ECO Program
ECO, An Overview
Marcus Whitman Environmental Classroom Opportunity Program opened in September 1997. ECO is a Marcus Whitman Middle School "curriculum of choice" for sixth-grade students who have chosen to participate by lottery. ECO serves a variety of district students across academic and socioeconomic backgrounds. ECO’s academic curriculum emphasizes experiential, project-based learning with an environmental focus.
ECO’s purpose is to provide "public school choice" through an alternative curriculum. ECO has an expectation of parental involvement in a student’s education through ongoing home-school communication and “whole school” meeting attendance seven times a year. Teachers undertake greater professional responsibility through additional instructional assignments, extensive time commitment, frequent parental contact, and personal involvement with students.
Students study a curriculum based on the New York State learning standards incorporating many “experiential” activities. These involve several themes: watershed study, business enterprise, field and forest / flora and fauna study, environmental issues, outdoor recreation, service, and community.
ECO students care for tomorrow’s environment by learning and serving in today’s!
Please know: ECO 2021-2022; Year 25!
ECO is an academic program with high expectations.
-
Each student is expected to be participative, productive and to do his/her best efforts throughout the year.
-
ECO is a “writing intensive” curriculum. This means a student must be willing to write across the curriculum in different assignments.
-
Our school day generally goes to 3 p.m. and students are expected to be present unless all class responsibilities have been appropriately met or a student has a scheduled appointment and is dismissed by the teacher, or has another class responsibility.
-
ECO students take many “field-based learning experiences” that include hiking, camping, and kayaking activities that are away from campus and standard toilet facilities.
-
ECO students traditionally visit various religious faith communities including a Christian church, a Jewish synagogue, an Islamic mosque, and a Buddhist monk as part of the social studies curriculum.
-
Each student and family is expected to participate in a parent-student teacher conference in the fall or scheduled as needed.
-
Each student and family is expected to participate in scheduled “ECO Whole School Meetings” during the evening several times a year.
-
ECO students should enjoy being outdoors in diverse environments.
-
Students are occasionally asked to make a small monetary donation to offset some activity expenses, but there is always scholarship support if a family is in need.
-
ECO is challenging, but it is a very rewarding experience that “grows” students academically, socially, and personally.
-
ECO serves all students, but it is essential that a student wants to participate and is willing to do the academic assignment work on a regular basis.
-
ECO is a choice.
-
Please make the proper choice to become an ECO student based upon your interest and willingness; otherwise another child may miss an important learning opportunity.
-
For more information, please contact Malcolm MacKenzie (Home: 585-374-6162; mmackenzie@mwcsd.org) or Samantha Wolf (Home: 585-905-0199; swolf@mwcsd.org).
May 2021