The staff at Green Schools National Network (GSNN) has been pretty busy since the launch of the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly and the Catalyst Schools and Districts Network last March. Both initiatives are proving to be resounding successes…yet we can only wear so many hats! To keep the momentum going, we recently added a new face to our team: David DenHartog, GSNN School Coach. He brings a wealth of experience to the Network and will play an important role in growing our reach and impact.
David DenHartog
As a GSNN School Coach, David will be working directly with schools in a coach capacity, helping them identify and integrate GSNN core practices. His background serves him well in this position. He started his career as a classroom teacher in Iowa before moving to Minnesota to lead a new, Expeditionary Learning charter school. As both a classroom teacher and administrator, David was intent on teaching and learning that involved fueling students’ passion through interactive projects that connected to the community and allowed for authentic learning. He has conducted field studies all over the United States and in 43 other countries, including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, and Kazakhstan.
While David was an administrator in Minnesota, he was recruited by Expeditionary Learning to become a School Designer (coach) in the Southwest United States, moving to Prescott, Arizona. During his nine years with Expeditionary Learning, he focused on becoming more of an expert on healthy assessment practices and curriculum development, leading national institutes on formative assessment, grading and reporting, and expedition planning. David now lives in Boise, Idaho and continues to partner with schools and organizations focused on deeper learning.
Through his national exposure to the education landscape and his work around the world, David recognizes that deeper learning practices and global competencies such as collaboration, character, citizenship, communication, critical thinking, and creativity form the essence of an excellent, forward thinking educational environment. It’s these qualities, among others, that suit David well for his work with GSNN’s Catalyst Schools and Districts. The Network’s core practices align with David’s passion and previous work and have been integrated into his education journey for years.
“Our world is in desperate need for schools to focus on sustainability and environmental literacy and I feel honored to be connected to this work through GSNN,” says David. “I’m super excited to connect and learn from the Catalyst Network schools and new partners that are at the beginning stages of transforming their schools into educational models. I am also highly motivated to bring great educational practices that enrich students’ and teachers’ lives while consciously considering global impact.”
