COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 162

August 10, 2007

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Environmental Education Opportunities

The Virginia Office of Environmental Education at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has several grant funding and professional development opportunities available for school divisions. 

Environmental Education Scholarships for Professional Development

Scholarships are available to attend the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) national conference in Virginia Beach, November 14-17, 2007. Applicants do not have to be current members of NAAEE. The application deadline is September 1. The scholarship application can be found at http://www.vanaturally.com/naaee_scholarship.doc, and information regarding the NAAEE conference can be found at http://www.naaee.org/conference.

Virginia Classroom Grants

Any school or school division is encouraged to apply for a grant of $500, $750, or $1,000 for the purpose of conducting meaningful watershed and outdoor educational experiences with their students in K-12 classrooms. The application deadlines are September 15 and January 15 annually. For more information, please contact Jennifer Underwood by e-mail at jcunderwood@deq.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 698-4235.

2007 High School Chemical Cleanout Initiative Grants

Funding is available to remove expired, unwanted, and potentially hazardous chemicals from Virginia high school science laboratories and storage rooms.  Grants will provide support that will ensure the proper management, handling, and reuse/recycling/disposal of these chemicals to avoid future exposure to students and the environment.  Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis starting July 16, 2007, as funds allow.  For more information, see http://www.vanaturally.com/k12ed/chemical_cleanout.doc and

http://www.deq.virginia.gov/p2/sc3/ or you may contact Tom Griffin by e-mail at rtgriffin@deq.virginia.gov, or by telephone at 804-698-4545.

School Recycling Initiative

For resources and services that will assist your schools in protecting Virginia's environment through recycling programs, please visit the Virginia Recycling Association (VRA)at http://www.vrarecycles.org/. You can help VRA provide more support to schools by completing the online inventory on that website.

For additional information on any of these programs, please contact Ms. Ann Regn, director, Virginia Office of Environmental Education, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, by e-mail at amregn@deq.virginia.gov, or by telephone at (804) 698-4442.

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