ed team slides_jc

IslandWood Education Team

IslandWood Education TeamBainbridge Campus School and Camp Programs

IslandWoods environmental education programs began on the Bainbridge Campus almost 14 years ago.

The School Overnight Program (SOP) was the original youth program, partnering with schools to provide four-day residential learning experiences that uses the natural environment on the Bainbridge Campus to create integrated science and social studies learning for 4th 6th grade. The schools that attend are primarily from the nearby region King and Kitsap County. The program strives to serve schools that typically cant participate in away from school experiences. There is a scholarship to support these lower-income schools

The Bainbridge Campus also features a summer day camp that is targeted to serve primarily children from Bainbridge Island aged 4 12.

IslandWood Education TeamBainbridge Campus School and Camp Programs

IslandWoods environmental education programs began on the Bainbridge Campus almost 14 years ago.

The School Overnight Program (SOP) was the original youth program, partnering with schools to provide four-day residential learning experiences that uses the natural environment on the Bainbridge Campus to create integrated science and social studies learning for 4th 6th grade. The schools that attend are primarily from the nearby region King and Kitsap County. The program strives to serve schools that typically cant participate in away from school experiences. There is a scholarship to support these lower-income schools

The Bainbridge Campus also features a summer day camp that is targeted to serve primarily children from Bainbridge Island aged 4 12.

IslandWood Education TeamBainbridge Campus school and camp programsEducation for Environment and Community Graduate Program, 10 month certificate with UW

There are many centers around the country that offer residential environmental education programs during the school year. There are very few of these centers that combine a graduate program. Our Education for Environment and Community (EEC) is a three quarter certificate experience toward a Masters in Education in partnership with the University of Washington. In addition to their academic course work (taught by IslandWood staff), the grad students are the instructors for the School Overnight Program.


There are many centers around the country that offer residential environmental education programs during the school year. There are very few of these centers that combine a graduate program. Our Education for Environment and Community (EEC) is a three quarter certificate experience toward a Masters in Education in partnership with the University of Washington. In addition to their academic course work (taught by IslandWood staff), the grad students are the instructors for the School Overnight Program.


IslandWoods unique program design allows graduate students to have a integrated cycle of theory and practice learning experience. Each team has its own set of professional staff attending to program development and delivery for their clients (youth or graduate students). Because they interlink, it is essential that these two programs work closely together so that each clients needs are met.

The Impact Team including the Director of Program Impact and Senior Faculty work across the boundaries of both the School Overnight Program and EEC Graduate Program to support the successful co-evolution of these programs.


Urban School and Camp Programs

While time away from home can be a powerful learning opportunity, we recognized an inherent challenge. Students would occasionally leave thinking that nature is on Bainbridge Island, or that those things worth learning about outside an in nature are all at IslandWood.

To address this, in 2010 IslandWood began to offer more designed environmental education programs off the Bainbridge Campus.

Initially we merged with Homewaters which offered science enrichment experiences in school yards and parks for 4th 6th Seattle Schools students. We also became the educational contractor at King Countys Brightwater Treatment center in Woodinville. The EEC graduate students were also offering programs back at school for the SOP students. These early program experiences allowed us to have a youth programming presence beyond our Bainbridge Campus and extend the impactful SOP programs back to home communities. But these efforts were not well integrated or thoughtfully co-designed. We were in a learning phase.


Urban School and Camp Programs

While time away from home can be a powerful learning opportunity, we recognized an inherent challenge. Students would occasionally leave thinking that nature is on Bainbridge Island, or that those things worth learning about outside an in nature are all at IslandWood.

To address this, in 2010 IslandWood began to offer more designed environmental education programs off the Bainbridge Campus.

Initially we merged with Homewaters which offered science enrichment experiences in school yards and parks for 4th 6th Seattle Schools students. We also became the educational contractor at King Countys Brightwater Treatment center in Woodinville. The EEC graduate students were also offering programs back at school for the SOP students. These early program experiences allowed us to have a youth programming presence beyond our Bainbridge Campus and extend the impactful SOP programs back to home communities. But these efforts were not well integrated or thoughtfully co-designed. We were in a learning phase.


Urban School and Camp ProgramsUrban Environmental Education Graduate Program, M.A. Ed. AUS

In 2012 IslandWood Staff and Board adopted the Blueprint for Growth long range plan. One of those initiatives was to develop a urban environmental education graduate program that would compliment the Bainbridge EEC program. As a result of generous funding the program launched summer of 2015.

The Urban Environmental Education (UEE) grad program is entirely based in the city and focuses on developing educators who can use the built and natural environments in the city as assets for environmental education.



In 2012 IslandWood Staff and Board adopted the Blueprint for Growth long range plan. One of those initiatives was to develop a urban environmental education graduate program that would compliment the Bainbridge EEC program. As a result of generous funding the program launched summer of 2015.

The Urban Environmental Education (UEE) grad program is entirely based in the city and focuses on developing educators who can use the built and natural environments in the city as assets for environmental education.



Over the course of this first year of the UEE program our Urban School Programs will adapt their programs to become the practicum experience for the UEE graduate students much as the School Overnight Program is the practicum for Bainbridges EEC graduate program.

The principles of our urban programs are:They broaden the idea of environmentIncludes human well-beingSupports student learningAccessible to all audiences / is equitableFocus on urban systemsUses nontraditional learning experiences



This visual represents the work of IslandWoods Education Team going forward. Our goal is to develop the will and means to integrate all our programs so that there is thoughtful sharing of educational approaches, efficiencies of human resources and consistent program assessment.



This visual represents the work of IslandWoods Education Team going forward. Our goal is to develop the will and means to integrate all our programs so that there is thoughtful sharing of educational approaches, efficiencies of human resources and consistent program assessment.



Making Connections Between ProgramsIntegrating Program StrategiesResource SharingFocus on Continuous Improvement

To accomplish this objective, Ive highlighted the four areas the Ed Team is focused on going forward.