Eco-School USA Progress
Since the summer of 2013, the Center for Young Children has started working toward becoming a nationally recognized Green School through the National Wildlife Federation's Eco-School program. Below shows our progress. Read the criteria for the highest award, the Green Flag.
February 2, 2014 Awarded the Bronze Eco-School Award!
March 5, 2014 Awarded the Silver Eco- School Award!
May 7, 2014 Awarded the Green Flag Eco-School Award!
Application and paperwork Submitted April 4, 2014 for the Green Flag Award. See the Kindergarten's news article on the Eco-School USA Facebook page.
March 5, 2014 Awarded the Silver Eco- School Award!
May 7, 2014 Awarded the Green Flag Eco-School Award!
Application and paperwork Submitted April 4, 2014 for the Green Flag Award. See the Kindergarten's news article on the Eco-School USA Facebook page.
Eco-Team (Green Committee)
Students- The Blue Room Kindergarten Class, Yellow Room and Natalie M.
Teachers- CiCi Fowler, Stefanie Penland, Sara Person, Vera Wiest, Kristy Murray, Stefanie Kain, Amy Laakso, Katharine Flanders, Eric Maring
Administrators- Dr. Fran Favretto
Parents- Shannon Green, Sally DeLeon
Community Partners- Matthew Popkin
UMD Students- Sabra Bushey and Chelsea Leap- UM Students,
Julia Aqunio UM Student Intern
Facility Personnel- Greg Thompson Asst Dir. VPSA-DS-Maintenance
Meetings- We have had over 12 meetings over the past year. Since our membership is large some of the meetings are by email and shared with the students in their classrooms by 2 or more of the teacher representatives. Here is a list of our meetings with some notes.
The Purple Room summer camp children also formed a Green Committee and met once a week to start progress on the Eco-School award. The first thing they did was an audit check list. This was a class of 1st graders, the oldest children to attend the CYC so they were able to do more writing and reading than the school year children. The criteria for the award states that the children should do much of the work. Other highlights of the Summer Camp Green Committee's work were to paint and install the rain barrel that was bought during the school year, and making an information video on the three R's, reduce, reuse, recycle. Read more about the committee on the camp website. Each week has a Green Committee entry at the bottom of the page.
Legacy Project
Dec. 2013- Julia Aquino is a student intern at the CYC. She is in the Yellow room completing her student teaching with Mrs. Penland and Mrs. Flanders as her mentors. She is in her senior year of completing her BA in Early Childhood Education with a minor in TESOL. Ms. Aquino has applied for graduate school for Fall 2014 for the UMD MCERT TESOL program She is currently working with Mrs. Wiest to fulfill her Legacy Project for her student teaching. The project required all Early Childhood student interns to create and fulfill goals for their placement school aligned with the School Improvement Plan. One of the CYC’s initiatives for this school year was to continue its Green efforts headed by Mrs. Wiest. As Ms. Aquino completes her internship at the CYC she has been successful in helping the school earn the Bronze and Silver award and in the final submission for the Green Flag award!
Eco-Code
The CYC Rules at Taking Care of the Earth
Pictured above, Ms. Aquino is reading 10 Things I Can Do To Help My World by Melanie Walsh . She read this to precede a discussion with the children about creating an Eco-code. Julia asked the children how they could tell other people about what we do at the CYC. Some of the ideas were, the CYC doesn't waste and the CYC takes care of the Earth. Later the Kindergarten Green Committee was asked to come up with ideas. The ideas were compiled and voted on. At the February PTA meeting the Kindergarten Green Committee presented the eco code as a banner that they created with drawings of plants, wildlife and people taking care of the planet.
Dec. 2013- Julia Aquino is a student intern at the CYC. She is in the Yellow room completing her student teaching with Mrs. Penland and Mrs. Flanders as her mentors. She is in her senior year of completing her BA in Early Childhood Education with a minor in TESOL. Ms. Aquino has applied for graduate school for Fall 2014 for the UMD MCERT TESOL program She is currently working with Mrs. Wiest to fulfill her Legacy Project for her student teaching. The project required all Early Childhood student interns to create and fulfill goals for their placement school aligned with the School Improvement Plan. One of the CYC’s initiatives for this school year was to continue its Green efforts headed by Mrs. Wiest. As Ms. Aquino completes her internship at the CYC she has been successful in helping the school earn the Bronze and Silver award and in the final submission for the Green Flag award!
