Education Now vs. Then

Below is a YouTube video that will give a new perspective on educating our youth for today's new reality.

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Andy Dance Recognized by ASLA

Receives Certificates For His Volunteer Service and Leadership

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The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recognized Andy Dance with two certificates at the state conference in Jacksonville, Florida on August 2, 2008. The local Florida Chapter ASLA honored Andy with a "Certificate of Appreciation" for being "the Chapter's ears, eyes, voice and face" and "in recognition of your volunteer service and leadership" as Trustee for the Florida Chapter from 2004-2007.

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Additionally, the ASLA (national) presented Andy with a certificate "in recognition of dedicated service to the profession of landscape architecture and the American Society of Landscape Architects".

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Andy is extremely proud of these certificates and has them prominently displayed in his office.

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Take Action To Prevent Further Education Cuts

Become a positve force for change

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Below is a copy of a letter that I sent to our elected officials in Tallahassee to let them know how I felt about their recent actions.

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The numbers are shocking…

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Florida ranked 38th among the fifty states during the 1999-2000 school year in public education spending. Nine years later, Florida ranks 50thout of 51states (including the District of Columbia). And this is occurring while the district’s fixed costs continue to rise.

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Flagler County also has it’s share of bad news. We are experiencing an 8.3% unemployment rate, the highest in the state. Homes are being foreclosed on in record numbers. One of our largest private employers, Sea Ray, is cutting over 100 jobs from the local facility.

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As a parent and businessman in Flagler County, I find it irresponsible for our state lawmakers to add to the financial woes of our school districts by including more cuts this fall. Business owners and residents alike should be appalled and demand that our state lawmakers once again place a proper focus on the education of our children.

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We must not forget the important connections between a quality education and a successful business environment. This is especially true in Flagler County, as we attempt to lure high tech industry and diversify our workforce. A high quality education system means a more qualified workforce. A qualified workforce means a better chance at securing the business diversification that we desperately need.

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In conclusion, residents, business leaders and our elected officials must ban together and voice our opposition to further state spending reductions to education. We can not stand by and watch the progress we have made be eroded by further spending cuts.

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Peter Rummell, Chairman of Florida Council of 100, and former chairman of the Partnership to Advance School Success Working Group, provides this summary:

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"Florida’s business leaders know the critical importance of public education - to the future of our firms, our economy and our communities. But we also know that if we want strong schools, we have to do more than merely demand that others do better. We need to roll up our own sleeves and become active forces for change."

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It is time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and become an active force for change.

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Education Foundation News

Education Foundation Installs New Officers

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The Flagler County Education Foundation announced the new officers for 2008-2009, and Andy Dance was elected Treasurer!

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On June 17th, Superintendant Bill Delbrugge installed the new officers following a breakfast at the Palm Coast Yacht Club. The newly elected officers are Allen Whetsell, President; Larry Henderson, President-elect; Thomas Urfer, Vice President, Johnnie Grant, Secretary and Andy Dance, Treasurer. 

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Andy Dance is appointed to the Board of Directors of the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler & Volusia

Andrew S. Dance, owner of Andrew S. Dance & Associates in Palm Coast, Florida has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler & Volusia.

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Andy's volunteerism in the community and his passion for education in Flagler County contributed to his appointment to the Board.

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The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties (ELCFV) works in conjunction with private, faith-based and public school programs serving children from birth to five years old in Flagler & Volusia Counties. ELCFV seeks to assist parents with the goal of increasing their child's chances for educational success. A sound education begins with high quality school readiness/ VPK services. The Coalition recognizes that parents are children’s primary first teachers, but also recognizes that by participating in quality school readiness/VPK programs children will be better prepared for school.

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Andy is very proud of this appointment, and honored to be selected by his peers to this prestigious and critically important educational organization. For more information on the ELCFV, please visit their website at www.elcfv.org.

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The No Child Left Inside Act may reach House floor.
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The No Child Left Inside Act has made great progress in Congress. On June 18, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted 37-8 to pass the legislation out of Committee, clearing the way for the bill to be debated on the floor of the House of Representatives. H.R. 3036 could be debated on the House floor shortly. H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act, sponsored by Representative John Sarbanes (MD), would offer states incentives to develop Environmental Literacy Plans and integrate environmental education across their K-12 curriculums.

