Green school staff presentation

Halstead is working to become a Maryland

Green School!

And you can help!

What is a Maryland Green School?

• Green schools incorporate authentic environmental education into their curriculums.

• Green schools use best environmental practices.

• Green schools work to transform education through the use of hands-on, inquiry-based instruction that is designed to empower youth.

Examples of Authentic Learning:

Clagett Farms

Examples of Authentic Learning:

Constructing Reef Balls

Benefits of being a Green School• Statistics show that kids attending Green

Schools have higher achievement – According to a study done by Towson University, test

scores improved after becoming a green school.

• Students get to interact with nature• The school will become a healthier

environment

Berkshire is highlighted because they are a Title One School in Dundalk. They have approximately 450 students. They also met AYP this year.

Application

• Classroom Integration of environmental issue instruction• Environmental related Professional development for educators• Celebration of the school's achievements• Demonstration of selected conservation best management practices (BMPs)• Sustained school-community partnerships to enhance environmental learning

Green Schools Committee Summer Professional Development

Phillip Merrill Center

Best Management Practices

• Water conservation/water pollution prevention– Storm Drain Stenciling

• Energy Conservation– Light switch covers

• Waste Reduction– Recycling

• Structures of Environmental Learning– Creating a walkway from Pavestones

• Responsible Transportation– Bike safety assembly

• Healthy School Environment– Marathon kids, Fitness club

Activities Planned

• Recycling Assembly on September 13th • Environmental club• Green Schools Celebration December 4th from 6-8pm. • Obtaining a paper retriever to assist with

recycling in classrooms• Third Grade will start making a bottle cap

mural

What does this mean for my class?

• Encourage students to reduce, reuse, and recycle in your classroom and hang up the signs provided.

• Each class will be decorating a Pavestone to create a walkway outside the school.

• Halstead will continue to seek out environmental field trips to enhance student education.

• Collecting soda can tabs and caps for projects

What does this mean for me?

• Please document environmental activities by taking pictures and uploading them to the Green Schools folder on the shared drive.

• Use the environmental lessons and suggest ideas to your colleagues on our shared Wiki with Pleasant Plains.

• Please be environmentally conscious when printing documents– only print when absolutely necessary– print documents double sided if possible– save emails electronically as documents or snips

Water Bottles?

• Water Bottles for students and staff?

• Green School Tip-Bring a water bottle to school to avoid using a drinking fountain that can use more water than a person drinks.

Environmental Youth Summit

•Halstead students attended the 2012 Environmental Youth Summitand participated in literacy stations.• This year, we hope to once againparticipate and achieve Green School status!