Opportunities are available for Virginia Beach teachers, both public and private, throughout the year. Virginia Beach Schools Professional Development Program sponsors some training opportunities. Non-VBCPS teachers may still register for PDP programs but must contact Helen Kuhns, Education Coordinator to secure placement. Independently-offered workshops may still be available for PDP credit but credit must be pursued through Alternative Request Procedures.

2010-11 Teacher Development Opportunities
For information, contact hkuhns@lynnhaven2007.com

Summer 2010

• Class Full - Going Green: An Introduction Model to Involve Students in Community and Educational Projects – June 24, 2010 - This course is appropriate for elementary, middle and some high school faculty and staff - In this half day program, we will look at ways of “greening” your school, involving your whole school, identifying partners, easy projects and programs to get started and a look at successes of two local schools on starting a River Keepers program. Limit 25 teachers. This course will be offered again in March 2011.
  Times 8:00 AM – 12 Noon
  Landstown High School
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-0794-10-001.
• Cancelled - Introduction to Environmental Education – June 28 – June 30, 2010 - This 3-day workshop series provides new teachers a jump start in environmental education by providing three environmental education curriculums.. Teachers will gain experience and curriculum guides in three national programs sponsored through our state agencies: Project WET , Project Learning Tree , and Project WILD and WILD Aquatic. Each day’s program will be offered with a look at how each can best fulfill your classroom needs in regards to water quality and life along the Lynnhaven River and Chesapeake Bay. These successful curriculums are classroom tested and approved. A curriculum guide will be provided for each component. Teachers must take all 3 days of training. Teachers not completing a day’s training session will not be eligible to receive the guide for that day per state requirements. Limit 25 teachers. Bring your own lunch.
  Times 9 AM – 4 PM
  Bayside High School
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-1049-10-001
• Introduction to Oysters – July 7, 2010 – This half-day workshop highlights the oyster’s critical role in the Lynnhaven ecosystem and discusses the successes of the recent oyster restoration effort. The course will include introductory presentations and hands-on activities. Interested teachers are then invited to attend a second training seminar in October 2010 if they would like to involve their students in restoring the Lynnhaven’s oyster population. Limit 20 teachers. The course is appropriate for elementary through middle school teachers who are not currently involved in oyster restoration. This course will be offered again in the March 2011.
  Times 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  Bayside High School
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-1048-10-001
• Wetlands 101 – July 12 - 13, 2010 - This one and one half day workshop provides a basic introduction to wetland function and dynamics and includes WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands curriculum guide. Exploring wetland areas, teachers will develop a more in-depth understanding of the crucial role of wetland areas, how wetlands work and will leave with hands on activity you can use in your classroom and on your school grounds. Teachers must attend entire class to receive curriculum guide. Limit 25 teachers.
  Times July 12th (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM) and July 13th (9:00 AM – 1 PM)
  Bayside High School
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-0090-10-001
• Class Full - Oyster Reef Science – July 19, 2010 – This half-day course will take teachers to a restored oyster reef in the Lynnhaven River where we will take an in-depth look at reef ecology, history and the role that oysters continue to play in our local waters. This course complements the Introduction to Oyster Gardening course and is also appropriate for current oyster gardeners. Limited to 15 people. The course is appropriate for middle and high school teachers.
  Times 9:00 AM – 1 PM
  Bayside High School
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-1047-10-001

Fall 2010

• Advanced Oyster Gardeners’ Field Skills Course – November 13, 2010 - This advanced oyster course, designed for teachers who currently raise oysters with their students, will help teachers bring the field component of oyster gardening into their classrooms. The course will introduce a species identification dichotomous key activity and an accurate sampling activity, which were designed to build students’ field observation and sampling skills. Teachers will leave with the materials needed to conduct these activities with their students. Limit 15 teachers. The course is appropriate for all science teachers who are already involved in oyster restoration.
  Times 9:00 AM – 1 PM
  Location TBD;
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-1052-10-001

Spring 2011

• Going Green: An Introduction Model to Involve Students in Community and Educational Projects – March 5, 2011 - This course is appropriate for elementary and middle school faculty and staff. In this half day program, we will look at ways of “greening” your school, involving your whole school, identifying partners, easy projects and programs to get started and a look at successes of two local schools on starting a River Keepers program. Limit 25 teachers.
  Times 9 AM – 1 PM
  First Colonial High School
  VB PDP Course # SCIE-0794-10-02
• Introduction to Oysters – March 12, 2011 – This half-day workshop highlights the oyster’s critical role in the Lynnhaven ecosystem and discusses the successes of the recent oyster restoration effort. The course will include introductory presentations and hands-on activities. Limit 20 teachers. The course is appropriate for elementary through middle school teachers who are not currently involved in oyster restoration.
  Times 9 AM – 1 PM
  First Colonial High School
  VB PDP # SCIE-1048-10-002

Summer 2011

* This course will have a fee

• Understanding Watersheds – date TBD – This revised two-day course will begin with a classroom component which covers watershed basics, links between land use, runoff and water quality, and related environmental issues. The second day of this course will be spent aboard a Chesapeake Bay Foundation boat investigating water chemistry and its link to water quality. The course will focus on sampling techniques and equipment relevant in an upper school setting. This course is appropriate for high school science teachers.
  Date, time, location and cost To Be Determined