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Success Story: Green River Montessori School
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A King County Green Team specialist shows Green River students their new worm bin |
School Location: Auburn
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: November 2009
Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in November 2010
General
More than 100 years ago, Dr. Maria Montessori taught children to make a difference on our planet. She believed that “all creatures that live on earth have a cosmic role to play” and that nature itself is a source of inspiration for learning. Today Green River Montessori believes that education on how to protect and preserve our planet and all of its living creatures has never been needed more.
Green River Montessori School includes preschool classrooms and an elementary school program from kindergarten through eighth grade.
- The school formed a Green School Team that consists of staff, students and parent volunteers.
- The team, with the help of a Green Schools Program representative, assessed what items in its garbage could be reduced, reused and recycled.
- In Nov. 2009, when Green River Montessori began to participate in the Green Schools Program, the school’s recycling rate was 42.9 percent. Since then the school increased its recycling rate to 62 percent and plans to add conservation and recycling practices that will increase its recycling rate even more.
Waste Reduction
To reduce waste, Green River Montessori School:
- Limits the use of paper handouts in classrooms and for administrative functions.
- Makes double sided copies.
- Reduced excess newspaper deliveries and requested removal from vendor mail lists.
- Posts its lunch menu online. Copies are only printed upon request.
- Promotes waste free lunches on Mondays and Fridays, when students bring lunches from home. On those days, food scraps from each child’s lunch are sent home so that parents will know what their children have eaten that day.
- Grass clippings are mulched into the lawn.
- Durable trays and utensils are used during lunch.
- Parchment paper place settings have been eliminated during lunch and snacks.
- Juice and milk is purchased and served in bulk dispensers.
- Durable supplies are saved and reused.
Recycling
- The school’s recycling rate increased by 48 percent, from 42.9 percent to 62 percent.
- Food scraps and yard waste are composted off-site at a local farm. Also, in Nov. 2010, the school started to use a worm bin for vegetable and fruit scraps.
- Recycling containers were placed in every classroom, office and break room, and recycling stickers were affixed to each recycling containers.
- For recyclable materials from the kitchen, a recycling container is placed outside the kitchen door.
- All other recycling containers are placed next to garbage cans, are easily visible, and are emptied regularly.
- Garbage and recycling collection service was adjusted when recycling volumes increased.
Education and Outreach
- In Nov. 2010 students participated in a King County Green Team worm bin workshop.
- Student, faculty and administrative staff have been introduced to the school’s recycling and waste reduction policies, which are reinforced daily throughout the school and classrooms.
- Recycling and waste reduction news is communicated as needed in the monthly newsletter that is sent to students, faculty, staff and parents. Administrative staff and classroom teachers oversee and guide waste reduction and recycling practices.
- Elementary school students engage in weekly field trips to the Auburn School District’s garden. The students are learning about sustainability, organic gardening, composting, biology and science, nutrition and cooking.
For more information about the school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:
Dawn Norris, administrator
grms@comcast.net
Jessie Styers, parent volunteer
Jhosa2003@yahoo.com
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