Harris Center outlines 40-year partnership with Keene schools, says elementary model will shift in 2026-27

The Harris Center told the Keene School District committee that its collaboration with Keene-area schools dates to 1983 and that the relationship is entering a transition point for elementary programming. Jenna Spear, representing the Harris Center, said the nonprofit worked with more than 325 Keene students this year in environmental science lessons across 34 classrooms and that the program has grown to serve about 40 schools in the Monadnock region.

Spear described two delivery models the Center has used: a traditional model in which a naturalist co-teaches multi-week units with classroom teachers for 6–9 hours per classroom, and a budget-driven "teach the teacher" model introduced after 2013 that trains teachers and provides kits so the district can deliver lessons. "This year we worked with more than 325 Keene students in environmental science lessons," Spear said, summarizing the scale of the Center's recent work. She said the teacher-focused model has had successes but creates sustainability challenges when teacher turnover occurs.

The Harris Center also outlined the local funding arrangement that reduces elementary schools' direct cost: longstanding elementary partners pay roughly $10,000 for what Spear described as roughly $30,000 of programming because the Center subsidizes the remainder through fundraising. That subsidy is a product of longstanding relationships; Spear warned that after next year the elementary science committee must decide how to allocate the hours freed by ending the teach-the-teacher approach.

Spear highlighted school-level examples of place-based curriculum — from tree and leaf-litter studies at Franklin and Fuller to a Keene High School bioblitz — and said data gathered by students (for example via Spark Net salamander plots) feeds regional and national monitoring efforts. She also noted accessibility investments, including a specialized wheelchair purchased so students of differing abilities can participate in field work.

The presentation closed with teacher testimony read aloud by Spear praising co-taught lessons: "When the naturalist and I taught together, the kids got the best of both worlds. I know my students' specific learning styles, strengths, and behavioral needs while the naturalist brought the specialized science expertise." The board and Harris Center staff agreed the elementary science committee and classroom teachers should be central to decisions about the program's structure for 2026–27.

Next steps: the elementary science committee will meet with teachers to recommend how to use additional hours after transitioning away from the teach-the-teacher model. The Harris Center offered summer workshops and pledged follow-up materials, including its annual report and a breakdown of funding.