Training Opportunities: Week of October 24th

 Things to Know:

Are you a "New Employee" ? Consider joining other new staff from across DNR for New Employee Hikes. Reach out to Isabel.layton@maryland.gov for more information

Baltimore Heritage's Five Minute Histories Featered Issac Tyson & Soldiers Delight! 

MPS Trainings:

November's Pool Day will be at St. Mary's College of Maryland on November 24th! 

Click Here to Register! 


Open to all staff! Two lanes are alloted for you to come anytime during this two hour block. Training Team member will be available to help you work on any water related skills including learning to swim, water comfort, swimming endurance, lifeguard skills, or basic water rescue skills.  

Non-MPS Trainings: 

Must have approval to travel out of state 
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Playground Maintenance Course 

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Description

The National Recreation and Park Association's Playground Maintenance Course is a one-day (6.25 hour) educational course that covers the following topics – an overview of playground safety standards and guidelines, playground owner responsibilities and maintenance discussions on playground equipment, surfacing and site items. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the Playground Maintenance Course.

CEUs: .6 (which qualifies toward CPSI renewal)

Location: Robert J. DiPietro Community Center 7901 Cypress St, Laurel, MD 20707

Time: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Instructor: Jeff Barber

Fees: $185 (Member), $225 (Non-member)

Fees include continental breakfast, lunch, course materials, and speaker fees.  Please note that you will receive your course materials on the day of the course.  

Who Should Enroll?

Professionals who should take the course include maintenance staff, recreation staff, university seniors and any individuals who are responsible for playgrounds. Course participants must be 18 years of age or older.

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ICISF

Sticky Debriefings, $25
October 23, 10-11AM EST

Some debriefings never leave you. The strange ones might make you laugh. The heartbreaking ones settle deep. But the ones involving children or unbearable loss often stay forever. These are the sticky debriefings. The ones that press into your humanity and refuse to let go. Join Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell for a meaningful session on what makes these moments linger, and how we can honor their impact without being overwhelmed by it.

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Discover how to nurture Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through playful, outdoor learning experiences that align with curriculum goals.
4 x 60 Minute Sessions at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern Time on these dates:

1. Monday, November Nov 3: Self-awareness, mindfulness, emotional literacy through sit spots, nature observation and journaling.

1. Monday, November Nov 10: Social awareness, empathy, and communication through play, group activities and cooperative games.

1. Monday, November Nov 17: Emotional regulation, perseverance, and coping skills developed through outdoor challenges and tasks that take time.

1. Monday, November Nov 24: Ethics, problem-solving, and community-building using environmental stewardship and Indigenous pedagogies.

All registrants will receive:

1. 4 x virtual 60 min learning sessions with the dynamic duo of Lauren MacLean and Jade Berrill!

1. Access to the recordings (available for up to 3 months following the sessions)

1. A Certificate of Completion

Your contribution:

• Regular Registration: $160 ($40/session) – please select this option if you are able to

• 50% Discounted Registration: $80 ($20/session) – please select this option if price is a barrier

• 25% Additional Discount: For groups of 5 or more using this code at checkout: N945QEAF

• For groups of 10 or more, we can offer larger group discounts. Please check out the group rates here, and email programs@outdoorlearning.com for more info and to register.

Facilitators:

In this 4 x 60 minute session course, educators will learn how to use the outdoor environment around their school as a dynamic classroom for teaching self-awareness, relationship skills, emotional regulation, and responsible decision-making.

Each session offers practical strategies, outdoor learning activities to support educator wellness and tools to help students develop vital life skills while deepening their connection to the world around them. Perfect for educators seeking to weave SEL into their daily routines in joyful, grounded, and memorable ways.

Facilitated by the dynamic duo of Lauren MacLean and Jade Berrill! (bios below)

These will all be recorded, with the recordings made available to registrants the day after the live session for those who can’t attend live.

Your course fee goes towards supporting our charity in covering the course costs, including ensuring that we compensate the course instructors adequately, and that we can continue to offer learning opportunities like these.

Lauren MacLean is a passionate teacher, author, and outdoor learning consultant whose work inspires connection with nature and inclusive learning. She works along educators who are enthusiastic about infusing play-based learning in their classrooms.

Jade Berrill is a passionate educator and communicator of science. Building on a love for bringing people together as a mechanism for growth and forward thinking, Jade works hard to develop the best opportunities for professional development.