Hyde and Dare County Schools to Participate in NPS Teacher Program

Date: March 2, 2009
Contact: Jennifer Wurts, 252-473-2111, ext. 163
Contact: Mary Doll, 252-473-2111, ext. 164

Hyde and Dare County Schools have signed agreements with the National Park Service Outer Banks Group to participate in a National Park Service teacher developmental program, “Teacher–Ranger–Teacher”, this coming summer.

“We look forward to our partnership with the National Park Service because our teachers can utilize the rich resources of our local heritage in their lesson designs,” commented Dr. Sue F. Burgess, Superintendent of Dare County Schools. Gregory Todd, Superintendent of Hyde County Schools commented, “Our teachers will learn more about our nation’s prized cultural and natural resources and, through this, bring new energy and ideas to the classroom.”

In the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program teachers will be detailed through a federal Inter-governmental Personnel Act agreement as Teacher-Rangers to one of the Outer Banks Group parks: Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial. During the detail assignment, the teachers will be uniformed as National Park Service rangers and will perform various duties including developing and presenting education programs for the public, staffing visitor center information desks and developing in-depth knowledge and experiences with the park’s resources.

When returning to school in the fall, the Teacher-Rangers will be able to draw upon their summer experience in creating lesson plans which bring the national parks into the classroom for their students. The following April, during National Park Week, Teacher-Rangers will wear their NPS uniform to school and visit other classrooms to discuss their summer as a park ranger and engage students and other teachers in activities that relate to America’s national parks.

The Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program has many benefits. Participating Teacher-Rangers obtain a wide range of knowledge and skill by working with park staff. Hyde and Dare County Schools will benefit from the Teacher-Rangers who have learned to apply new techniques for engaging multiple learning styles. Hyde and Dare County students will be better able to connect to our nation’s heritage through the experiences of their Teacher-Ranger.

"The National Park Service could have no better ambassadors in our schools than teachers who have developed a personal connection with our national parks,” stated Outer Banks Group Superintendent Michael B. Murray. “We very much look forward to having Teacher-Rangers from Hyde and Dare County Schools with us this coming summer.”