LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) - School District of La Crosse officials learned recently that Summit Environmental School Principal Dirk Hunter was named the Administrator of the Year by the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education.
Hunter will receive the award at the Association's Annual Conference in Door County on October 26th.
"Under Dirk's leadership Summit Elementary School shifted its focus to become Summit Environmental School," explains Dr. Troy Harcey, Associate Superintendent of Instruction. "Dirk mobilized stakeholders, invigorated and trained his teachers and support staff and found creative ways to partner with community agencies to ignite a passion around environmental education for his students and their families."
Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, Summit became known as Summit Environmental School and the school became thematically focused around a multitude of environmental issues.
In 2011 Hunter was instrumental in having the forest land surrounding the school dedicated as a school forest. "Mr. Hunter has been a tireless champion of elementary environmental education and how community partners can partner with the school for hands-on, experiential learning," Harcey adds. "Because of Dirk's efforts, we have students that not only better understand the environment, but are also much more excited to get out and enjoy the outdoors."
