Applications are open now through March 1 for opportunities in summer 2019.
A Summer Professional Development Opportunity
Imagine spending your summer hiking through spruce-fir forests, exploring tidepools, or sailing on clear waters in search of bald eagles, porpoises, and seals. Leave your classroom behind to do all this and more as a teacher fellow at Acadia National Park. The Acadia Teacher Fellowship connects classroom teachers to the rich cultural, natural, and recreational heritage protected by Acadia National Park. The National Park Service provides teacher fellows with uniforms and shared housing, if needed, as well as a $400 weekly stipend. A certificate of completion and continuing education hours are available.What would I do in the park?
What are the benefits?
To Teachers:
- Obtain a wide range of new knowledge and skills through working with park staff and partners
- Gain access to an extensive array of teaching resources and tools to enhance classroom curriculum in multiple content areas
- Receive a certificate of completion and continuing education hours
- Begin or deepen a personal and professional connection with national parks
To Schoolchildren:
- Place-based learning
- Opportunities and resources to connect to their natural and cultural heritage in new way
- Awareness of the possibilities for volunteering and paid employment with the National Park Service
What is the time commitment?
Teachers are expected to commit to four to eight weeks between June and September. Local teachers may divide this time over the course of the year to meet the needs of teachers and the park.
Who is eligible?
The park accepts applications from all public K-12 teachers. Teachers from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Priority is given to teachers in Maine.
What is expected of me after this program?
Teacher fellows will leave the park with the resources to develop tailored, curriculum-based units that help students better understand their natural and cultural heritage and the importance of shared stewardship.
Fellows are given the opportunity to take their classes to the nearest national park or other public land site. Transportation, entrance and program fees, and substitute teachers are paid for by a park partner. Teachers make the trip arrangements and report on the trip experience.
In the spring, near National Park Week, teacher fellows wear their uniforms to school and present programs to introduce students and staff to the National Park Service and their own experiences at Acadia.
Teachers will be asked to explore the possibilities for creating or enhancing an outdoor classroom and climate change initiatives at their schools. This unique learning space will allow classes in all disciplines to link with and learn from the resources protected by Acadia National Park.
How do I apply?
Acadia Teacher Fellowship Application
Principal Approval Form
Any questions? Contact Kate Petrie, Education Coordinator by email or phone; (207) 288-1312
For Saint Croix Island International Historic Site, contact Meg Scheid, Site Manager by email or phone; (207) 454-3871