As you know from previous newsletters, the Monarch Waystation Network is in a transition period. Funding has not yet been secured to continue the half time Education Coordinator position. For all of you who completed the survey I sent out, thank you! Your responses were truly vital in helping us develop a future plan. I also sincerely appreciate the heartfelt responses, compliments, testimonies and overall warmth. Your passion is inspirational and certainly helped with our decision-making! Below are the highlights of the plan you helped develop.
NEWSLETTER
- Survey data shows an overwhelming number of you read 75% or more of each newsletter, so….
- Beginning in August or September I will continue sending out the newsletter:) However, since I am re-entering the teaching profession after a two year break, I may only get it out once every 6-8 weeks instead of every month (I know you understand how busy teachers are!)
- Instead of coming from my ku.edu address, they will most likely come from a monarchwatch.org email address.
- Please continue sending pictures, stories, news updates, etc. of your gardens and your students to be featured in future newsletters. Survey results showed an overwhelming popularity of seeing “real-life” examples of students engaging with monarchs and other pollinators! It is truly beneficial for us all to see that when we engage students in these ways, we become part of something much bigger than ourselves or our individual schools! I strongly encourage you to continue sharing your pictures, stories, questions, and impacts these educational opportunities have on your students, schools and communities.
- Please send any MWN-related emails (material for future newsletters, questions, etc.) to monarch@ku.edu.
- Keep reading the newsletters and providing feedback:)
- The MWN website will remain up and running. At this time, we are uncertain how often it will be updated or modified, but all of the current content will remain as is for now.
- Contact monarch@ku.edu for MWN website-related items. Jim Lovett (jlovett@ku.edu) still maintains our main Monarch Watch website, which is a separate site.
- To clarify, the Monarch Waystation Network (this network for schools and nonprofits working with students) and the Monarch Waystation Program (garden registration and signage) are separate Monarch Watch projects. This staffing change only affects the Waystation Network. Nothing related to our Waystation Program is changing.