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Success Story: Apollo Elementary School
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Composting education
Students create posters about composting
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Water conservation education
Students create posters about conserving water
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School District: Issaquah
School Location: Renton
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: September 2010
Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2011
Waste Reduction and Recycling
- Apollo Elementary increased its recycling rate from 31 percent to 59 percent through a school-wide program that includes classroom, office, staffroom and lunchroom recycling and food scrap collection.
- With assistance from the City of Issaquah, Apollo launched a new food scrap collection program. Food scraps and other compostable materials collected from the lunchroom, staff room and classrooms are delivered to Cedar Grove’s composting facility.
- Fourth graders were trained on proper food scrap sorting and monitored the lunchroom food scrap, recycling and garbage stations for three weeks to ensure proper sorting of materials.
- The fourth grade student green team provided school-wide education and promotion for recycling and food scrap collection. Outreach included presentations and quizzes in every classroom, as well as collaboration with the first grade green team on making posters and signs. Additionally, students placed stickers that list what can and can’t be recycled on all recycling containers throughout the school.
- Apollo’s staff green team made a recycling and composting presentation to all teachers at a staff meeting.
- In addition to regular school-wide recycling, one class held a week-long aluminum can drive and donated proceeds to earthquake relief efforts in Japan.
- School administration encouraged staff to reduce paper use by making double sided copies, using email for communication, and sending newsletters and parent information electronically.
- The staff workroom has a paper reuse box for paper that’s only been used on one side, and construction paper scraps are used for scratch paper, notes and art projects.
- To encourage reuse, Apollo held a book swap in conjunction with its annual Spring Fling.
- Along with all schools in Issaquah, Apollo replaced plastic wrapped utensils with unwrapped utensils and eliminated the use of straws.
For more information about the school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:
Susan Mundell, principal
mundells@issaquah.wednet.edu
John Macartney, resource conservation manager, Issaquah School District
johnmacartney@msn.com
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