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Success Story: North Hill Elementary School
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Students cut up old plastic bags and weave them into more durable grocery bags |
School District: Highline
School Location: Des Moines
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: October 2008
Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2009
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2010
Level Three of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2011
Waste Reduction and Recycling: 2008-2009
- The school increased its recycling rate from 25 percent to 31 percent.
- The North Hill Ecology Club conducted classroom waste audits and made suggestions for improving waste reduction and recycling. Classrooms that were recycling successfully were provided with a “green classroom” certificate of recognition.
- Students made colorful posters to promote recycling. Student volunteers gave 18 classroom presentations to teach other students about why waste reduction and recycling are important and about what is and is not recyclable.
- Classroom recycling containers and recycling signs that list what can and can’t be recycled were added throughout the school where needed.
- Several worm bins were added to help the school compost food scraps.
- With support from teacher Sherry Edwards and custodian Mary Hanson, the school initiated milk carton recycling and recycles about 425 milk cartons per day.
- Throughout the school, one-sided copies are placed in bins or trays for reuse.
- North Hill initiated recycling of printer cartridges, cell phones and Capri Sun juice pouches. These efforts reduce waste at the school and generate revenue for the green team through the resale and recycling markets.
- Teacher Sherry Edwards wrote a PTSA grant proposal and received funds to purchase “North Hill Green Team” tee-shirts. Every Monday the green team wears these shirts in support of North Hill’s green efforts.
Waste Reduction and Recycling: 2009-2010
- The school maintained its recycling rate through continued recycling education and promotion. Ecology Club students continue to perform waste audits in classrooms to check for contamination and to make suggestions for improving waste reduction and recycling practices. Each classroom that recycles successfully is given a “green classroom” certificate of recognition.
- The school continues to collect and recycle cell phones, printer cartridges, Capri Sun juice pouches and approximately 425 milk cartons each school day. To kick off milk carton recycling, the custodian placed several hundred milk cartons on a tarp in the courtyard and spoke with students about the recycling program.
Waste Reduction and Recycling: 2010-2011
- The school increased its recycling rate to 33 percent and eliminated one garbage pick-up per week
- The school continued to reduce paper by making double-sided copies and using one-sided paper instead of new paper whenever possible. Students and staff used so much paper that had been printed on one side that parents were asked to bring in paper that’s been used on one side.
Energy Conservation
- With support from the Highline School District, North Hill Elementary School tracks its energy use and restricts the use of personal heaters, refrigerators and other appliances in offices and classrooms.
- Signs were posted on light switches to encourage staff and students to turn off lights in unoccupied spaces.
- Teachers were encouraged to turn off at least one bank of lights in their classrooms whenever adequate daylight is available.
- The Ecology Club monitors energy use in classrooms and provides reminders to turn off lights and electronic equipment when not in use.
- Lights are powered down in the staff copy room and lounge.
- Fluorescent bulbs were removed from the pop machine in the staff lounge.
- Incandescent bulbs were replaced by Energy Star fluorescent bulbs throughout the school.
Environmental Education
- Environmental topics are integrated into curriculum school-wide.
- A native plant garden was installed in the former courtyard. All classrooms may use the garden as an environmental education learning tool.
- North Hill worked with a King County Green Team Specialist to host workshops on environmental stewardship in the fifth and sixth grade classrooms.
- The upper elementary grades compost food scraps in their worm bins and teachers have incorporated care and feeding of the worms into their curriculum.
- North Hill hosted the school-wide assembly on waste reduction and recycling, provided by the King County Solid Waste Division. Classrooms in four grades followed up with guest presentation workshops.
- The first and second grades hosted the Native Plant Society workshops.
- The school’s monthly newsletter includes a section called Earth Matters that is devoted to conservation facts and tips.
- The school’s Ecology Club meets weekly and completes various assignments, including monitoring energy and recycling in every classroom, collecting juice pouches for recycling collection by TerraCycle, and collecting plastic bags and then crocheting them together to make durable grocery bags.
- North Hill’s Ecology Club met with students from the Aviation High School Ecology Club to share their Green Schools’ conservation improvements.
Water Conservation
- Since 2008, North Hill has reduced its domestic water use by almost 12,000 gallons per month.
- To encourage students to turn off the faucet while soaping up hands and after rinsing their hands, the school posted water conservation signs on all sinks that don’t have automatic shut-off faucets.
- North Hill collects roof run-off water, which provides all the water needed for the courtyard native plant rain garden. With grant money from the school’s building fund, water quality testing materials were purchased to test the quality of the collected water.
- Staff and students signed water conservation pledges.
- In the fall and spring, Ecology Club members conducted water audits to look for water leaks on school grounds.
- The school reported its water use in the monthly school newsletter.
- The sixth grade studied water quality and salmon, and toured the local wastewater treatment plant.
Awards
- Teacher Sherry Edwards received a King County Earth Hero at School award in April 2009 for her outstanding contributions to North Hill’s sustainability practices.
For more information about this school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:
Sherry Edwards, teacher
edwardsl@HSD401.org
Mary Hanson, custodian
hansonme@HSD401.org
Pandora Touart, resource conservation manager, Highline School District
touartap@HSD401.org
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