2018 release days begin I participated in my first Release Day of the season this past Tuesday, when Manchester Elementary-Middle School collected macroinvertebrates and released their 34 brook trout into Mill Brook in Danby on the grounds of Smokey House. But by then, at least three other Vermont schools, NewBrook, Sharon Elementary, and Stowe Elementary had already done their releases. Our senior TIC teacher, Mike Rapoport, and his Stowe students had another great year and released 140 fry into the West Branch of the Little River. Good work, Team Stowe! Here are photos from the Tuesday's MEMS release. How do you catch those critters? They're so fast. Experienced TIC teachers know how hard it can be to net your fry when it becomes time to gather them up, put them in a cooler, and take them to your release stream. Here are some suggestions.
Sharon Elementary School RD photos Here are three pictures Janis Boulbol sent me after their Release Day. Camels Hump macroinvertebrate collecting field trip Gerald Feenan, of CHMS, sent these nice photos of the day when their students visited their release site to collect macros. Those are some big bugs!! They'll be back to release their fish on June13. Crossett Brook Middle School release site photos Meg Ritter of CBMS sent these photos and this explanation: Here are the photos of the release site. The boys are clearing the remnants of a small dam/walkway that was put in so that the fish can easily go into Crossett Brook when ready. The last photo is of a macroinvertebrate that the boys saw in the water. We did not bring anything to scoop it up to identify, sadly. Cannibalism at East Montpelier Elementary School! Many TIC schools will experience cannibalism, especially as some of the dominant (and hungry) fish grow to be much larger than their punier peers, but few teachers will get to capture the incident in a photo or video. Robin Gannon did! Here's the shot she sent me. Look closely at the fish near the center of the frame. What's that sticking out of his/her mouth? Moretown Elementary School student scientists Duane Pierson, principal of Moretown Elementary School, sent me these images yesterday. Thanks, Duane! I like the way you're getting very young kids involved in your TIC program. Here are some photos of our TIC student-scientists providing lessons on their experience this year to younger kids, yesterday. It was an excellent day for both groups of students.
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Joe Mark is Lead Facilitator of Vermont's Trout in the Classroom program.In June 2012, I retired after 40 years in higher education, having spent the last 32 years of my career as dean at Castleton. One of the first things I volunteered to do in retirement was to work with a parent-friend to help the Dorset School, where his kids and my Vermont grandkids attend, start a TIC program. Gradually that commitment grew into my current role, which is both demanding and highly rewarding. Archives
December 2019
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