2/29 update: The Howard County Board of Education voted to send the County Executive a budget that would restore the Environmental Educator position. This would not have happened without the energy, advocacy and testimony of over 150 community members.
This is an important first step, but the process is not over. The proposed budget still has to be approved by the County Executive and the County Council. Please continue to make your voices heard and ask the county to keep the environmental educator position in the budget by emailing the County Executive and the County Council.
Ways to help:
- Email Howard County Executive Calvin Ball (cball@howardcountymd.gov) and The Howard County Council (councilmail@howardcountymd.gov).
- Stay up to date on upcoming opportunities to testify and attend meetings to show your support
1/18 update:
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) has proposed cutting the last remaining environmental educator in the school system after 18 years of groundbreaking programs. Ann Strozyk, the award-winning educator in this role, delivers hands-on programs to 15,000 students every year through a cost-effective partnership with the Howard County Conservancy. Learn more here
We need your help to advocate for hands-on environmental education for all students in Howard County. The first budget hearing is January 25th at the Board of Education meeting. Board members want to hear from the community about budget priorities. Click here for a full schedule of the budget process.
Sample Email Template:
Dear X,
I am writing to express my disappointment that the HCPSS Environmental Educator position is proposed to be cut. Without school system support of environmental education, students will not have access to hands-on outdoor science experiences at an absolutely critical time for our climate. Programs like the Watershed Report Card, Climate kNOWledge and Youth Climate Institute rely on this position to provide hands-on STEM learning for county students. These incredibly important programs that provide science education, inspire future stewards and build green careers will be decimated. Howard County schools lag far behind other counties in funding of environmental education. We can do better! Please reconsider funding this critically important program – by keeping the HCPSS environmental educator – for our county students.
Sincerely, X