ISLAND INSTITUTE

1. Saltwater Connections Winter Assembly January 2013 ISLAND INSTITUTE

2. Who We Are • A membership-based nonprofit headquartered in Rockland, Maine • With a staff of 43 professionals and 10 Island Fellows • And a yearly operating budget of $5 million • Supported by 5,000 members, along with local and national foundations, agencies and organizations.

3. What We Do We partner with island and working waterfront communities to ensure a vibrant future. Our work is guided by a series of three-year strategic plans that are shaped by comprehensive, ongoing feedback from our constituencies.

4. Strategic Plan 2010 - 2013 • Develop collaborative approaches to diversify island economies • Support the survival of island schools and enhance learning opportunities • Support current and emerging local leadership

5. Signature Programs Island Fellows • College Scholarships Publications • Archipelago

6. Island Fellows Nearly 100 bright, talented college and master’s degree graduates placed in schools, libraries, town offices – wherever an “extra set of hands” can assist local projects

7. Publications • Island Journal, The Working Waterfront newspaper, Island Indicators, other reports, white papers and books • Student Journalism Program • Archipelago • Retail store and art gallery • returns over $90,000 to 250 • island and coastal artists and crafters

8. Thirteen Island Schools Casco Bay : K-5 Schools Peaks 64 stud. | YRP = 864 Cliff 4 stud. | YRP = 71 Long 16 stud. | YRP = 230 Chebeague 22 stud.|YRP = 341 K-12 Island Schools Islesboro 92 stud. | YRP = 566 North Haven 58 stud.| YRP= 355 Vinalhaven 178 stud. |YRP = 1,165 K-8 Island Schools Frenchboro 11 stud.|YRP = 61 Isle au Haut 3 stud.|YRP = 73 Islesford 12 stud. | YRP = 141 Matinicus 9 stud.|YRP 40 Monhegan 3 stud. |YRP = 69 Swans 39 stud. | YRP = 332

9. Island School Enrollment1996 - 2011

10. EDUCATION PROGRAMS Scholarships | Internships Teacher Networking | Professional Development STEM Programming Distance Learning Technology

11. Island Scholars Program • 1990 – present, over $1 million in scholarships awarded • 2012: $155,000 in scholarships awarded to 76 island students • Funding: endowment fund, private donors, capital campaigns • Scholarship committee comprised of islanders

12. Providing island scholars with experience and guidance from professionals working in island and coastal Maine businesses Island Internship Program

13. Teacher NetworkingIsland Teachers Conference Networking and professional development opportunity for teachers on islands who share both the challenges and advantages of teaching in small, geographically isolated communities. • 2012 Workshop Highlights: • Developing instruction and procedures in a standards based multi-age classroom • Creating lessons and digital texts on the iPad • Marine studies pathway: re-visioning Deer Isle-Stonington High School • Music & movement in an early childhood classroom Save the Date: October 10th and 11th, 2013 Belfast, Maine

14. 2005 – 2013 STEM EducationScience, Technology, Engineering and Math

15. STEM EducationModel

16. Empowering students to make data-driven change in their schools and communities Students | Teachers | Facility Staff | Administrators | Community | Industry • Electricity monitoring & data analysis • Energy tools &technologies • Community Energy Competitions • Energy related career paths http://www.islandinstitute.org/energyforme/

17. Elm Street School Gym lighting project Students demonstrate how they collected data with light meter Students make their case for a lighting retrofit to the school board

18. A cutting-edge interactive online platform for coastal communities to explore weather, climate, storms, geomorphology, oceanography& more Students | Teachers | Fishermen | Scientists • Participatory approach w. advisor board • Fishermen & student connection • Citizen science database • Investigations w. science advisors • Maine islands & Sitka, Alaska • 2012 – 2013 project development • 2013 – 2014 project testing

20. WeatherBlur, a Vignette“Is the marine habitat in Casco Bay suitable for longfin squid?” Place-based / relevant Student research Data collection Community Involvement Historic data & Climate Change Scientist in advising role

21. Distance Learning TechnologyTeaching & Learning Collaborative (TLC) The TLC is committed to creating a virtual classroom community where teachers and students will have access to a rich and supportive inter-island peer network. http://outerislandstlc.org

22. Teaching & Learning Collaborative (TLC) • Teacher collaboration: teachers co-create units and activities, share leadership, and offer professional support to one another • Academic collaboration: • Science & social studies curriculum aligned • Inter-island book groups

23. Teaching & Learning Collaborative (TLC) • Face to Face • Entire group meets 3X / year • Sept school year kick off hosted on island • Two field trips – tied to curriculum • Social Interaction • Friendships formed during face-to-face translate through the technology • Virtual holiday (dance) parties

24. Teaching & Learning Collaborative (TLC)

25. Distance Learning Technology • 2009 Island Institute was awarded a half million dollars through USDA Rural Utility Service Distance Learning Technology Grant • Tandbergs for all island schools • April 2013 – we anticipate applications will be due • Any technology that supports distance learning Save the Date Feb 14th, 3 PM Conf. call for USDA grant planning

26. Presented by Rob Snyder, Executive Vice-President Presented by Shey Conover & Rachel Thompson sconover@islandinstitute.org | rthompson@islandinstitute.org 207-594-9209 •P.O. Box 386 Main Street • Rockland, Maine 04841