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It would also increase funding for teacher training to ensure that teachers have the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver high quality environmental education. Such curricula would use the local environment as an extension of the classroom. Passage of the No Child Left Inside Act would ensure that schools have the resources and training necessary to help the next generation understand and address the challenges of protecting the environment.

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ASLA has actively advocated for passage of this legislation, working with fellow members of the No Child Left Inside Coalition. To date, numerous ASLA members have contacted their legislators urging support for this important legislation. If you have not done so, please take a moment to contact your legislator to urge their support of this bill that will take important steps to providing our young people with an environmental education.
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I sent the following letter to:

Representative Mica Senator Martinez Senator Nelson

July 3, 2008

Andrew Dance

Palm Coast, FL 32164-6206

Dear Representative Mica,

I am writing to request your support for H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act, introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Paul Sarbanes (MD) and its Senate companion bill, S. 1981 introduced by Sen. Jack Reed (RI). This important legislation would improve K-12 environmental education programs to help the next generation understand and address the issues of clean energy, conservation, and environmental challenges.

The No Child Left Inside Act would offer states incentives to develop Environmental Literacy Plans and integrate environmental education across their K-12 curriculums. It would also help to ensure that teachers have the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver high quality environmental education that uses the local environment as an extension of the classroom.

As a landscape architect, I am pleased that this critical bill would strengthen environmental education programs and funding. Students who have access to environmental education are more likely to understand the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship. With Florida facing long-term environmental challenges, it is critical that schools possess the resources and training necessary to provide students a strong foundation in environmental education and direct learning experience in nature and the local environment.

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As you may know, the House Education and Labor Committee recently passed its version of the No Child Left Inside Act by a vote of 37-8 and the bill could be poised for an upcoming vote on the House floor. The Senate version of the legislation is pending in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Please support H.R. 3036 and S. 1981, the No Child Left Inside Act, to ensure that children across the country learn about and appreciate their natural environment. Sincerely, Andrew S. Dance

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Please join me by contacting Representative Mica, Senator Martinez and Senator Nelson today!

Click here to take action now.

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July 19, 2008

City staff, school district team up for nursery plan

By AARON LONDON Staff Writer

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PALM COAST -- In a corollary to the idea that it takes money to make money, city leaders and the Flagler County Public Schools are using money realized from conservation efforts to fund more environmentally friendly programs. City staff briefed the City Council Tuesday on a program developed with the school district to create a tree nursery.

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City Manager Jim Landon said the joint program was a result of the council's desire to see the city involved in more cooperative efforts with other local governments and elected bodies. "When all of the elected bodies in Flagler County got together, our mayor kind of coined the phrase 'low-hanging fruit,' " he said. Landon said city leaders have been looking for ways to add more environmentally friendly practices and work more efficiently with other entities, and the tree nursery program fits the bill. "An added benefit to this program is it includes an educational element," he said. Bill Butler, the city's landscape architect, said officials at Flagler Palm Coast High School approached him to help "resurrect" a nursery at the school. "It wasn't active anymore," Butler said.

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Butler said the idea to work with the school to create a tree nursery will help with the city's plans to plant more trees, while at the same time allow the school to offer more programming for students. "These trees would be grown and 50 percent would be planted on school property," he said. "The other 50 percent would be used on our city medians, rights of way, parks and city facilities." Butler said city staff would provide assistance to the effort including some instructional help.

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Funds for the program will come from another city effort to be environmentally conscious -- the recycling program. "As everybody recycles in the community, these materials are sold and the city receives 100 percent of those proceeds," Landon said. "What we're trying to do with those funds is put it back into the community as part of our green effort and this is one of those efforts where people will actually see the benefit of that recycling."

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Mayor Jon Netts cited the program as a good example of cooperative efforts and underscored the success of the city's recycling program. "As Mr. Landon pointed out, our recycling efforts are up," he said. "That is not due to the city, that is due to our residents." Netts said in addition to benefiting the city's "green" efforts, the program will have a positive impact on young people. "It exposes our youth to other possible occupations," he said. "This shows them some career paths that might be available."