1.++Pre-Institute+Updates

=June 17th:=

Dear Participants,      We just finished our staff meeting, and during our discussion about ways we can reduce our resource use during the Institute the idea arose of asking each of us to bring a water bottle. We'll have plenty of water available in the dorms and classroom, and we'll be giving each of you a mug to use with your coffee and tea during the on-campus sessions. However, on two of the days we'll be traveling to off-site locations, and carrying your own water will be a good idea. If you do not a water bottle or if you chose not to travel with one, please don't worry. We will take care of this for you when you arrive. Jim =June 17th:=

Dear Participants,    As Cheryl, Joshua and I begin to assemble for our final staff meeting before the Institute begins this Sunday evening, we want to wish each of you a safe journey. A couple last-minute details....     1. If you have not yet had the opportunity to email me your travel plans for this Sunday, please do so at your earliest convenience....especially if you want us to meet you at the Amtrak station in either Santa Barbara or Carpinteria, the Santa Barbara Airport, or the Santa Barbara Airbus stop in Carpinteria. We will meet you at this local transportation location. 2. If you are driving, please remember that the Institute will begin at 5:30PM this Sunday. 3. If you need to contact me on Sunday, please call me on the Cate School cell (805-698-4808). 4. If you have not yet had the opportunity to select one of your favorite best-practices classroom activity and you are interested in sharing your activity with our group, there's still time to add you to the presentation agenda. We are looking forward to developing an enjoyable learning community during the Institute. Cheers...Jim =June 11th:=

Dear Institute Participants,    One important idea upon which the Institute has been designed is our objective to draw upon everyone's classroom expertise by scheduling a Share Your Best Practice session. Because some participants attending the Institute have years of experience teaching environmental science and others are working right now to start environmental courses this fall, we're looking to have this session be a wonderful opportunity to share successful classroom activities. SO.....If you have a classroom activity, experiment, or project that focuses on environmental science or an environmental topic, please consider sharing it with other participants. Don't be shy. You know from experience that some of the best classroom activities you use came from an idea you picked up at a conference or workshop. We will be glad to make copies of any handouts for your activity. You can either email them to me before the 20th, or you can bring them with you. I am leaving in a few minutes to fly to Philadelphia to visit my mother until next Wednesday (6/16), and I will not have Internet access until I return. If you haven't already done so, please email me your travel plans. Again, the Institute will begin promptly at 5:30PM on Sunday, June 20. We look forward to sharing the week with you... Jim =June 9th:=

Dear Institute Participants,    The purpose of this Update #4 is to confirm your travel plans to Cate School on Sunday, June 20. The program will begin promptly at 5:30PM on the 20th. Therefore, please plan to arrive at Cate before 5:00pm in order for us to check into your room and to give you a quick campus tour. **1. If you are driving...**    Attached you will find directions. **2. If you are flying into Santa Barbara or taking the Amtrak to either Santa Barbara or Carpinteria...**    We will provide you with a courtesy shuttle. Please email me your method of transportation and time of your arrival. **3. If you are taking the Santa Barbara Airbus (www.sbairbus.com) from LAX to Carpinteria...**    We will provide you with a courtesy shuttle from the local SB Airbus stop in Carpinteria. Please email me the time you are scheduled to arrive in Carpinteria. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.... Jim

