Dr. John Medina and Karl Fisch to provide keynote addresses
More than 400 K-12 and Higher Education stakeholders, policy makers, students, parents and green building industry professionals are expected to attend USGBC Colorado’s Green Schools Summit for a discussion on the future of education and how it is shifting, to be held at the University of Denver on Friday, November 14.
Now in its eighth year, the focus of the Summit will be how to design, build and maintain 21st-century schools, with the ultimate goal of greening Colorado’s schools within one generation.
“It’s not just about efficiency. It’s about healthy spaces and initiatives that evoke students’ imagination and remove obstacles to learning. We know that where we learn matters,” said Margaret Pauls, past chair of USGBC Colorado’s Green Schools Initiative. Attendees of the Green Schools Summit learn about emerging trends and best practices from experts in the field.
“Our vision of ‘green schools in Colorado within this generation’ is widely shared,” said Patti Mason, Associate Director of the U.S. Green Building Council Colorado Chapter. “The challenge for school districts is how to get from that shared vision to a reality. This year’s summit focuses on best practices, finding resources, and innovative strategies to fund green school projects, bring sustainable learning in the classroom, and get the whole community involved.”
The Summit will feature three education tracks organized around the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Three Pillars: reduce environmental impact and costs; improve the health and wellness of schools, students, and staff; and provide environmental education. The technical track is designed with industry practitioners in mind and dives deeper into the topic identified.
Two prominent researchers and educators will deliver keynote addresses at the event. They are Dr. John Medina, author of the New York Times bestseller Brain Rules and the national bestseller Brain Rules for Baby and Karl Fisch, creator of Shift Happens.
Dr. Medina is a developmental molecular biologist and private research consultant. He holds joint affiliate faculty appointments at the University of Washington School of Medicine, in its Department of Bioengineering, and at Seattle Pacific University, where he is the director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research.
Fisch has been teaching for over 25 years; he now serves as Director of Technology at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. He also runs an education blog, The Fischbowl.
Medina and Fisch will be joined by representatives of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Department of Education, Colorado Energy Office and Colorado Department of Revenue, who will share updates.
Teachers can attend the Green Schools Summit for a discounted rate of $25. USGBC Colorado member rate is $150. Registration can be accessed at http://usgbccolorado.org/content.php?page=Green_Schools_Summit. For more information about sponsorship opportunities please contact Patti Mason at patti@usgbccolorado.org or 303-292-6181.
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