Sustain DCSD
April 2015
Earth Month Edition
DCSD Sustainability Teachers' Network
Thursday, Apr 2, 2015, 04:30 PM
Rockyard American Grill & Brewing Company, Castleton Road, Castle Rock, CO, United States
Mountain View Elementary: A Waste Audit with 1st Graders!
Fox Creek Elementary Receives Green Flag Award!
To win the Green Flag, FCE's students, teachers, and staff tackled a host of sustainability initiatives that began with forming an Eco-Action Team; auditing facility energy efficiency, waste disposal, and healthy living; and instituting environmental-themed curricula. Great job FCE!
ThunderRidge High School's plastic bottle greenhouse
WORKSHOPS
Eco-Schools USA Workshop
- FREE training, online program and resources
- Open to educators, school staff, parents, and volunteers
- Bring a re-useable mug, we will provide a light dinner
- Learn about the four Green Flag schools in Douglas County SD
- Apply for a $250 seed grant
- Learn more at www.Eco-SchoolsUSA.org
Please RSVP to sullivanc@nwf.org with your name and school info.
Why be part of Eco-Schools USA?
- Follow a step-by-step framework to implement sustainable practices
- Choose your own pathways to success
- Support student engagement and academic achievement
- Foster environmental stewardship
- Share ideas and connect with other schools
- Earn awards to mark your achievements
Benefits of the Eco-Schools Program:
- Improves academic performance, especially in science and math
- Leads to financial savings for schools
- Decreases the school's carbon footprint through practical solutions that reduce energy and water consumption
- Reduces school waste and conserves natural resources
- Encourages student environmental awareness and stewardship
- Increases parental involvement
- Helps students and teachers develop stronger relationships with their communities
- Develops national and international links
Come learn more about how through school-based action teams of students, administrators, educators and community volunteers, Eco-Schools combines effective "green" management of the school grounds, facilities and the curriculum. Learn how you can apply what you’ve done with Project Learning Tree, Green Ribbon Schools, and other green programs to Eco-Schools USA and how you can use our program to continue the green momentum at your school!
Monday, Apr 20, 2015, 04:30 PM
Pioneer Elementary School, 10881 Riva Ridge Drive, Parker, CO, United States
Plot Planning & Spring Planting
Planning a garden with students is a great way to encourage creativity and enthusiasm for the upcoming growing season. In this workshop, we will explore best practices for planning and planting plots within school gardens. Participants will design and take home a personalized planting plan for their school garden.
Lessons in this unit include: Spring Planting and Signs of Spring
Cost: $20. The fee for this workshop covers the cost of materials. Seed packets will also be available for participants to take home with them. Full and partial scholarships are available upon request.
More information can be found at http://dug.org/educator-workshop-april.
Thursday, Apr 16, 2015, 05:30 PM
Denver Urban Gardens, 1031 33rd Street, Denver, CO, United States
Resources
Sustainability Program "Meeting Space"
Don't forget to use the Sustain DCSD collaborative space on Google Drive called Sustainability Program. If you aren't able to access it, just email us and we will invite you to it. In it, you will find:
- Open Discussions - This is our meeting space! We want all of you to post your questions, concerns, problems, and solutions in here so that we can learn from each other. There are so many amazing initiatives all around the district, and it will be great to be able to reach out to one another!
- Eco-Schools - Here is some information on their auditing process.
- Elementary Schools, High Schools, and Middle Schools - You will find your school name in each of these files. These are meant for you to share photos (make sure you have media releases from all students!), success stories, data, project outlines, anything you want us and other schools to know about your programs.
- Incentive Program FY 14-15 - This is everything you need to know about this year's Energy, Waste and Consumption, and Behavioral Incentive Program. Be sure to register every year in order to participate.
- Sustainability Updates - This is where the District Sustainability Team will share updates with you and file our newsletters.
Sustainability at Douglas County School District
Email: sustainability@dcsdk12.org
Website: www.dcsdk12.org/sustainability
Location: 3002 State Highway 83, Franktown, CO 80116, United States
Phone: 720-663-1206
Facebook: facebook.com/sustainDCSDK12
Twitter: @sustainDCSD
LeeAnn Westfall
- Waste Management questions and concerns
- Energy, Waste, and Behavioral Incentive Programs
- Eco-Schools USA
- U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools
Courtney Kuntz
Courtney is a service-learning and green schools advocate. Call her for things such as:
- School presentations on recycling, composting, energy, etc.
- Consulting for your sustainability project
- Red Apple Recycling, Crayola ColorCycle, Terracycle
Mike Duncan
Mike is our energy guru, helping to track data and usage for all schools. He can help you with:
- Finding out your baseline energy data for auditing purposes
- Provide guidance on how to read your energy data
- Provide reports on your energy use