Eco-Code
The CYC Rules at Taking Care of the Earth
Pictured above, Ms. Aquino is reading 10 Things I Can Do To Help My World by Melanie Walsh . She read this to precede a discussion with the children about creating an Eco-code. Julia asked the children how they could tell other people about what we do at the CYC. Some of the ideas were, the CYC doesn't waste and the CYC takes care of the Earth. Later the Kindergarten Green Committee was asked to come up with ideas. The ideas were compiled and voted on. At the February PTA meeting the Kindergarten Green Committee presented the eco code as a banner that they created with drawings of plants, wildlife and people taking care of the planet.
Action Plans
1-Consumption and Waste- See the audit
See the eco-action plan
Trash Free Tuesdays- September 2013
The entire school participated in a Trash Free Tuesday Program to help eliminate trash headed for the landfill. The Kindergarten weighed the trash before as a baseline and got 8 pounds. After announcing to the school via posters and emails the trash weighed less than 1 pound for 7 weeks. Discussions about what a landfill is was part of the curriculum in each class. Children had an opportunity to view what the trash collected each Tuesday. Language and literacy was covered as the children made posters and graphing took place during math blocks in the kindergarten. A new reminder of this program will be launched in February 2014. The cost is free!
April 2014- The PTA is working toward a trash free meeting!
Cloth Napkins- To be completed by March 2014
Cloth napkins will be collected by parents and teachers from personal extras or the second hand shop to be used on Trash Free Tuesdays. Children from the Yellow Room will decorate them. After their usage, they will be collected in a centrally located hamper washed and each room will take turns folding, sorting and delivering the napkins to the classrooms for the following Tuesday.
February 9, 2014- Ms. Fowler was able to find enough cloth napkins at the thrift store to supliment what classrooms already had. This was announced at the February 9th staff meeting. Teachers began using them for the staff luncheon along with washable plates and utensils. Miss Aquino made labels for the napkin baskets. Purple room children tie dyed their napkins to match their room.
Composting Experiment by Julia Aquino student intern-
Brief Overview: For this lesson, students will develop an understanding of what compost is and how composting works. Students will create their own mini worm composters with two liter bottles, worms, soil and materials from the classroom’s own compost bin.
Enduring Understanding: Students will be engaged in an activity that requires them to observe, raise questions, describe and analyze what happens in composting. Students will be involved in measuring ingredients for mini composters, monitoring their composters and recording their observations weekly. It is important for students to gain an understanding about composting so that they may exercise the same research skills in other content areas and apply their knowledge in today’s movement towards sustainability. This is a simple project that not only helps children be knowledgeable about different environmental impacts they have, but also something they can create with their parents at home. This lesson helps set foundational science skills that enable them to be active and engaged learners in the classroom.
March- April 2014 The Experiment: "The Yellow room made mini composters with 2 liter plastic bottles, soil, worms, bedding and food scraps from our room compost bin. The students made predictions of what will happen to their compost and compared differences of how the compost materials looked over time. The students used the iPad to record video observations of what they noticed about their mini composters over the course of several weeks. The students then participated in gardening in our playground strawberry patch pouring out and mixing in their mini composters to help the plants grow."
E-Waste Drive- Completed Nov. 2013 Green Committee parent member Sally DeLeon ran this drive for a week and collect several boxes of e-waste to dispose of.
April 2014- The CYC PTA has their first trash-free meeting by using compostable plates and cups. The treasury report was projected on a screen to save paper. Members of the Kindergarten Green Committee made an appearance at the meeting to congratulate their parents. The upcoming PTA sponsored Auction and Carnival is being planed to use compostable plates and cups as well by members donations.
See the eco-action plan
Trash Free Tuesdays- September 2013
The entire school participated in a Trash Free Tuesday Program to help eliminate trash headed for the landfill. The Kindergarten weighed the trash before as a baseline and got 8 pounds. After announcing to the school via posters and emails the trash weighed less than 1 pound for 7 weeks. Discussions about what a landfill is was part of the curriculum in each class. Children had an opportunity to view what the trash collected each Tuesday. Language and literacy was covered as the children made posters and graphing took place during math blocks in the kindergarten. A new reminder of this program will be launched in February 2014. The cost is free!
April 2014- The PTA is working toward a trash free meeting!
