Eco-School USA Green Flag Re-certification Progress
Eco School USA is nation wide program sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. There are seven steps involved in the process with explanations of how the CYC accomplished them.
|
Thanks to everyone we received our re-certification March 6, 2017!
Step 1- Eco Action Team- Green Flag Award
- The school has identified an Eco-Action Team which has strong representation from students (at least 50%), and also includes teachers, other school staff and community members.
- Students take significant responsibility for conducting the Eco-Action Team meetings and the team's decision-making process.
- The group meets at least 8 times a year.
- Students share responsibility for keeping minutes for each meeting and communicating information to the whole school.
- Student representatives actively engage other students and collect suggestions from the greater student body.
The CYC already has a strong adult Green Committee with members from the staff,administration, UMD students, parents, members from the greater UMD community (see Cover Page). The e-meetings are conducted once a month through an email reflector- [email protected]. Reports are given at each staff meeting and PTP meeting. Sept. 2016 meeting, Oct. 2016 meeting.
January 13, 2017 Kindergarten Blue Committee decided to make and deliver containers for dried up markers to each classroom. This was done as part of their Science and Math workshop. Later the markers will be collected and counted.
Step 2- Environmental Audit-Green Flag Award
Recess Audit, School Grounds Audit, School Grounds page 2, Energy Audit
- A formal and comprehensive environmental audit of the school is completed (utilizing the Eco-Schools USA Audit checklist), and findings are documented.
- Students play an active role in conducting the environmental audit and engage resource specialists from their community.
- Results of the audit are shared with the whole school and wider community.
- An environmental audit is conducted every year to evaluate overall progress
Recess Audit, School Grounds Audit, School Grounds page 2, Energy Audit
S Step 3- Eco Action Plan-Green Flag Award
January 2017- The Let's Move Committee finalized a Physical Education Policy. This policy sets goals for teachers to maximize gross motor activities with specific standards from the Maryland State Curriculum. See images below of the action plan initiatives.
- The Eco-Action Team uses results from the formal comprehensive Environmental Audit to develop a detailed Eco-Action Plan (including time frame and quantifiable targets).
- The Eco-Action Plan consists of a range of actions covering at least three Eco-Schools pathways.
- The Eco-Action Plan prioritizes targets.
- The Eco-Action Plan provides cost-benefit information for each action.
January 2017- The Let's Move Committee finalized a Physical Education Policy. This policy sets goals for teachers to maximize gross motor activities with specific standards from the Maryland State Curriculum. See images below of the action plan initiatives.
Step 4- Monitor and Evaluate- Green Flag Award
- The Eco-Action Team monitors and reviews progress against the Eco-Action Plan's time frame and targets.
- Students are engaged in portions of monitoring and evaluation. Data is used in some curriculum work.
- School shows significant progress (i.e., school understands issues, recognizes value to sustainable development and has implemented change) on several large-scale projects addressing at least three Eco-Schools pathway.
- Progress and challenges are communicated to the whole school and wider community.
Teachers began right away adding more gross motor activities on their lesson plans.
January 2017- A report of the Plan and comments on challenges was posted on the CYC FaceBook page.
Step 5- Link to Curriculum- Green Flag Award
The CYC curriculum is based on project work where students contemplate what they already know about a topic, ask questions about what they would like to know, and then investigate the topic further using books, hands on activities, experts, and field trips.
A staff professional development day concerning environmental education from the Baltimore Aquarium is planned for the spring of 2017. Vera Wiest went to a Nature Preschool conference at Irvine Nature Center in June of 2016. She shared what she learned at the August staff meeting. See the images here.
January 20, 2017- Teachers gather at nap time to collectively do the lesson for a MSDE lesson on Outdoor Education through PennState Extensions .
March 3, 2017 All but one teacher attended "Growing Up Wild" a workshop from the National Aquarium that gave the teachers many wonderful ideas to bring concepts of nature into the classroom and beyond. Each attendee received a large book with activities to use.
- Students have an opportunity at all grade levels and across disciplines to address environmental issues in the classroom, on the school site and in the local community.
- Students' experiences are integrated into the curriculum and are inquiry-based.
- School staff are provided with professional development and training on best practices, knowledge and skills for environmental education.
The CYC curriculum is based on project work where students contemplate what they already know about a topic, ask questions about what they would like to know, and then investigate the topic further using books, hands on activities, experts, and field trips.
A staff professional development day concerning environmental education from the Baltimore Aquarium is planned for the spring of 2017. Vera Wiest went to a Nature Preschool conference at Irvine Nature Center in June of 2016. She shared what she learned at the August staff meeting. See the images here.
January 20, 2017- Teachers gather at nap time to collectively do the lesson for a MSDE lesson on Outdoor Education through PennState Extensions .
March 3, 2017 All but one teacher attended "Growing Up Wild" a workshop from the National Aquarium that gave the teachers many wonderful ideas to bring concepts of nature into the classroom and beyond. Each attendee received a large book with activities to use.
Step 6- Involve the Community- Green Flag Award
Some of the schools Eco-activities include, Trash Free Tuesday, Global Hand Washing Day, Bring your own dishes to the annual CYC fall picnic BYO dishes, Save Fuel week in the spring, and Denton Green Fest in the Spring. Please see the school's website news page , above images, and the yearly highlights on this website to read more.
Maryland Day is designated Green Fest day at the CYC where displays are made for the public to view the progress CYC has made toward being more sustainable.
Both the Yellow Room and Blue Room wrote articles for publication. The Yellow Room submitted theirs to the Office of Sustainability and the CYC Facebook page (See 2016-2017 highlights page). The Blue Room submitted theirs to the University's newspaper, the Diamondback.
- The school has a prominent, designated way to communicate with the whole school and greater community such as a bulletin board, web site or newsletter which details Eco-Schools activities.
- The whole school, along with volunteers from throughout the community, engage in a number of Eco-Schools activities.
- The school develops a day of action or other event that engages the greater community in learning about and helping with Eco-Schools projects.
- Students write about Eco-Schools projects for local papers and magazines.
- The school shares its Eco-Schools projects with other schools in the U.S. and with the global community through the Eco-Schools USA website and other communication tools.
Some of the schools Eco-activities include, Trash Free Tuesday, Global Hand Washing Day, Bring your own dishes to the annual CYC fall picnic BYO dishes, Save Fuel week in the spring, and Denton Green Fest in the Spring. Please see the school's website news page , above images, and the yearly highlights on this website to read more.
Maryland Day is designated Green Fest day at the CYC where displays are made for the public to view the progress CYC has made toward being more sustainable.
Both the Yellow Room and Blue Room wrote articles for publication. The Yellow Room submitted theirs to the Office of Sustainability and the CYC Facebook page (See 2016-2017 highlights page). The Blue Room submitted theirs to the University's newspaper, the Diamondback.
Step 7- Create an Eco-Code- Green Flag Award
- The whole school and greater community is given the opportunity to make suggestions on developing (or refining and enhancing) the Eco-Code.
- The Eco-Action team takes suggestions, refines the Eco-Code and takes it to the full school for adoption.
- The Eco-Code is prominently displayed for all to read as they enter the school.
- The Eco-Code is reviewed every year as part of review process to ensure that it is still relevant.
Everyone but especially the Kindergarten class, made suggestions for a motto. After everyone voted, a sign was made to post in the front lobby. Everyone liked it partly because it rhymes, The CYC Saves Energy!