The Oyster Recovery Partnership Establishes Oyster Gardening Programs at Two HCPSS Middle Schools

September 6th, 2017

The Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) is partnering with Dunloggin and Mount View middle schools to educate students about shellfish ecological restoration and its importance to the local environment. The partnership agreement was formalized with an official partnership signing on September 7.

Under the terms of the agreement, ORP will collaborate with school staff to develop classroom programming and hands-on activities on topics including the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay and the oyster habitat ecosystem. ORP will supply schools with oyster larvae, or spat, for their oyster gardening programs and provide technical expertise about raising and caring for spat. ORP will also provide support for school programs focused on improving the Chesapeake environment.

HCPSS Chief School Management and Instructional Leadership Officer Frank Eastham, Chief Academic Officer Bill Barnes, Dunloggin Middle School Principal Jeff Fink, and Mount View Middle School Principal Allen Cosentino joined ORP Education Program Director Bryan Gomes to sign the formal partnership agreement.

The Oyster Recovery Partnership designs, promotes and implements consensus-based and scientifically-sustainable shellfish ecological restoration, aquaculture, and commercial fishery activities to improve the environment and expand economic opportunities in the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays and beyond.

The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office has united schools with more than 1,000 businesses and community organizations to enhance the educational experience of Howard County students. Partnerships benefit schools, businesses and the entire community by leveraging the resources of all participants. Partners may commit human or financial resources or other support.

For more information, contact Partnerships Office Manager Mary Schiller at 410-313-6655 or mary_schiller@hcpss.org.