Announcing Our 2020 Beaver Island Institute

Update: May 6, 2020

Thank you again for your interest in our 2020 Beaver Island Institute. While we were supposed to have a message from CMU’s President about the status of Summer II classes last Friday, he chose to delay that decision.

With no clear picture on what plans are for CMU’s policy on social distancing into the late summer, nor a prediction on what state and federal guidelines may be, both scientific evidence and common sense suggest that it would be nearly impossible to run our institute in the ways that we would want to do it. Thus, we need to cancel.

We thank you for your interest in our 2020 institute, and hope to invite you to another opportunity in 2021.


Update: April 18, 2020

As with many programs this summer, we are still waiting for an official “go” or “no go” decision from Central Michigan University about the viability of Summer II activities going on as planned, or being pushed online/cancelled. We will keep applications for our Beaver Island Institute open until May 1st, 2020, at which point we will make a decision about whether the institute will occur. For now, we ask interested educators to please complete our form below so we can be in touch.


Update: March 31, 2020

While we are not 100% sure that our event will happen this summer, and need to be patient before making a final decision in early May, we are still collecting information from teachers who are interested in joining our 2020 Beaver Island Institute, happening August 2-7, 2020. Please complete our form below so we can be in touch!



Beaver Island 2020 Flyer (Link to PDF)
Beaver Island 2020 Flyer (Link to PDF)

Experience a unique, one-week (August 2-7, 2020) professional learning opportunity at CMU’s Biological Station on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan.

Sixteen K-12 teachers will participate in collaborative, inquiry-based workshops and field experiences to identify and integrate key standards from STEAM-related fields (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics). While we encourage educators to participate in the institute with a colleague from his/her own school, individual educators are also welcome to apply.

Registration for this experience (including ferry service to and from the island, one week of room and board at the CMU Biological Station, and workshop expenses) is $900. A $100 non-refundable deposit is due by May 1, with remaining costs due by July 15. Participants will be responsible for travel to and from Charlevoix, Michigan.

Need to ask for support from your administrator? Use our customizable letter!

We ask that all teachers interested in attending the institute apply by completing this Google form (also embedded below).

Partial funding for teachers from the Macomb ISD and counties in the Great Lakes Bay Region are available. In addition to basic contact info and demographics, applicants seeking additional funding from MISD or the Great Lakes Bay Region will reply to the following prompts in 500 words or less:

  • How are you currently thinking about and planning for the integration of STEAM-related standards?
  • How will your participation in this institute help you meet goals for the integration of STEAM -related standards in 2020-21?

Deadline for initial interest form: 5 p.m. Friday, April 17, 2020. Participants who are selected for the institute will be notified by April 30th, and the down payment will be due on May 1st. Graduate credit will be available at additional cost (pending approval).

Questions? Please contact:

Dr. Troy Hicks
Director, Chippewa River Writing Project
troy.hicks@cmich.edu

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