By Jess Garby
Since the New Year, I have been hitting the ground running with a variety of projects. Many of my work days have been spent meeting and getting to know the many talented conservation educators throughout the valley. I have connected with the Montana State Parks, Flathead Land Trust, Glacier National Park, Whitefish Lake Institute, the Flathead CORE (Community of Research Educators), and a preschool, to plan future field trips and events!
One of my favorite connections I have established so far is with the education team at Glacier National Park. Like us, they work throughout the school year, lead classroom lectures, and take students outside. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to shadow their lead educator at a school visit to East Glacier schools in early February! I look forward to using the strategies and materials I learn from the NPS in our future programming.
The learning kits have been getting a lot of use in January. A 9th and 10th grade teacher from Glacier High School has been using the “I’m Made of Water” and the “Cavity Nesters” learning kits throughout the month. Russell Elementary has used the “Chickadee Whos’ Who: Bird ID Basics” and the “Cavity Nesters” learning kits as well. I wanted to give a personal shout out to our lovely board member and education guru, Cindy Roberts, for delivering the learning kits and teaching multiple lessons at Russell Elementary. I will be joining Cindy soon to introduce myself to Russell Elementary and to learn her magical ways of teaching!
Other fun things I have been up to is preparing for the Birds of Northwest Montana course I am teaching at the Flathead Valley Community College Senior Institute. Starting February 14, I will be teaching the course once a week for 6-weeks, and ending the class with a field trip to Batavia Refuge and Smith Lake.
In February, I am most looking forward to the Wingspan board game night and visiting classrooms to spread our love of birds to students, and also, I hope, seeing some cool birds! Can someone manifest a Snowy Owl in the valley?