What is Four Winds?

Below you will find the Four Wind's Institute mission statement from their webpage, www. fourwindsinstitute.org.  You will also find more about how the Four Winds nature program is integrated into grades K-4 in our school.  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or would like to know more about this program, please use the contact information below.

"Four Winds Nature Institute is a non-profit organization advancing the understanding, appreciation and protection of the environment through community-based natural science education and research. Four Winds staff members are educators and scientists dedicated to helping children and adults gain the background knowledge and science skills needed to understand the world around them and the creative problem-solving and citizenship skills needed to protect it. Our programs encourage folks to learn about and explore nearby nature, connecting people to the natural world where they live, work and play."

 

"We believe people long for a healthy connection to the environment and to each other. Four Winds' community-based education programs bring children and adults together to explore the natural world. Through these programs, we are helping people of all ages make meaningful connections to nature. It is these connections that will nurture and fuel us all as we work together to address the increasingly complex environmental issues ahead of us."

 

2008-2009 WES Life Cycle Themes:
September -- Insect Life Cycles
October--  Tree Growth
November --- Traveling Seeds
January---   Birds on the Wing
February ----  Trees in Winter
March---   Maple Sugaring
April ---  Songbird Songs
May---   Dandelion Cycles

Contact Information:

Coordinators

Joan Haley
haleybango@aol.com
457-9417

Nancy Vicar
457-9859

Gretchen Czaja (School point person)
gczaja@wesvt.org
457-2522


Volunteer Section

Thank you for volunteering your time as a Four Winds teacher!  We appreciate your efforts and positive energy you have devoted to our program. We are truly fortunate to have such amazing volunteers to keep this program going in our school.  If you have any questions or need support at any time, please do not hesitate to contact Joan Haley or Gretchen Czaja (see contact info.) Once again, THANK YOU for your time, without you this great program would not be available to our children.


Kindergarten   
Seleste Weeks   
Jen Anderson   
Polly Mahoney  

First Grade   
Polly Mahoney 
Kiera Saggese   

Second Grade   
Alita Wilson 
Kelly White 
Cassie Reed   
Marianne Bees   

Third Grade   
Wendy Seiple  
Nancy Vicar   

Fourth Grade   
Chris Pushee  
Kiera Saggese  
Cassie Reed   

Substitute    Joan Haley      
WES Point Person    Gretchen Czaja


Click here to download Four Winds Parent Volunteer Manual

Click here for the Online Tree Key

Volunteer Trainings
All trainings take place on the first Monday of the month from 8:30AM-10:30AM at the National Parks Service building across form Billings Farm.  I will be posting those exact dates soon.  The next training is Monday, December 1st . See you there. 

2nd Grade Tree Walk-October 15
"Trees are our friends."

Manny Campos drawing his adopted tree on Mt. Peg from a different perspective.

Alita, Four Winds Volunteer leading a closing discussion on what we should thank our tree for giving us. 

Abby also looking and drawing her adpoted tree from a different perspective. 

A student drawing the group's adopted tree.

Gina displays her perspective of her adopted tree. 

Yeabsira showing off the giant leaf that came from the tree his group adopted.