Sustainability at PPS
February 2024
Environmental Justice meets Black History Month
Vanport Mosaic: https://www.vanportmosaic.org/
Oregon Black Pioneers: https://oregonblackpioneers.org/about/
“Priced Out” 2018 film: https://www.pricedoutmovie.com/
Albina Vision Trust: https://albinavision.org/
(Image: “Now is the Time, the Time is Now” mural by Isaka Shamsud-Din, Paul Odighizuwa, Charlotte Lewis and Kathy Pennington, 1989. Find it: N.E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. & N.E. Shaver St)
School and District News
First Annual Innovation Summit centers Productive Disruption and Student Success
From the Black Lives Matter Movement to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s call for achieving net zero emissions by 2050, it is no secret that the world is on the verge of necessary systemic and cultural changes.
This past Monday several students, PPS staff, school board members, and community organizations convened at the First Annual PPS Innovation Summit to discuss and practice strategies for enhancing equity and creating large-scale systemic change.
To bring about these changes, we are delighted to have the PPS Innovation Studio educating and empowering the PPS community with tools for creative and meaningful change.
The theme for the day was Productive Disruption, which panelist Trenelle Doyle, Founder of Go Girl Ride described as, “[disrupting] the status quo with both intention and impact, producing results that benefit the collective”.
The Summit leveraged its platform to redistribute power and center people who have not been valued in historic or status quo system designs. It included a panel, student speeches, and a keynote address, all by people with lived experience of racial or gender-based oppression. Panelist Bryan Lee Jr., Founder & Design Principal of Colloqate Design, views productive disruption as, “not just about physical spaces but also a cultural and social reshaping, advocating for diverse narratives and collective movements towards justice.”
The first part of the Summit consisted of participants learning about elements of the PPS innovation practice including creativity, history and healing, challenging limiting mindsets, and leveraging the power of design. In the afternoon, participants had the opportunity to practice an accelerated version of the community engagement methodology.
Using this methodology, the PPS Climate Justice and Sustainability teams are embarking on a community engagement series from now to June. The process aims to answer the question: how can PPS create and support meaningful pathways to climate action, leadership opportunities, and climate community connection for students? We are excited to have seventeen community based organizations as well as teachers and students joining in this effort.
Keep an eye out for updates about this exciting design process!
Grant supports Culturally-relevant Nutrition at Rose City Park
With this grant, the RCP community and partners will kick off a monthly tasting event in the school cafeteria using produce grown in the garden while also working with a Vietnamese-American farmer and local Vietnamese-American chefs to bring culturally relevant produce and cuisine to students. This program will create much-needed representation in the lunchroom, foster a sense of belonging, and nurture a love for nutritious foods as students grow produce and take part in the tasting experience together.
I BELONG HERE: A Sitton Elementary Project in Identity and Stewardship
Fifth grade students from Sitton Elementary recently engaged in an incredible project in place-making and sustainability. Through the “I BELONG HERE” photography project funded by RACC, students got to practice and take photos using film cameras while planting over 90 native trees at Kelley Point Park. The project was a collaboration between Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Blue Moon Camera, and Portland Parks and Recreation.
Great work to all of the students, teachers, and staff for making a positive impact in their community! If you’re an educator interested in teaching your students more about regional watershed health, check out the Columbia Slough Watershed Council’s “Slough School”, free environmental education for any K-12 school or program in our watershed, prioritizing Title I schools. https://www.columbiaslough.org/education
Clean School Bus Program comes to PPS
What does this mean for PPS? In the Pacific Northwest, one of the applicants to receive an award is First Student Inc. They will receive $16,500,000 to purchase 46 buses! First Student Inc. is one of the 2 companies that PPS contracts with for school buses. We haven't established how many electric buses this means for PPS just yet, but we are excited to being moving further into a renewable future through this partnership.
This is only the second round of selections to take place for the Clean School Bus Program. So we look forward to the potential from additional rounds of funding!
Tree Planting at Peninsula School
January overcast skies were no match for the joy and enthusiasm of Peninsula School students as they planted trees on their campus. Through Portland Parks and Recreation's Urban Forestry Learning Landscapes school tree planting program students connect to their school and community by working together to improve and green their school grounds. As trees grow, they provide environmental and aesthetic benefits to the school for decades. Trees also serve as a living, learning landscape for educators to teach science, math, and more. The PPS Climate Crisis Response Policy (CCRP) emphasizes the importance of climate resilience on our school campuses, and these newly planted trees will be critical toward reducing the urban heat island effect and stormwater run-off, all while enhancing outdoor learning and recreation spaces.
Stormwater Retrofitting at Rigler Elementary
Project kick off to highlight and celebrate the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership’s EPA Columbia River Basin Restoration Program cooperative agreement with EPA to fund stormwater retrofit projects at schools. The Estuary Partnership anticipates working at 4-6 schools Portland Public Schools over the next few years – adding green infrastructure to schoolyards that will manage stormwater, reduce toxics, reduce urban heat island impacts, shade schoolyards and schools, increase schoolyard nature for students, and engage students in projects through education and/or planting project elements. Rigler serves as a highlight to kick off the partnership and showcase the impactful work that Columbia River Basin Restoration Act, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide.
PPS Climate Crisis Response Committee
Lastly, if you just want to follow along with all the work PPS is going to become more climate friendly, check out the PPS Climate Crisis Response Committee (CCRC). The CCRC advises PPS on implementation of the Climate Crisis Response Policy and all their meetings are open to the public. Reach out to PPS Climate Justice Advisor Kat Davis (kadavis@pps.net) to learn more.
Metro Regional Transportation Options Grant
Applications for Metro’s Regional Travel Options grants are now open. The RTO program funds and supports transportation demand management strategies to increase the use of travel options, reduce pollution, and improve mobility. Travel options include anything besides driving alone – carpooling, vanpooling, riding transit, bicycling, walking, and telecommuting. Visit the following link for more information: https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-partners/grants-and-resources/regional-travel-options-program
Connecting Students to Food through Agriculture
PPS Walk + Roll Day
Winter Walk + Roll to School Day
If you want more information, you can visit the PPS Safe Routes to School Site at https://www.pps.net/domain/7842.
Safety is always a top priority when walking or rolling to school, but in winter time, it’s even more critical. Here are a few ways to stay extra safe during winter!
Events & Community Engagement
SAGE Vision 2030 Climate Solutions Fair Call for Volunteers
SAGE is still looking for volunteers for their Vision 2030 Climate Solutions Fairs hosted at regional middle schools. There are two opportunities for involvement. Volunteers can either help to lead an important classroom lesson about emissions reduction and climate justice, or support the day-of fair activities by guiding students as they learn about our region’s 2030 climate goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Volunteer opportunities are fast approaching, so be sure to check out the SAGE website for more information. https://wearesage.org/join-a-team/climate-education-team/
PPS School and Local Organization Volunteer Opportunities
With the recent ice storm came the cancellation of many important local volunteer events. February is a great time to help organizations pick-up where they left off, all while getting outdoors and spending time with your community. We recommend checking out organizations like SOLVE, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, Friends of Trees, and 350PDX for ways to get involved. We also suggest checking out upcoming volunteer opportunities with Depave as they help to steward previous Depave projects sites at several Portland area schools. Check out the following link for more information about Depave: https://depave.org/