February 19, 2005: Leopold Education Project (LEP) All-Day Teacher Training Severson Dells Nature Center held an educational all-day event targeting teachers in Winnebago County: informing teachers of the life, beliefs, discoveries and writings of Aldo Leopold. The lead instructor was State of Illinois' Leopold Education Program (LEP) Curriculum Coordinator: Debbie Ruff.

PFWCIL Secretary David Kenny attended and gave a short presentation on the mission of our organization in the community. David reported, "As an informed witness to what the teachers were learning, I was very impressed with the level of curriculum materials that LEP has already developed and how LEP goals are already tied to Illinois State Educational Standards. The 'State Standards' -- as they are often called -- are the target areas identified by the State of IL as those areas tested in the annual IL State measure of student achievement (ISAT -- Illinois State Achievement Test). All of these tests, goals, standards, are the enforcement components of the 'No Child Left Behind' legislation. The importance of tying LEP to State Standards is to assure teachers that students learning about Aldo Leopold and his writings, will not be a distraction from ISAT-preparations. Instead help students learn valuable knowledge and critical reasoning skills upon which they'll be tested by the ISAT. "

October 2004: A work crew at the leased farm buildings on Bridgeland Road south and east of Winnebago works to renovate the outbuildings and prepare them for Winter 2004.

The milk house is under renovation to provide a workshop and storage for small equipment that itself needs repair this Winter. The building is equipped with a furnace and should provide both safe storage and a spacious working environment for winter maintenance.

Check back to see other photos of PFWCIL's renovation projects as they progress.