inverness associates the greening of head-royce one school’s journey toward sustainability gsa...

Inverness Associates

The Greening of Head-Royce

One School’s Journey Toward Sustainability

GSA Southern California MeetingJanuary 22, 2011


The Green Schools Initiative


Alejo’s Story: The Power of One

• Invitation to the US Environmental Club

• Deborah Moore, Green Schools Initiative

• Dan Kammen Briefs the Board• An Inconvenient Truth Galvanizes Change

• Organizing the Green Council • Lessons Learned: The Power of the Individual, the Power of the Team


The Green Mission

As part of its mission to prepare global citizens, the Head-Royce School is committed to being a Green School. Aware of the significant environmental challenges we face in the 21st century, our School strives to be a leader in demonstrating how to establish a more sustainable way of living. As part of its green schools initiative, Head-Royce is committed to providing a healthy environment for students and staff while promoting ecological sustainability. Approved by Board of Trustees, 10/06


The Green Council


Our Green Goals

Sustainable Resources Healthy Environment Ecological Curriculum Nutritional Food Program Community Practice


The Campus Master Plan


Investing in Sustainablity

• Discovering US Green Building Council LEED Certification

• Nov. 2006: Board decides to become one of first LEED Gold certified schools

• Board of Trustees authorizes funding: – LEED $125K– Solar $250K– Café $500K


Renewable Revolution


We Got the Power!• Andrew Wentworth’s senior project on solar energy, May 2006

• Board approves plan with funding for 412 solar panels, 60kW, Nov. 2006

• We Flipped the Switch! January 2008

• The Results– 35% School’s electricity covered annually

– An entire generation educated and inspired to live more sustainably.


Divisional Green Teams• A Focus on the Four Rs

• What Our 3 Trash Audits Showed: From 75,000 lbs to 25,000 lbs diverted from landfill

• Changing Community Behavior- Constant education- Special initiatives--water bottles and bags


Green Days

• US Green Day Conference Brings 40 Speakers to Campus for Sustainability

• MS Green Team Screens Inconvenient Truth, Hosts Energy-Efficient Cars

• LS Spring Musical Celebrates the Elements

• All School Transport Days: Feet, Bikes, Buses & Cars


A Healthy, Non-Toxic Campus


Green Business Certification

• Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling

• Energy Conservation• Water Conservation• Pollution Prevention• HRS Third School in Alameda Co. to Become a Green Business


Greening Our Curriculum

The Principles of Ecological Literacy

Education for sustainability requires, in addition to environmental knowledge, the acquisition of particular skills, values, and vision needed to put that knowledge into practice. Education for sustainable living cultivates competencies of head, heart, hands, and spirit to enable children to develop toward becoming citizens capable of designing and maintaining sustainable societies.

Adapted with permission from the Center for Ecoliteracy, Berkeley, CA and Ecological Literacy: Educating our Children for a Sustainable World (SF: Sierra Club Books, 2005)


The Center for Ecoliteracy


The Challenge of Change

• Common Concerns– We Can’t Jam Anything More into the Curriculum!

– If This Goes In, What Goes Out?– It’s Another Thing to Do.– It Doesn’t Apply to What I Teach.

• Focus on the principles of ecoliteracy, not necessarily the “what” of a green curriculum.

• Case Study in Integrating Ecoliteracy: California Environmental Education Initiative


Systems ThinkingFritjof Capra’s principles of ecology

• Networks• Nested systems• Cycles• Flows• Development• Dynamic balance

Our Process of Change

• Understanding ecological literacy

• Faculty meetings connect theory & practice

• K-12 curricular audit

• Consulting with the Center for Ecoliteracy


Reading Green• Opening faculty in-service with Dan Kammen and faculty led discussions

• Summer Reading Project: faculty engagement on environmental issues and classroom connections– Field Notes From a

Catastrophe: Kolbert– Animal, Vegetable,

Miracle: Kingsolver– How Much is Enough?:

Durning– Omnivore’s Dilemma: Pollan


Programmatic Changes: Big and Small

• Small: Grade 2 creek project; Grade 3 endangered species; Grade 5 house design; MS environmental research projects in Spanish; Grade 12 Global Education--Asia Rising & Comparative Politics

• Big: Entire courses focused on sustainability: Global Systems Science, Environmental Product Design, Environmental History, AP Environmental Science

• A new way of thinking about connecting ecological literacy to the classroom

• CEL Articles: “Greening a K-12 Curriculum,” “What Comes After? www.ecoliteracy.org


Great Health Food Program


How Our Garden Grows

• A Day On the Hill With Barbara Lee

• Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project

• Michael Pollan Speaks

• Our Great Healthy Food Program

• Designing Our Garden

• Farm to School Program


A Café for Our Community


Farewell Plans• Strategic Plan for Sustainability, April 2010

• A Grid Neutral School- The Carbon Calculator Task Force: Cool Climate Carbon Calculator = 5.6 M lbs of CO2

- Recommendation: AB32, 20% reduction by 2020 Board Resolution, May 2010

- Systemic Change: Transportation, Services, Energy, Goods, & Food

• Sustainability Leadership• LEED Certified Campus


Lessons Learned

• Organizing for Sustainability– Vision– Mission– Goals

• The Power of One• Team Success• Building a Network for Change• The Time is Now

inverness associates the greening of head-royce one school’s journey toward sustainability gsa...

Documents

green council slide

green business slide

green schools initiative

green mission

team slide

green council lessons

nontoxic campus slide

campus master plan slide