaster brook trout), invasive species, land use and shoreline development, establishing school-community partnerships, student -led stewardship activities, and careers. Teachers will receive training in and receive the new Michigan Water Quality unit (easily adapted to other states). Eligible for COSEE scholarship.*
> > (2) Forest Ecology & Resources Institute ~ June 21-26, 2009
> Cost: $400 includes 3 credits; $675 includes 5 nights lodging on campus and meals.
> Description: This six-day Institute is designed to provide teachers (grades 3-12) with a basic understanding of forest ecology and management. Topics presented will be forest management, biodiversity, silvicultural prescriptions, forest health, multiple uses (wildlife, water, recreation, timber). Through lecture, hands-on data collection and analysis, field trips, technology applications, and assignments, participants will obtain new knowledge and skills that can be adapted to their work with students. Teachers will receive training in and receive the new Michigan Ecosystems & Biodiversity unit (easily adapted to other states) or Project Learning Tree Curriculum and Activity Guide.
>
> (3) Future Fuels From Forests Teacher Institute ~ July 6-10, 2009
> Cost: $250 includes 3 graduate credits; $450 includes 5 nights lodging on campus and meals.
> Description: This 5-day Institute will engage middle/high school educators in an interdisciplinary investigation of forest-based ethanol production that will integrate silviculture and landscape ecology, GIS, and chemical engineering through lecture, field trips, and computer investigations. Teachers will receive training in and receive the new Michigan Energy Resources unit (easily adapted to other states) and Project Learning Tree's Forests of the World.
> > (4) Global Change Teacher Institute ~ July 13-17, 2009
> Cost: $400 includes 3 graduate credits; $600 includes on campus lodging/meals at Michigan Tech. Description: This five-day Institute will prepare you to engage your middle and high school students in a real-world study of the effects of global change on ecosystems, including the impacts of climatic change, elevated carbon dioxide and ozone levels, nitrogen saturation, acid rain, and invasive species. Through lecture, hands-on data collection and field trips, participants will interact with scientists and gain new knowledge and skills. Teachers will receive training in and receive the new Michigan Air Quality unit (easily adapted to other states). National and Michigan content standards for mathematics; life, earth and physical sciences; and technology will be addressed. The Institute will be taught by internationally-recognized faculty and researchers from Michigan Technological University. Participants will visit the FACE research site (http://aspenface.mtu.edu/) in northern Wisconsin where the effects of elevated CO2 and ozone on forest productivity are clearly observable. Eligible for COSEE scholarship.*
>
> * COSEE Great Lakes Marine Immersion Scholarships to assist Great Lakes teachers (grades 4-10, informal educators, and pre-service teachers) in learning about the Great Lakes. Application should be made to the selected program, and a copy sent to (withheld for archive) hmd4@cornell.edu.
> http://coseegreatlakes.net/ (Marine Immersion Scholarships)
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is still time to sign up for the Youth Symposium in Duluth. Below is information on how to get 1/2 of the tuition covered-- your students total bill would be $60 to attend.

Deadline for sponsorship application-- next tuesday (17th). Deadline for Symposium registration-- April 1st.

If you have questions about the Syposium, since my kids have attended before, feel free to contact me at (withheld for archive)

>>> (withheld for archive)
Dear Students:

The Michigan Tech Center for Water & Society (CWS) is offering FOUR
scholarships of $65 each for students interested in attending the Lake
Superior Youth Symposium May 14-17 on the campus of College of St.
Scholastica in Duluth, MN. This will cover half of the $125 registration
fee. Remember, travel and teacher registrations are FREE (provided by
the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative).

Interested students should send a short letter (about 250 words)
describing in two paragraphs:
(1) Why you want to go?
(2) What you hope to learn/experience at the Symposium?

Letters are due March 17; students will be notified by Friday, March 20.
Symposium application deadline is April 1st.

Mail to: CWS Scholarship c/o Lake Superior Youth Symposium, 105 Dillman
Hall, Michigan Tech University, Houghton, MI 49931

You can find out more about the symposium at: http://lakesuperioryouth.org/

Let me know if you'd like me to mail you a 15-page color brochure for
the Lake Superior Youth Symposium .

Students will explore current and future challenges to Lake Superior and
its watershed through hands-on investigations, presentations and field
trips, and attend a rendezvous. Students and teachers may select the
sessions they wish to attend such as: invasive species, forest
management, fisheries, water quality, air quality, alternative energy,
geo-caching, rock climbing, biking, sailing, fishing, kayaking, and much
more.

Sincerely,
(withheld for archive)
CCHE does not pass on emails/addresses/names from any of our mailing lists (electronic or snail mail) to any other groups, organizations or individuals.

Compulsory Attendance Bill Vote Set for Wednesday

Archive Notice:

This is an archived version of the emailed newsletter: “Updates!” All contact info has been deleted for privacy sake. If you need information on any of the events/items posted on this blog please email ccheupdates@gmail.com for further information.

