This page is dedicated to the application for Maryland Green Schools.
Staff were informed about our re-certification for Maryland Green School by email and at our first staff meetings. As part of our Gold Office commitment, the Green Committee gives an update at every staff and PTA meeting.
Staff were informed about our re-certification for Maryland Green School by email and at our first staff meetings. As part of our Gold Office commitment, the Green Committee gives an update at every staff and PTA meeting.
Objective 1: Systemic Sustainability
___ 1.1 Curriculum and Instruction: Environmental Issue Instruction
In addition to school-wide instruction on waste-free lunch, gardening, playground bird and nature observations, here is a sampling of each of the six individual classroom's (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple) in-depth research on other environmental topics.
___ 1.1 Curriculum and Instruction: Environmental Issue Instruction
In addition to school-wide instruction on waste-free lunch, gardening, playground bird and nature observations, here is a sampling of each of the six individual classroom's (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple) in-depth research on other environmental topics.
__ 1.2 Professional Development
Climate Action Plan- All staff
The Climate Action Plan is a UMD plan that projects the University will have 0 carbon waste by the year 2050. Sally DeLeon from the office of sustainability gave a talk to the staff during the children's nap time on January 16, 2014. Leaning about this plan helped staff realize that the CYC is not alone in it's quest toward becoming more sustainable. DeLeon also went over some of the items items that were on the Gold Office award checklist to prepare us for our audit.
Why School Gardens- All staff
2/7/2014 Dr. Maltese from George Mason University gave a talk at a staff meeting on gardening with children. She went over many math and science activities to use with children including a unit on butterflies. Teacher's received a butterfly field guide to use with the children.
___ 1.3 School-Wide Environmental Behavior Changes
Staff signed a pledge to earn the Gold Office Award and committed to reduce their environmental impact. The CYC was the first to earn the University of Maryland's Gold Office Award January 2014. Some of the checklist highlights acheived were for staff to complete Green Office Actions at home, having zero waste meetings, and by providing a kitchen facilities for staff to be able to easily eat at work.
___ 1.4 Celebration
- April 26, Maryland Day Green Fest 2014- at the CYC was a huge success featuring Kaydee Puppets and Mr. M’s sing-along. There were many familiar faces from the CYC, past and present, as well as new visitors. Kaydee Puppets presented Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the Frog Prince both with a recycled twist. Mr. M, the CYC’s music teacher, featured his two sons Leo age 10, on the mandolin and Julian age 5 on the violin. The weather was beautiful and so were the performances
-Smoothie Party BYO dishes to the International Picnic. On Saturday October 27th 2014 parents were again encouraged to bring their own plate, cups, and utensils to eat from. 29 families did and each room celebrated with a smoothie party the following week.
-Global Hand Washing Day- October 15 2014 was Global Hand Washing Day. To celebrate, Dr. Lis Maring and Kelly Blake from the School of Public Health, and a group of Global Public Health Scholars at UMCP visited the Blue Room kindergarten children to do educational hand washing activities. Afterwards they created a giant banner to help remind others of the importance of hand washing. One child remarked, "They shined a light and it showed germs, when we washed our hands right the germs went away, then we made a poster about hand washing". See the video. Hand washing with soap is the most effective way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections. See the Global Handwashing website.
Climate Action Plan- All staff
The Climate Action Plan is a UMD plan that projects the University will have 0 carbon waste by the year 2050. Sally DeLeon from the office of sustainability gave a talk to the staff during the children's nap time on January 16, 2014. Leaning about this plan helped staff realize that the CYC is not alone in it's quest toward becoming more sustainable. DeLeon also went over some of the items items that were on the Gold Office award checklist to prepare us for our audit.
Why School Gardens- All staff
2/7/2014 Dr. Maltese from George Mason University gave a talk at a staff meeting on gardening with children. She went over many math and science activities to use with children including a unit on butterflies. Teacher's received a butterfly field guide to use with the children.
___ 1.3 School-Wide Environmental Behavior Changes
Staff signed a pledge to earn the Gold Office Award and committed to reduce their environmental impact. The CYC was the first to earn the University of Maryland's Gold Office Award January 2014. Some of the checklist highlights acheived were for staff to complete Green Office Actions at home, having zero waste meetings, and by providing a kitchen facilities for staff to be able to easily eat at work.
___ 1.4 Celebration
- April 26, Maryland Day Green Fest 2014- at the CYC was a huge success featuring Kaydee Puppets and Mr. M’s sing-along. There were many familiar faces from the CYC, past and present, as well as new visitors. Kaydee Puppets presented Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the Frog Prince both with a recycled twist. Mr. M, the CYC’s music teacher, featured his two sons Leo age 10, on the mandolin and Julian age 5 on the violin. The weather was beautiful and so were the performances
-Smoothie Party BYO dishes to the International Picnic. On Saturday October 27th 2014 parents were again encouraged to bring their own plate, cups, and utensils to eat from. 29 families did and each room celebrated with a smoothie party the following week.
-Global Hand Washing Day- October 15 2014 was Global Hand Washing Day. To celebrate, Dr. Lis Maring and Kelly Blake from the School of Public Health, and a group of Global Public Health Scholars at UMCP visited the Blue Room kindergarten children to do educational hand washing activities. Afterwards they created a giant banner to help remind others of the importance of hand washing. One child remarked, "They shined a light and it showed germs, when we washed our hands right the germs went away, then we made a poster about hand washing". See the video. Hand washing with soap is the most effective way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections. See the Global Handwashing website.
Objective 2: Student-driven Sustainability Practices
3.1 Community Partnerships
-Greg Thompson from Dining Services- Mr. Thompson is the one initially responsible for the CYC's composting program. He has his trucks come to pick up the school's compost weekly and has done several workshops for teachers and children on how and why to compost.
___ 3.2 Awards and Special Recognition
-Eco-School USA Green Flag - May 2014
-Gold Office Award by the University of Maryland Sustainability Department- January 2014
-School Yard Habitat by NWF- February 2014 a team has been involved in planning and providing at least a few types of food, water, cover and places to raise young on the CYC schoolgrounds, and the site is being used as a teaching tool. Visit our our Eco-School USA page to read more
-Eco-School USA Green Flag - May 2014
-Gold Office Award by the University of Maryland Sustainability Department- January 2014
-School Yard Habitat by NWF- February 2014 a team has been involved in planning and providing at least a few types of food, water, cover and places to raise young on the CYC schoolgrounds, and the site is being used as a teaching tool. Visit our our Eco-School USA page to read more