VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2 - WINTER 2002
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Jerilyn Harris Jeri has retired from teaching science at Ukiah High School and is now a board member for the RVOEP. Serving in this capacity affords her an opportunity to stay involved in her profession and community. Prior to retirement she served as the Interim Director of Teacher Education at UC Berkeley, Chair of the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing, and as a member of the Commission to Establish California's Academic Content Standards. As a teacher she received the University of Chicago Outstanding Teacher Award, was a California Finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, and was honored by the Ukiah Chamber of Commerce as Educator of the Year. As the Administrator of Professional Development for the California Department of Education, Jeri had oversight and gained insight into various programs for educators to advance professionally such as: Beginning Teacher Support and Assistance (BTSA); National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), Peer Assistance and Review (PAR), Instructional Time for Staff Development and Comprehensive Teacher Education Institutes (CTEI). Jeri states, "Missing from California's vision is a concrete connection between mandated programs for teacher preparation, teacher professional development, and the reality of our classrooms. A tangible resource, such as the RVOEP, has unlimited potential for Ukiah Unified for students, teachers, and parents to connect academic standards and curriculum to the reality of our beautiful community. Current and previous board members and volunteers, including our beloved Jerry Cook, worked diligently to create and promote this resource for Ukiah students that would be the envy of districts both state and nationwide." Jeri says she is also delighted to once again be able to work with the "other" J. Harris. |
Jerry Dee Cook
The RVOEP has lost one of its most devoted volunteers. Jerry Dee Cook died of lung cancer on September 29, 2002. Jerry was a science teacher and a naturalist. He was one of the original organizers of the RVOEP when the idea was proposed in 1992. He gave of his time and energy to serve as a board member, develop the trail guide for the upper trail and to lead wonderful workshops at the RVOEP. His workshops on wildflowers and mushrooms drew large crowds, and his energy was infectious. If there were few mushrooms present at the RVOEP, he would arrive with his pickup full of mushrooms he had collected elsewhere in the county and proceed to educate his audience. His latest passion was lichen, and last January he presented a wonderful workshop on lichen, drawing from on-site examples and samples gathered other places. He loved to teach and share his knowledge and expertise with others.
So that we can all remember Jerry, the Advisory Board of the RVOEP has named the upper trail the Jerry Cook Trail, and Bill Smith 's wonderful sign shows the way. His impact on the community is indicated by the number of donations in his memory made to the RVOEP.
We will all miss Jerry very much, but know that wherever he is others are learning about botany.
Educational Program
I sit here alone
As I hear the birds sing.
As they chirp,
As they cry,
As I hear them laugh.
OH, they are the most wonderful thing!
By Chloe, 3rd grade, Yokayo
This wonderful poem was written during "Magic Spot" time at the RVOEP. Each day we try to give students a few minutes to sit alone in a special spot in the forest. We call this a time to listen to nature with our hearts. The children listen and the earth speaks. Visit our web site, rvoep.org, and click on EARTH SPEAKS to see some of the drawings and read a few of the poems that have come from our Magic Spot Journals.
One of our goals at the RVOEP is to connect the important ecological concepts students learn during their field trip experiences at the RVOEP to responsible action back at home and school. This winter Amy and Helen will again visit interested classrooms with a special program called "Living Lightly On The Earth --------Lessons From The Forest. This is a fun and involving program in which students link the plants and animals of the forest community in a giant Web of Life. They then experiment to find out what happens when strands of this delicate web are destroyed by the actions of man through his waste disposal choices. Next, students are challenged in an exciting game involving the 3R's ----- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, as they work in teams to design a simple waste disposal strategy. They test their plans as they compete in a rousing relay race to the disposal bins. The lesson culminates with the delivery of a special "Reduce Box" from a Raccoon. Students then brainstorm ways they could use the items in the Raccoon's box to reduce the amount of trash they generate. The program takes about 90 minutes and is appropriate for grades 2-6.
Helen will be contacting teachers with information about other winter classroom programs and a schedule for spring field trips. Those teachers that attended field trips last year will automatically be rescheduled again this coming spring and their field trip date will be mailed to them. New teachers are encouraged to call or e-mail Helen to make a reservation for a spring field trip. Bus transportation will be paid for through special grants and donations to the RVOEP.
More that 800 students have been involved in our educational programs this fall. To learn more about our activities and our grade level programs visit our web site and click on EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
For further information about the educational program, to volunteer, or to schedule a field trip visit rvoep.org or contact: Helen Menasian at Redwood Valley School, 485-0690 (2-4pm), 743-2065 (home), Email: hmenasian@pacific.net.
Field trips have been held all fall with wonderful results. Even when it rained, classes came to the site, utilizing the covered gazebo to keep dry. Child-sized rain ponchos have been purchased for those students who come and do not have rain gear.
We very sadly said goodbye to Jerry Cook, who passed away on September 29. You can read about Jerry elsewhere in this issue; he had been on our board since the concept of the RVOEP first was proposed in 1992. We will miss him. The Science Building at Ukiah High will be named after him. We received a number of contributions in memory of Jerry. This is a special way to remember loved ones and to help keep our program going. Our sincerest thanks to those who made donations. The upper trail at the RVOEP is now the Jerry Cook trail, designated by a sign made by Bill Smith. Thank you, Bill.
On October 8 the Board of Trustees of the Ukiah Unified School District granted the RVOEP an extension of five years for the use of the facility. The RVOEP thanks the Board most sincerely for showing such faith in the educational program being offered on the site.
Early in September the crew from Parlin Fork Conservation Camp came and worked on weed abatement. They chopped a big growth of non-native blackberry bushes and did a lot of cleanup. What would we do without their help? Thanks to the hard-working crews and to Duane Wells for facilitating their visit..
In early December a crew from the CCC, under the direction of Sarah Nossaman-Pierce, Stream Restoration Technician with the University of California Cooperative Extension, will remove non-native invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry and vinca from along the river, and the area will be replanted with native plants. This is being done as part of an effort to restore fish spawning habitat on the Russian River.
Have you seen our beautiful T-shirts with our embroidered logo? They are again available for $25 each. Please call Jennifer at 485-7935 if you are interested in having one. Did you see the article in the Press Democrat late in October which mentioned the RVOEP repeatedly? Readers were encouraged to walk the trails. Don't forget that you are welcome to walk the 2.5 miles of trails, but we ask that horseback riding and bicycle riding not occur in the rainy months. Both horses and bikes damage the trails.
We are in need of the following items:
- "Treasures of Natures" such as bones, stuffed birds, skulls (not deer or cattle), etc.
- Bookcases
- Educational display for solar panels and composting toilet
- Additional signs to be posted at the river
- Old shower curtains which can be sewn into sit-upons
- A working 10-gallon aquarium
- More docents!
Call Helen at 485-0690 to make a donation.
Spotlight || What's Happening || Wish List
Link to Previous Newsletters:
Summer 2002 ||
Fall 2002
Return to Current Newsletter
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