--- On Tue, 3/3/09, (withheld for archive):

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Education Alert Compulsory Attendance Bill Vote Scheduled for Wednesday In February, the House Education Committee recommended HB4030 and HB4132 for passage in the full House. These bills are scheduled for a roll call vote on the House floor tomorrow, March 3. There are several reasons why these bills should be defeated. There are many problems with this legislation. Here are some of the reasons why these bills should be opposed: Raising the compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout rate. In fact, the two states with the highest high school completion rates (Maryland, 94.5%, and North Dakota, 94.7%) compel attendance only to age 16, but the state with the lowest completion rate (Oregon, 75.4%) compels attendance to age 18. (These figures are three-year averages, 1996 through 1998.) Most states (28) only require attendance to age 16. An estimated 20,000 students between the ages of 13 and 15 drop out of the Michigan school system each school year. Yet there is little or no enforcement of the current truancy law, since few schools employ truant officers. The proposal, while well intended, is a premature action that will have little impact, since it does not address the issues which cause the dropout problem. Older children who do not want to learn cause classroom discipline problems, disruptions, and violence, making learning harder for those who truly want to learn. Unwilling students who are forced back into the classroom are unlikely to benefit from one year of additional schooling. It is important to re-establish the right of parents to decide when their children are ready to begin formal education and of young children to enjoy the brief years of childhood without the threat of government interventions. The failures of the public school system and the successes of home schooling demand that a thoughtful dialogue move forward on whether or not compulsory attendance laws should be retained. It would take away the parental freedom to decide if a 16- or 17-year-old is ready for college or the workforce. Some 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds who are not academically inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than from being forced to sit in a classroom. Another significant impact of expanding the compulsory attendance age would be an inevitable tax increase to pay for more classroom space and teachers to accommodate the additional students compelled to attend public schools. When California increased the age of compulsory attendance, unwilling students were so disruptive that new schools had to be built just to handle them and their behavior problems, all at the expense of the taxpayer. Three years after implementing policy that increased the compulsory attendance age to 18, Texas reported only a .3% reduction in the dropout rate and a .1% increase in the completion rate. Four years after implementing a similar policy, Kansas reported a .89% reduction in the dropout rate, but no change was reported in the completion rate. Both states failed to meet even a 2% improvement in dropout and completion rates. Raising the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18 would create additional costs for the state and school districts. If all students actually remain in school until age 18, it could raise pupil memberships by approximately 30,000 statewide. At the current per pupil weighted foundation allowance of $7,668, the bill could cost $230.0 million annually, dollars that are not available. There is a question of the constitutionality of the legislation. If it were it enacted into law, it would likely be challenged as infringing upon the parental right to educate children. An exemption for home, church, and private schools is therefore in order. Please forward this information to anyone interested in this issue and call or e-mail your representative tonight or tomorrow morning to let them know your opinion on this legislation. Members who are on the Education committee are listed below. To find your representative, click here. House Education Committee: 1. Tim Melton (D-Pontiac), Chair 517-373-0475 timmelton@house.mi.gov 2. Lisa Brown (D-Bloomfield Hills), Vice Chair 517-373-1799 LisaBrown@house.mi.gov 3. Tim Bledsoe (D-Grosse Pointe) 517-373-0154 TimBledsoe@house.mi.gov 4. Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga) 517-373-0587 barbbyrum@house.mi.gov 5. Marc Corriveau (D-Northville) 517-373-3816 marccorriveau@house.mi.gov 6. Doug Geiss (D-Taylor), Bill Sponsor 517-373-0852 DouglasGeiss@house.mi.gov 7. Jennifer Haase (D-Richmond)517-373-8931 JenniferHaase@house.mi.gov 8. Deb Kennedy (D-Brownstown) 517-373-0855 DebKennedy@house.mi.gov 9. Steve Lindberg (D-Marquette) 517-373-0498 stevenlindberg@house.mi.gov 10. David Nathan (D-Detroit) 517-373-3815 DavidNathan@house.mi.gov 11. Gino Polidori (D-Dearborn) 517-373-0847 ginopolidori@house.mi.gov 12. Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores) 517-373-0113 SarahRoberts@house.mi.gov 13. Joel Sheltrown (D-West Branch) 517-373-3817 joelsheltrown@house.mi.gov 14. Mary Valentine (D-Norton Shores) 517-373-3436 maryvalentine@house.mi.gov 15. Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair Township), Minority Vice Chair phillippavlov@house.mi.gov 16. Justin Amash (R-Kentwood) 517-373-0840 JustinAmash@house.mi.gov 17. Richard Ball (R-Laingsburg) 517-373-0841 richardball@house.mi.gov 18. Larry DeShazor (R-Portage) 517-373-1774 LarryDeShazor@house.mi.gov 19. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) 517-373-1773 TomMcMillin@house.mi.gov 20. Tom Pearce (R-Rockford) 517-373-0218 tompearce@house.mi.gov 21. Paul Scott (R-Grand Blanc) 517-373-1780 PaulScott@house.mi.gov 22. Sharon Tyler (R-Niles) 517-373-1796 SharonTyler@house.mi.gov 23. John Walsh (R-Livonia) 517-373-3920 JohnWalsh@house.mi.gov Read archived newsletters and blogs about a variety of state and federal issues or post comments at: JackForMichigan.org

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CCHE does not pass on emails/addresses/names from any of our mailing lists (electronic or snail mail) to any other groups, organizations or individuals.