=   June 8th:    = = =    Dear Institute Participants,     The purpose of this email is to provide an understanding of what you can expect for computer access during the Institute. First, our system, CateNet, is designed to maximize security in a residential high school environment. In this context...     **Cate computers will provide Internet access for you...**     In order to provide you with Internet access for email and the web, we will have computers available for your use in the dormitory commons room, in the classroom, and in our school's library. **Your computer will not have Internet access via CateNet...**    1. Because our IT staff will be away at conferences during the Institute and because there is a complicated certification process that computers new to CateNet must go through before they can access the Internet, your computer will not be able to connect to CateNet through our wireless system anywhere on campus. 2. However, before they depart for their conferences, our IT staff will set CateNet to accept your computer through an ethernet cable in the classroom we will be using during the Institute. Please let me know if you have any questions... Jim NOTE: I will be away from Cate until June 16 and will not have email access during my travels. Please use my mobile phone if you need to reach me (805-280-2583). =  May 26th   = Dear Institute Participants,    This may seem like an odd topic to send out in a pre-conference update. However, because of the nature of June weather in the Santa Barbara area and because of the kinds of activities we will be doing during the Institute, it's appropriate to give you some heads-up information about both. There will be no formal events during the Institute, so please plan to dress casually and comfortably. Weather    Obviously, we all want glorious weather during the Institute, but it's important to prepare for the "the worst." Some weather we experience this time of year is called June Gloom by locals. June Gloom is when a coastal marine layer settles in against the mountains, bringing fog-like skies and cool temperatures (55-65F). Paradoxically, while we are located on a coastal plain against the mountains that tend to hold the marine layer in place, a few miles from here on the other side of the mountains it can be sunny and warm (80-95F). We will experience both kinds of environments. The best way to determine what the weather will be while you are with us is to go to www.weather.com  and search for Carpinteria. We will also be taking a field trip to Simi Valley when we visit Waste Management's award-winning landfill facility. Clothing    While our weather will dictate the clothing you will want to bring, some activities will requite specific footwear. 1. Comfortable closed-toe shoes will be required for...    - Wednesday (6/24) we will visit an organic produce farm. - Thursday (6/25) we will visit Waste Management's landfill facility in Simi Valley and Gils Onions in Oxnard. - A hiking activity you may choose to do with a faculty member from our Outdoor Program. 2. Beach footwear will be appropriate for...    - A beach activity you may choose to do with a faculty member from our Outdoor Program. Stay tuned for Update #3. Please do not hesitate to ask me questions. ** Could you please let me know you have received Update #1 and #2? Thank you... Jim

=   May 21st    = = =      Dear Institute Participant,     Now that the end of Cate's academic year is two weeks away, it's time for us to begin communicating with you about topics related to making your experience at the Sustainable Systems Institute as educational and as enjoyable as possible. We thought the best way to do this will be to send you updates every few days. In order to make it easy for you to be certain you have received all of the these updates, we will give each one an update number and write the update 's topic in parentheses--Ex. Update #1 (transportation and lodging). TRANSPORTATION    As you begin making your travel arrangements, please remember the Sustainable Systems Institute will begin at 5:00PM Sunday, June 20 and end at 9:00PM Thursday, June 24. Your room will be available until 11AM Friday, June 25 and breakfast will be included. 1. By airplane, bus, or train...    We will be pleased to provide you with a courtesy shuttle from the Santa Barbara airport, AMTRAK stations in either Carpinteria or Santa Barbara, or the Santa Barbara Airbus (shuttle from LAX) stop in Carpinteria. If you wish to use this courtesy shuttle service and have not already provided us with your mode of transportation and arrival time, please do so at your earliest convenience. 2. By car...    If you are familiar with GoogleMaps or MapQuest, you can enter Cate's address and have the online service provide you with detailed directions. Our address is:    Cate School     1960 Cate Mesa Road     Carpinteria, CA 93013 Please let me know if you are unfamiliar with these online mapping services, and I will send you a map of how to find Cate School coming either from the north through Santa Barbara or from the south through Los Angeles. LODGING    You will be staying in a single room in one of our dormitories. While these are not hotel-quality rooms, by traditional dormitory standards they are clean and comfortable. As with most dormitories, bathroom facilities are shared. We will provide you with linens, blankets and pillows, and towels. There are fee-based laundry facilities available in the dormitory. Well....that's it for Update #1. Please let me know if you have any questions. Jim Masker    Institute Coordinator     805-684-8409 ext. 277