Philosophy
The curriculum at Hawley incorporates Environmental Education, a science-based educational philosophy that teaches students about the impact the environment has on their everyday lives and experiences. At Hawley, students begin to build a solid science foundation in the K4 program and this knowledge is built upon at each grade level. Lessons are taught in Life Science, Earth Science and Physical Science.
Environmental Education teaches children about the world in which they live through four major concepts: preservation, conservation, stewardship and beautification. A variety of community partnerships enable Hawley Environmental to continue this approach to education. Please see the Community Partnerships tab on this Web site for more information on Hawley’s generous partners. A variety of school-wide projects and activities provide students with hands-on experiences that further develop their understanding of the environment. These include:
- Greenhouse
- Variety of garden projects/activities
- Outdoor classroom
- Specialty Field Trips
Staying Green and Healthy
Hawley Environmental is recognized as a Green and Healthy School by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. In order to receive this recognition, Hawley conducted health, safety and environmental assessments, meeting requirements in 10 different areas: energy, mercury, indoor air quality, chemical management, waste and recycling, water, pest management, transportation, community involvement and school site/grounds. These 10 areas of interest are incorporated in the Environmental Education curriculum across the grade levels.
The Green and Healthy School program encourages staff, students and families to work together to use the school, its grounds and the whole community as learning tools. Once equipped with these tools, the Hawley community is able to teach, promote and apply healthy, safe and environmentally sound practices.
At Hawley Environmental, the staff and students feel it is important to develop a sense of stewardship towards the world we live in at an early age. This means giving students many opportunities to experience nature. Children need a chance to explore, touch, see, hear, wonder, think and question the many different components of the environment to better learn how to treat it with respect. Students are also able to attend special field trips and work with business and community organizations to enrich their understanding and provide real life learning experiences.
Learning the concepts taught at Hawley Environmental enables students to better understand how the environment works and how its parts are interrelated. Students can use this knowledge to protect and care for the world around them, embracing nature. It is important for children to foster an appreciation for the environment and to understand it through a scientific viewpoint. This knowledge helps students develop into well-rounded and informed decision-makers, which is a goal of the Hawley Environmental staff.