Iowa Child Newsletter
A Vision for Iowa’s Future
November 1, 2001
A Focus on Education
As the Iowa Child Institute continues developing their world class environmental project, an extension group of the Institute has been focusing their efforts on establishing the direction of the education component of the environmental facility.
The National Education Design Team, now headed by award winning University of Iowa Professor of Science Education Robert Yager, is a group focused on developing detailed plans for the curriculum, content, and delivery mechanisms of the education program.
Robert Yager, a native Iowan, is a nationally recognized leader in the advancement of K-12 science education programs. As part of the National Education Design Team, he will play a key leadership role in developing the educational component of the Iowa Child project. Over the course of the past month, Bob Yager has also been working with local educators to develop a Local Education Advisory Council composed of individuals from Grant Wood Area Education Agency and local school districts. The Local Education Advisory Council (LEAC) will be responsible for appointing local educators to various education focus groups. These focus groups will work on specific plans for the facility and report back to the Local Education Advisory Council. In addition the LEAC will help develop partnerships with area educational organizations.
Community Advisory Council
Since forming two months ago, the Community Advisory Council (CAC) has listed the renaming of the Iowa Child Institute’s environmental project as one of its top priorities. While the Institute plans to retain its organizational name, the group is dedicated to finding a new name for their environmental project that reflects the nature and content of the project.
On October 29th, 2001, the CAC met for an initial brainstorming session, and began listing criteria for the renaming of the project. Community Advisory Council Director Sheila Boyd says the group hopes to announce the project¹s new name in early 2002.
Visiting Consultants
This month, the Iowa Child Institute will host several more project consultants. During their visits, these consultants will meet with community members, local educators, and the media to discuss their role in the project. Their visitation schedule is as follows:
Dr. John Todd – November 5-7, 2001
Dr. John Todd is one of the pioneers in ecological design and engineering. Currently, he is a Research Professor and Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Vermont, the President and Founder of Ocean Arks International – a non-profit research and education organization- and President of John Todd Research and Design Inc., a consulting firm.
Dr. Todd is the inventor of Living Machines, ecological “engines” for the treatment of wastes, production of foods, generation of fuels and the restoration of damaged aquatic environments. He’s won dozens of awards for his work, has written over 200 scientific, technical and popular articles, and has authored six books.
Dr. Todd is currently at work with the Iowa Child Institute developing ecological concepts for the project with a connective theme of caring for the Earth, our communities and the future of Iowa. Dr. Todd is currently working on systems that will capture rainwater that falls on and around the facility for use within the rainforest exhibit. As well, Dr. Todd is looking at opportunities to connect the project to the Iowa River and to the Iowa prairie.
Events scheduled for Dr. John Todd:
Open Town Hall Meeting
Monday, November 5th
7 PM
Coralville Public Library
FOILTEC – Edward M. Peck and Georgery Crozier – November 28-30, 2001
The Foiltec Group was involved in the Eden Project, located near Cornwall, England, and has worked on hospitals, malls and aquatic centers throughout the world. Edward M. Peck and Georgery Crozier, representatives of the Foiltec Group, have been working with the Iowa Child Institute and other consultants to incorporate their roofing system into the project. Foiltec designs and manufactures unique flexible roofing systems out of Texlon Foil. Their innovative roofing system has an unparalleled ability to respond to a specific need, and is lightweight and transparent and as well has excellent durability and insulating properties. The result of their work is a natural and cost-effective climate and environment.
Some of Foiltec’s work includes the Eden Project in England, the Rain Forest House in Hanover, Germany, and the Marine Papillorama in Neu Chatel, Switzerland. The group has been working together for more than twenty years.
Eden Project Website – www.edenproject.com
We will continue to update you on our consultants’ visits and schedules as they visit the Iowa Child Institute.
Iowa Child in the Media
Over the course of the past month, supporters of the project have sent letters to the editor. Several individuals have written pieces that have been published in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Gazette, the Iowa City Press Citizen, and the Des Moines Register. Below you will find links to some of the most recent press the Iowa Child Project has received. If you would like to write a letter in support of this project, we want to hear from you! Please contact Sheila Boyd at [email protected], or call the Iowa Child office at 319-351-4400.
Press Clips
http://www.press-citizen.com/opinion/pceditorials/staffedit100101.htm
http://www.press-citizen.com/opinion/pceditorials/staffedit092601.htm
http://www.press-citizen.com/news/iowachild/101101centralelem.htm
http://www.gazetteonline.com/go_article/0,1336,20970%252D1,00.html
Any Suggestions?
Our goal with this Iowa Child Newsletter is to keep our supporters up-to-date on the latest happenings within the Iowa Child Institute. If there’s something you’d like to see in this newsletter in the coming months, let us know. Please contact Sheila Boyd at [email protected].
June 26, 2002 >| March 14, 2002 >| January 25, 2002 >| December 5, 2001 >
November 1, 2001 >| October 8, 2001 >| August 31, 2001 >
The Institute is a non-profit development group established to further the goals of the environmental learning project. The Board of the Institute includes 18 prominent business, civic and educational leaders.
Iowa Child Board Members
Robert D. Ray, Chairman; Steve Alford; Thomas Aller; Robert Burnett; Richard Canella; Ronald S. Fielder; Jolene Franken; Hayden Fry; B.J. Furgerson; Joe Hladky; Dr. Stanley R. Johnson; Dr. Norm Nielson; David Oman; Merlin Plagge; Robert D. Ray; W. Ward Reynoldson; Richard M. Ryan, Jr.; David J. Skorton; Dr. Thomas J. Switzer; Ted Townsend; Paula Vincent.
Iowa Child Staff
David Oman, Vice Chairman
Jane VanVoorhis, Director of Grant Development
Sheila Boyd, Director of Community Relations
Irv Jensen, Communications Consultant
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