Cloth Napkins- To be completed by March 2014
Cloth napkins will be collected by parents and teachers from personal extras or the second hand shop to be used on Trash Free Tuesdays. Children from the Yellow Room will decorate them. After their usage, they will be collected in a centrally located hamper washed and each room will take turns folding, sorting and delivering the napkins to the classrooms for the following Tuesday.
February 9, 2014- Ms. Fowler was able to find enough cloth napkins at the thrift store to supliment what classrooms already had. This was announced at the February 9th staff meeting. Teachers began using them for the staff luncheon along with washable plates and utensils. Miss Aquino made labels for the napkin baskets. Purple room children tie dyed their napkins to match their room.
Composting Experiment by Julia Aquino student intern-
Brief Overview: For this lesson, students will develop an understanding of what compost is and how composting works. Students will create their own mini worm composters with two liter bottles, worms, soil and materials from the classroom’s own compost bin.
Enduring Understanding: Students will be engaged in an activity that requires them to observe, raise questions, describe and analyze what happens in composting. Students will be involved in measuring ingredients for mini composters, monitoring their composters and recording their observations weekly. It is important for students to gain an understanding about composting so that they may exercise the same research skills in other content areas and apply their knowledge in today’s movement towards sustainability. This is a simple project that not only helps children be knowledgeable about different environmental impacts they have, but also something they can create with their parents at home. This lesson helps set foundational science skills that enable them to be active and engaged learners in the classroom.
March- April 2014 The Experiment: "The Yellow room made mini composters with 2 liter plastic bottles, soil, worms, bedding and food scraps from our room compost bin. The students made predictions of what will happen to their compost and compared differences of how the compost materials looked over time. The students used the iPad to record video observations of what they noticed about their mini composters over the course of several weeks. The students then participated in gardening in our playground strawberry patch pouring out and mixing in their mini composters to help the plants grow."
E-Waste Drive- Completed Nov. 2013 Green Committee parent member Sally DeLeon ran this drive for a week and collect several boxes of e-waste to dispose of.
April 2014- The CYC PTA has their first trash-free meeting by using compostable plates and cups. The treasury report was projected on a screen to save paper. Members of the Kindergarten Green Committee made an appearance at the meeting to congratulate their parents. The upcoming PTA sponsored Auction and Carnival is being planed to use compostable plates and cups as well by members donations.
2-Energy- See the audit
See the eco-action plan
Reminder Signage- March 2014 While doing the Energy audit Kindergartners began making signs to remind people to turn off the lights February 11, 2014. A bigger campaign will begin when the audit is finished.
Using Natural Light Campaign- March 2014
Kindergarteners started using natural light as part of their Trash Free Tuesday along with cloth napkins February 11, 2014. Soft music was played to make the event seem even more special (like a fancy restaurant) The whole school began the natural light Trash Free Tuesday the following week.
Closing Blinds and Turning off Vampires at the End of the Day- September 2014
Sealing Drafty Doors- September 2014
See the eco-action plan
Reminder Signage- March 2014 While doing the Energy audit Kindergartners began making signs to remind people to turn off the lights February 11, 2014. A bigger campaign will begin when the audit is finished.
Using Natural Light Campaign- March 2014
Kindergarteners started using natural light as part of their Trash Free Tuesday along with cloth napkins February 11, 2014. Soft music was played to make the event seem even more special (like a fancy restaurant) The whole school began the natural light Trash Free Tuesday the following week.
Closing Blinds and Turning off Vampires at the End of the Day- September 2014
Sealing Drafty Doors- September 2014
3-School Grounds- See the audit
See the eco-action plan
Rain Barrel- Completed June 2013
After a fundraiser of selling reusable baggies, the PTA bought the school a rain barrel. The Purple Room Summer Camp Green Committee painted it and it was installed to use to water the gardens. It is estimated to save about 25 gallons of water per week during the watering season. The curriculum connection pertains to plant science as the children take care of their garden.
After a fundraiser of selling reusable baggies, the PTA bought the school a rain barrel. The Purple Room Summer Camp Green Committee painted it and it was installed to use to water the gardens. It is estimated to save about 25 gallons of water per week during the watering season. The curriculum connection pertains to plant science as the children take care of their garden.
