What is SEA-DISC?

SEA-DISC: Social and Environmental Academy Dedicated to Improving School and Community

SEA-DISC curriculum is:
• College-prep
• Activity-based
• Issues/Solution-oriented
• Community involvement driven

• Real world relevant

• Rigorous

• Authentic Work

SEA-DISC Alumni Ila Moncrief Speaking in front of Marin County supervisors

With an Environmental Science and Social Justice focus, SEA-DISC

involves its students in meaningful projects that develop many critical

skills through extensive field work and hands-on laboratory experiences. Students will grapple with the world's most complex and perplexing environmental and social issues and tasked with finding answers to these challenging questions. By the end of a students time in SEA-DISC students will be able to eloquently and effectively discuss these issues, coming to informed decision of their own. Accordingly, SEA-DISC aims to prepare students for informed, effective citizenship through stimulating and engaging projects with mentors, discussion, and debate on critical environmental problems, and a variety of student "decision-making" activities, preparing students for the world outside of high school.

Student Outcomes

Student Outcomes:

SEA-DISC graduates leave with a variety of skills that can apply to higher education and the real world including:

Use technology to access information, analyze and solve problems, and communicate ideas across all disciplines.
Demonstrate knowledge of the environmental rights and responsibilities of the individual in a democratic society.
Apply mathematical knowledge and skills to analyze and solve environmental problems.
Demonstrate environmental science literacy.
Demonstrate knowledge of the global environment and its

resources.

Apply the principles of economics to environmental issues.
Analyze and propose solutions to contemporary issues using a

variety of perspectives.

Senior Shannon Collecting Data at a Local Creek

Participate in a community, social, civic, or cultural service.
Address the changing social climate of our Biosphere.
Use current scientific technology to produce real data and enter it into a long-term database.
Create meaningful student/adult working relationships.

SEA-DISC Students protesting plastic use at the Hub

Educators

SEA-DISC is taught by our three wonderful teachers:

Clarke Bugbee

Clarke Bugbee is the Environmental Science Teacher of SEA-DISC. After graduating from High School, he joined the U.S. Navy. About halfway through, he realized that he wanted to go to college. He attended the College of Marin and gravitated towards Biology/Marine Biology. He transferred to U.C. Santa Cruz to study Marine Biology and did sub-tidal research on the Sunflower Star. After graduating, he moved to Maui, HI, and earned his captain's license. In 2001, he moved to the U.K. to study at Schumacher College (Plymouth University) to reach a Master’s in Holistic Science. When he moved back to Marin, he taught some biology lab classes at C.O.M. and he found that he enjoyed being a teacher. He then went to New York and joined the N.Y.C Teaching Fellows program. The program allowed him to teach at a high school in the South Bronx and earn a teaching credential and a Master's in Science Education. After three years, he moved back to Marin. For ten years, he taught various science classes at Valley Oak High School in Napa and finally found his home at Archie Williams. He loves spending time with his family (wife, son, and extended family), riding bicycles, swimming, running, and hugging trees.

Michael Rawlins

Michael Rawlins teaches U.S. History, Government, Economics, and Work Place Learning. Hailing from Bellingham, Washington, he moved to California to study Anthropology and Forestry at UC Berkeley. His teaching career grew out of a desire to prepare our future leaders to connect with and improve the biosphere we call home for generations to come. Rawlins returned to the Pacific Northwest for a graduate program in teaching outdoor education on Bainbridge Island and studying curriculum/instruction at the University of Washington.

Having made his way back to California, Michael is grateful and excited for the opportunity to learn alongside SEA-DISC students in this beautiful and vibrant community.

Anna Leemon

Anna Leemon joined the SEA-DISC team in 2022 and teaches chemistry. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and Master of Education degree from Stanford. Anna is a 7th generation Californian who has always loved nature and had a passion for science and teaching. Anna’s involvement in SEA-DISC helps her bring all those passions together. In her free time, Anna enjoys hiking, knitting, and playing guitar. She is looking forward to a year of learning, exploring, and collaboration.

Awards

Our Founder

Sue Fox

As the founder of the SEA-DISC academy who stayed with it the longest, Fox has a huge passion for the environment and passed this along to her students. Through her years of teaching, she taught Ap Environmental Science and Chemistry in the Earth System.
"I chose to be a SEA-DISC teacher because I wanted to help make a difference in the world environmentally. I felt I'd have the chance to make the most impact through education. In any program where teachers share students, teachers can bond more with the students, having a greater impact. The students also bond more, helping each other to succeed. SEA-DISC students can see the reality of the information they learn in class and from books by going out into the field to do their studies. In regular classes, they don't see the connection as easily. Also, SEA-DISC students develop skills that will benefit them in college and their career by working in the field."
Sue Fox retired as a part of SEA-DISC in 2022, leaving to continue to travel the world by boat. Living on a sailboat, Fox has sailed to Mexico, Hawaii, and the Northern Pacific. Her impact on the program will always be apparent because her guidance helped shape SEA-DISC into the program it is now.