Are You a K-8 Teacher Interested in Professional Development for Environmental Stewardship, English Language Arts and Socio-Emotional Learning? Apply for State CREEC Grant by May 7th, 2026

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PRESS RELEASE. From the San Mateo County Board of Education, April 2026.

Check out our FAQs for more details about dates, stipends locations for 2026-27! 
Click HERE for the application. 
Applications are due May 7th, 2026.
Check the FAQs “Date for Professional Learning” before applying. 
Questions? Email Julie Hilborn at jhilborn@smcoe.org at the San Mateo County Board of Education.

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. To learn more about the CREEC Network Program, visit www.creec.org.  Nature’s Narrative is managed by a coalition of county office leaders from Shasta (lead), San Mateo, Mendocino, and Sacramento Counties.

Are you a K-8 teacher, expanded learning leader, or community partner looking to inspire a love for nature, environmental stewardship and storytelling in your students? We’re looking for education leaders who want to explore and share creative approaches to:

🌎 Environmental education
📚 Integrating ELA with science and nature instruction
💚 Social-emotional learning
🌱 Building climate resilience

You’ll take part in a mix of in-person and online experiences, including:

🗓️ Two days in mid to late summer

🏫 One school day in late September

📅 One Saturday in March or April

💻 Four 90-minute online sessions spaced throughout the school year

The main benefit is in the rich professional learning experience, grounded in collaboration, creativity, and connection with nature. And because we know busy educators deserve more, you’ll also receive:

💵 An $800 stipend at the end of the school year
🛍️ About $100 in nature exploration supplies to support your work

Engaging lesson plans and activities tailored for K-8 students students.

Details
A cohort project that interweaves language arts, socioemotional learning, and climate science  with environmental literacy. 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. To learn more about the CREEC Network Program, visit www.creec.org.  Nature’s Narrative is managed by a coalition of county office leaders from Shasta (lead), San Mateo, Mendocino, and Sacramento Counties.

Application
Welcome to CREEC North Nature’s Narrative, a one-year cohort of educators united in learning and sharing about environmental education, blending nature and science with language arts, social emotional learning, and climate science.  We hope you will love the locations & scheduling flexibility of this grant, and the intrinsic & extrinsic values. Please visit the project website https://bit.ly/CNNN26-27 for more information BEFORE completing the application to ensure you qualify and can commit. Questions? Contact Nate Fairchild at nfairchild@shastacoe.org, 530-225-0214

The deadline for this application is May 7th, 2026. 

This application includes inputting demographic information and answering four questions with paragraph responses. Before you start, get permission from your principal or supervisor. 

Flyer

Questions? Email Julie Hilborn at jhilborn@smcoe.org at the San Mateo County Board of Education.