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Success Story: Creekside Elementary School
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Earth Hero at School Award
David Holbrook receives the King County award in April 2011. |
School District: Issaquah
School Location: Sammamish
Began Participating in the Green Schools Program: September 2010
Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in November 2010
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2011
General
- Creekside Elementary opened its doors in September 2010. The new building is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified.
- The new school set aside space for a garden plot that will use products made from recycled materials.
- Creekside was the recipient of the Terry Husseman 2011 Sustainable School Award which the school will use to sustain its Waste Watchers program.
- The Waste Watcher program, run by custodian Dave Holbrook and program assistant Judy Bowlby, has 34 students who monitor lunchroom recycling containers.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
- Creekside has a comprehensive recycling program and a recycling rate of 55 percent. In addition to classroom recycling, custodian Dave Holbrook started the school year with a lunchroom recycling program which includes cans, bottles, cartons, food scraps and other compostable materials.
- Dave Holbrook uses teachable moments in the lunchroom on a daily basis to remind students about proper recycling and composting behaviors.
- With PTSA coordination, Creekside Elementary participates in TerraCycle’s Capri Sun Juice Pouch Brigade. The pouches are made into bags, clipboards, pencil cases, waste baskets and fences.
- The student leadership group is developing a movie about recycling that will be shown school-wide.
- The Waste Watcher program empowers students to oversee garbage, recycling and food scrap containers during lunch, assuring that items are placed in the proper containers.
- The school librarian reads recycling-focused books to all classes.
- The staff workroom has a paper reuse box for one-sided paper.
- Classrooms collect and use “GOOS” paper which is “good on one side.”
- Re-use containers are in the work rooms for construction paper.
- School and PTSA communication is sent electronically to reduce paper use.
- In spring 2011, a first grade classroom made a class book of how they reduce, reuse and recycle. One of the students made a video recording to demonstrate how she reduces, reuses and recycles at home.
- The student green team picks up waste in the field at recess.
- Signs in the lunchroom show which items can be composted and recycled, and which items must be placed in garbage containers.
Energy Conservation
- Fifth grade students read a Time For Kids on energy conservation, followed by a summary write using the elaboration skill or giving examples.
- First grade students have class jobs to turn off computers and lights when leaving the room. They have also engaged in lessons about water and energy consumption at home and explored how to save materials in their classroom such as using pencils, crayons, glue, etc. until they are completely done.
- Kindergarten students turn out the lights when they are not needed. They had a classroom discussion about the auto lights in bathrooms.
- Shields are present in all classrooms to reflect light into the room and the lights are automatically turned off when an adequate amount of light is present.
Awards
- David Holbrook, custodian, received a King County Earth Hero at School award in April 2011.
For more information about this school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:
Judy Bowlby, program assistant
bowlbyj@issaquah.wednet.edu
Dave Holbrook, head custodian
holbrookd@issaquah.wednet.edu
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