In October, Doug Piper, Education Team lead, and Mel Pope, Chair of the FOPFC Board, recently met with Karen Murphree, the school’s Learning Coach and Alex Schulz, the elementary Science Specialist to begin to discuss how the Conservancy can be a part of the school’s learning curriculum. So far things are off to a strong start!
 
Says Alex, “The Science lessons I’ve been creating for our students’ virtual learning at Pope Farm Elementary have focused on the resources at Pope Farm Conservancy and have been so popular with kids that we are making them available to use in all the Middleton Cross Plains elementary schools. Thousands of students are getting to experience Pope Farm Conservancy through virtual learning every week.”  He will be sharing the videos with the FOPFC to use as the Friends wish.
 
Right now, brief tours for the teachers are being planned for mid-October to acquaint them with the Conservancy’s many resources. Alex shared that he’s been taking students on hikes through the conservancy though ZOOM. “They have been loving it!” As the Science Specialist at Pope Farm Elementary School, he’s looking at the material for the “Pope Farm History of the Land” initiative to find ways to integrate it into the science curriculum. His enthusiasm is contagious, and he’s already proving to be a big asset to the Conservancy.

Additional tours of PFC for the Pope Farm Elementary teachers are being planned for the coming weeks.

Stay tuned for more to come!