This fully asynchronous course is a book study of John C. Miles' Teaching in the Rain:  The Story of North Cascades Institute (2023). Miles tells the story of how the Institute was founded, how it developed high-quality education programs, and how it became a leader in environmental education. The book will be of particular interest to educators involved in Mountain School as it traces how the program developed and grew in order to connect kids with nature and develop their environmental knowledge and awareness. The book also offers lessons in collaborative leadership and building productive partnerships between government, education, and community organizations and a chance to better understand the North Cascades region. Participants will work at their own pace on Canvas to submit a pre-reading assignment, guided reading questions, and a final reflection. 

Libraries may have the book available to check out, or it is available for purchase as a paperback or hardcopy through the following book sellers (*please note there is no audio version): 

• • Village Books
  • Watermark Book Company
  • Amazon

Completion of this course offers an opportunity to purchase 15 clock hours in STEM or Educational Leadership. 

Deadline:  Participants must complete this session in Canvas by September 15, 2025. Course attendance is taken on an on-going basis after participants finish, often within 3-5 days, though during rush periods and holiday breaks please be aware it may take up to 2 weeks.