FAQs

Read through this page to make sure the dates work for you. The application is at the bottom.

Dates for the Professional Learning

Cohort Members: You are expected to attend two consecutive summer dates, one fall date, and one spring date. Most of you indicated you could attend in-person for all four events. The Virtual Day is for participants who live more than an hour away. You also need to attend all four 90-minute Sharing Sessions.

Non-cohort: Any educator is welcome to attend any workshops except Sharing Sessions

Summer 2-day Event (Cohort members, please register for BOTH days)

All events are from 9:00-3:30

Choose a location:

Region 1, Mendocino County Science Retreat for Educators, July 28-30th, 2025. HERE is the flyer & HERE is the registration for the event. Please keep in mind this is a 2.5 day retreat at the Mendocino Woodlands Camp. Participants will be staying in cabins and all food and accommodations are provided by the grant. Come beat the summer heat in the shade of the redwoods!
Region 2, Shasta County (Whiskeytown Environmental School): July 23 & 24, 2025. Registration Day 1 Registration Day 2.
Region 3, Sacramento County Office of Education: July 28 & 29, 2025 | Registration for Day 1 and 2.
Region 4, San Mateo County Office of Education: July 30 & 31, 2025. Registration.
Virtual-only sessions: August 5-6 on Zoom (for those who live more than an hour from the in-person locations). Registration

Fall 1-day Workshop (School Days)

All events are from 9:00-3:30

Choose one day/location:

Region 1, Mendocino County - Ft. Bragg High School (contact msteward@mcoe.us if you need lodging the night before): September 12, 2025 Register HERE

Region 2, Shasta County (Whiskeytown Environmental School): October 7, 2025. Register here

Region 3, Sacramento County at the Sacramento County Office of Education: September 23, 2025. Register here.

Region 4, San Mateo County Office of Education: September 18, 2025. Register here

Virtual Only: October 7, 2025, on Zoom Register here

Spring 1-day Workshop (Saturdays)

All events are from 9:00-3:30

Choose one day/location:

Region 1, Mendocino County: April 25, 2026 Register HERE

Region 2, Shasta County (Whiskeytown Environmental School): March 28, 2026 Register here

Region 3, Sacramento County at the Sacramento County Office of Education: April 18, 2026. Register here.

Region 4, San Mateo County Office of Education: April 18, 2026 Register here

Virtual Only May 2nd, 2026, on Zoom. Registration

Cohort members also must attend four Sharing Sessions, below

Dates for CREEC Sharing Sessions

This is open to (and required of) cohort members only. These would not be of interest to other educators. Cohort members must attend all 4 session dates at the time of your choosing. . Please put them on your calendar so you don't get double-booked with an IEP, SST, etc.

Nov 5, 2025, Wed at 9:30 or 3:30
Jan 13, 2026, Tue at 9:30 or 3:30
Feb 12, 2026, Thu at 9:30 or 3:30
Mar 17, 2026, Tue at 9:30 or 3:30

Stipends, Materials, and (no) Subs

The grant does NOT pay for a sub on the one day in the fall when a sub might be needed. This is the district/organization's contribution for your PL. No other days require substitutes.
Grant participants receive a fun goody box of science and nature supplies valued at about $100. The exact items have not been chosen yet, but often include terrific nature activity books, science notebook guides, mini-microscopes, and climate books for educators.
Your stipend will be $800. We pay more than that to your employer to cover employee benefits. Your actual stipend is determined by them.
We know in-person events can come with extra costs. To help offset that, the stipend for this program is $800; $200 more than what we offered for Zoom-only grants. When possible, free or low-cost summer camping will also be available.

Expectations in order to receive stipends and supplies

You must attend all 4 PL Days and all 4 Sharing Sessions. A maximum of 1 sharing session and 1 full-day workshop may be made up in Canvas. Previous participants who did not receive their stipends would recommend that you do not plan to miss any days. Canvas make-ups are for emergencies.
Throughout the grant, you will work on a project of your choice using the PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) cycle. This could be a tool or method you implement, a lesson you modify or write (possibly a lesson for a field trip), a project like a garden, or anything else related to the grant goals. The project must be meaningful to you, and it may change as the year progresses.

The California Regional Environmental Education Community

Funding for this work is being provided by an Environmental Education Grant from the California Department of Education through the California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network Program. Nature's Narrative is managed by a coalition of county office leaders from Shasta (lead), San Mateo, Mendocino, and Sacramento Counties as part of CREEC North.

The California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network is a program of the California Department of Education. It fosters regional partnerships throughout the state to promote environmental education and environmental literacy by providing teachers with access to high-quality professional learning opportunities and education resources.

The CREEC Network is composed of 11 California CREEC Regions that are grouped into three larger regions, CREEC South, CREEC North, and CREEC Central. More information can be found at creec.org

CREEC North Nature's Narrative Application

Have you..

Checked all 8 dates to be sure you can attend? (Summer 2-day Event, Fall 1-day Workshop, Spring 1-day Workshop, 4 Sharing Sessions)
Approved this application with your supervisor?
Checked the stipend, materials and sub policy?
Decided this will be super fun and valuable?!

Awesome! Here is the application. The deadline is May 15th.

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