NWF Certified School Yard Habitat-
Completed February 13, 2014
The PTA will be asked to purchase the sign for this award. Curriculum addressed includes biology as the children learn about the birds and insects on their schoolyard. Food Sources- We provide seeds, suet and have two hummingbird feeders. The playground has a berry bush, flowers including asters, petunias, chrysanthemums, several butterfly bushes, milk weed and crepe myrtle. There are many trees and bushes. Water Sources- There are two birdbaths. Cover and Places to Raise Young- There are at least 5 nesting boxes painted by the children, 3 evergreen trees and many dense shrubs. There are milkweed, aster and violet plants for the caterpillars in many of the gardens. One of our gardens has native plants only.
Feb. 8, 2014- The PTA agreed to purchase the School Yard Habitat sign.
February 9, 2014 the teachers had a workshop on gardens including how to attract butterflies and insects to the garden with teaching plans and ideas. Bird count data sheets were set out by the windows in each classroom and children began to fill them out. CYC was registered for the Audubon Societies February Bird Count and data was entered on February 19, 2014. Children helped record the data on the playground.
Little Free Library- April 2014
Greg Thomson of Dining Services had two little libraries constructed from recycled pallets and other matereials to install on the CYC grounds. One is for children's books the other for adults. The ideas is for people to leave a book or/and take a book; a way of sharing their used books.These should be installed in May after Maryland Day.
Garden Additions- March 2014
Currently a campus honors group involved in a Do Good Challenge, are working with the children to enhance their playground gardens. So far they have planted seeds, put together two pea/bean teepees and designated tires to use for flower plantings.
April 23, 2014- Thank you to Justin Taylor, one of our dad's that works for Abby Farms, for donating 2 blueberry bushes, 5 Blackeyed Susan and 5 Purple Cone plants soon to be planted. This is a huge addition to our native garden!
Art on the Playground- To be completed by September 2014- The Playground committee decided to include a mural and games painted on the basket ball court in their requests for playground improvements to the PTA February 12, 2014.
March 2014- The Kindergarten Green Committee helped create season pictures for a bare wall on the playground. A winter and spring collage were laminated and placed in recycled frames to brighten up the outside area near the entrance to the Great Room. Summer and fall collages are planned for the future.
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Completed February 13, 2014
The PTA will be asked to purchase the sign for this award. Curriculum addressed includes biology as the children learn about the birds and insects on their schoolyard. Food Sources- We provide seeds, suet and have two hummingbird feeders. The playground has a berry bush, flowers including asters, petunias, chrysanthemums, several butterfly bushes, milk weed and crepe myrtle. There are many trees and bushes. Water Sources- There are two birdbaths. Cover and Places to Raise Young- There are at least 5 nesting boxes painted by the children, 3 evergreen trees and many dense shrubs. There are milkweed, aster and violet plants for the caterpillars in many of the gardens. One of our gardens has native plants only.
Feb. 8, 2014- The PTA agreed to purchase the School Yard Habitat sign.
February 9, 2014 the teachers had a workshop on gardens including how to attract butterflies and insects to the garden with teaching plans and ideas. Bird count data sheets were set out by the windows in each classroom and children began to fill them out. CYC was registered for the Audubon Societies February Bird Count and data was entered on February 19, 2014. Children helped record the data on the playground.
Little Free Library- April 2014
Greg Thomson of Dining Services had two little libraries constructed from recycled pallets and other matereials to install on the CYC grounds. One is for children's books the other for adults. The ideas is for people to leave a book or/and take a book; a way of sharing their used books.These should be installed in May after Maryland Day.
Garden Additions- March 2014
Currently a campus honors group involved in a Do Good Challenge, are working with the children to enhance their playground gardens. So far they have planted seeds, put together two pea/bean teepees and designated tires to use for flower plantings.
April 23, 2014- Thank you to Justin Taylor, one of our dad's that works for Abby Farms, for donating 2 blueberry bushes, 5 Blackeyed Susan and 5 Purple Cone plants soon to be planted. This is a huge addition to our native garden!
Art on the Playground- To be completed by September 2014- The Playground committee decided to include a mural and games painted on the basket ball court in their requests for playground improvements to the PTA February 12, 2014.
March 2014- The Kindergarten Green Committee helped create season pictures for a bare wall on the playground. A winter and spring collage were laminated and placed in recycled frames to brighten up the outside area near the entrance to the Great Room. Summer and fall collages are planned for the future.
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