Place-Based Education

Inspire learning and build community through place-based ecological education.

Place-based education (PBE) expands the classroom walls by bringing learning experiences into the communities and ecosystems where students live. Practitioners of PBE prioritize learning opportunities that are student-centered, inquiry-based, outside in nature or the community, and focused on authentic problems. When done well, documented outcomes of PBE include academic, socio-emotional, and health benefits for students; teacher engagement and satisfaction; and strengthened community partnerships for schools. One major component of this style of learning is place-based ecological education (PBEE).

At Vital Communities, we do PBE by hosting the Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative, the Upper Valley Farm to School Network, and Valley Quest. Connect to these programs by clicking on the boxes below.

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Browse Past Issues

Place-Based Education News

Upper Valley Farm to School Network 2023 Mini-Grant Recipients

We are thrilled to announce this year’s Farm to School mini-grant recipients. The following projects were selected from 22 qualified…

Forest Days at Bradford Elementary School

Several weeks ago Andrew Deaett, our Project Manager for Place-Based Education had the chance to connect with Megan Dubuque from…

Sunrise Farm Field Trip – Woodstock C.R.A.F.T Program

Are you looking to connect your Farm to School program with more community partners? The C.R.A.F.T program at Woodstock Union…

Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative 2022 Mini-Grant Projects

Nine diverse educational organizations from across the Upper Valley received Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative mini-grants this year, including several…

Placed-Based Education Staff

John Drew

Director of Place-Based Learning (he/him)

John Drew joined Vital Communities in August of 2022 as the Director of Place-Based Learning. He spent a long-time as…

Andrew Deaett

Project Manager, Place-Based Education (he/him)

Andrew joined Vital Communities in July of 2022 as a Project Manager in Place-Based Education, including heading the Farm to…

Gabrielle Ratté Smith

Project Manager, Valley Quest & UVTPC (she/her)

Gabrielle (she/her) joined Vital Communities in 2021. Gabrielle’s experience is centered around serving communities to become stronger and more civically…

Inspire learning and build community through place-based ecological education.

At Vital Communities, we do PBE by hosting the Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative, the Upper Valley Farm to School Network, and Valley Quest. Connect to these programs by clicking on the boxes below.

Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative

The Upper Valley Farm to School Network

Valley Quest

Receive the Place-Based Education Monthly E-News

Browse Past Issues

Place-Based Education News

Placed-Based Education Staff