Nonprofits mindSpark Learning and Environmental Resource Council Partner to Support New Reality for Education

DENVER, Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Just as school districts are adapting to a cultural shift in learning, colder months and closed windows are prompting them to also consider the physical environment of school buildings ?especially critical in protecting occupants' health, as more classrooms reopen. mindSpark Learning, a Denver-based national nonprofit dedicated to empowering educators with industry-oriented professional learning experiences, and Minnesota-based Environmental Resource Council (ERC), a nonprofit that has been advising schools on physical environments and safe-building procedures for several decades, just announced a well-timed partnership to provide Colorado's school leaders with Covid-19 best practices that support healthier learning environments and increase the safety and confidence of staff, students and families during these challenging times.

"As more schools look to phased reopening, it's more important than ever for school leaders to consider their space," said mindSpark Learning CEO Kellie Lauth. "We've partnered with ERC in order to provide vital guidance for Colorado schools, as we enter the fall and winter months."

This new industry partnership marries mindSpark's contingency-planning strategy expertise from reSOLVE with ERC's resources to train school and district leaders on the safest physical environment for in-person learning. reSOLVE ERC launches with a free industry webinar, scheduled on Nov. 11, from 10:00-11:30 a.m. (MST). It will focus on healthy guidelines for ventilation, air quality, lighting and sanitization in school properties. reSOLVE ERC resources will also be shared with attendees following the webinar.

According to Bruce Bomier, MPH, public health professional and board chair of Environmental Resource Council, "Through our partnership with mindSpark, we can share tips to help keep school buildings healthy and reduce COVID-19 risk, while supporting school and district leaders in this shift. Both remote and in-person learning have gone through changes; and during these uncertain times, it's important for school districts to be ready for anything and everything."

School and district leaders are invited to sign up to participate in reSOVLE ERC's webinar at www.mymindsparklearning.org/resolve-erc. School and district leaders can learn more about reSOLVE here and access other resources to help meet the ever-changing needs of this unprecedented 2020-2021 school year.

About reSOLVE 
reSOLVE is a contingency planning series for district and school leaders. The series coaches leaders on how to develop contingency plans for the school year, creates a community to collaborate with others to improve contingency plans and connects leaders to resources and experts. Participants learn how to bring ideas to action, leveraging mindSpark Learning's robust equity-centered design thinking process.

About mindSpark Learning
mindSpark Learning, a Denver-based national nonprofit founded as Share Fair Nation in 2007 and rebranded in 2017, is the catalyst and intermediary between education and industry. It empowers educators with industry-oriented professional learning experiences, resulting in more students prepared for the modern workforce. It does so by leading programs and services designed to help schools understand workforce development, participate in work-based learning experiences, foster career literacy and directly connect students to mentors and authentic opportunities at a young age. Its core areas of focus are critical to today's education landscape and include problem-based learning (PBL) STEM, EdTech, Social-emotional learning (SEL) and Equity-centered Design Thinking. For more information, please visit mymindsparklearning.org.

About Environmental Resource Council
Since 1973, Environmental Resource Council (ERC) has been a 501(c)(3) that addresses problems in environment and public health. Based in Andover, Minn., the organization has provided advice and materials to hundreds of school districts throughout the United States and Canada and received the National Pacesetter Award from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. ERC has regularly provided health and environmental commentaries for Minnesota Public Radio and Minnesota Public Television, as well. The nonprofit is also supported by several foundations. For more information, please visit ENVRC.org.

SOURCE mindSpark Learning; Environmental Resource Council