2015-2016 School Year
GREEN & HEALTHY ACHIEVEMENT PROFILE
Making Your Way to a Green and Healthy School
Making your way to a Green & Healthy School begins with The Green & Healthy Achievement Profile.
The Green & Healthy Achievement Profile is a roadmap /action plan for schools, administrators, and teachers to guide in planning, executing, and assessing the effectiveness of environmental lessons, activities, standards, and school programs. Putting your Profile plans into action will enhance 21St century learning and help you make your way toward being a Green & Healthy School Program.
The Green & Healthy Schools Program is joint initiative of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and Gwinnett County Public Schools. It is a system of strategic planning, teaching, learning and doing that results in a greener and healthier natural World. Program components are in alignment to Common Core Standards & also support national STEM education efforts. Successful G&H school programs allow for faculty to collaborate and plan vertically to offer cross-curricular environmental education.
There are many benefits to providing a Green & Healthy Schools program at your school. Such benefits include:
Dynamic Learning Opportunities: Providing meaningful real world content for engaging students in mastering county and state curriculum standards and improving academic achievement.
Productive Learning Environments: Creating and maintaining healthy school environments for successful teaching and learning.
Environmental Benefits: Conserving natural resources by implementing environmentally sound practices.
Economic Benefits: Saving funds by improving school resources efficiently and recognizing opportunities for cost avoidances.
Citizen Engagement: Increasing citizen involvement and opportunities for academic service learning
Environmental Literacy: Demonstrating knowledge, actions and behaviors which improve our environment and reduce society’s impact on the natural world.
Recognition: Earning recognition for accomplishments and improvements made through each level
All Gwinnett County Schools are encouraged to submit the Green & Healthy Achievement Profile annually. The simplest way to complete it is by working in conjunction with your fellow teachers, students, administrators and school staff. Each school should have designated GC&B environmental teacher (s) and/or PTA representatives who assess your school’s “green” programming and the number of staff and students impacted. Referring to the Profile throughout the year will help your school to focus on areas which may need improvement, and will set standards for best practices in each of these areas.
There are many opportunities for year-round environmental education and action throughout your school: within the classroom, service clubs, teacher work areas, outdoor classrooms, cafeteria, commons area, etc. For each “Earth-Friendly” Profile area, simply record the point value of each listing your school earned during the academic year. The Profile for the 2015-2016 school year helps you focus on seven specific “Earth-Friendly” areas
Area 1 / Waste Reduction & RecyclingArea 2 / Education and Stewardship
Area 3 / Water Conservation and Watershed Protection
Area 4 / Air Quality
Area 5 / Energy Conservation
Area 6 / Beautification and Greenspace Preservation
Area 7 / Community Impact
Throughout the year, save documentation for your Profile in a special file. Examples of such documentation might include: data collection, school newsletter articles, newspaper articles, lesson plans, pictures, ceremony programs, project calendars, guest speaker handouts, school map with identified outdoor learning areas, etc. Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is here to guide you with instructional resources and tools to meet the AKS objectives, enrich your teaching with environmentally based lessons, and reward your school with recognition as you achieve your best.
Next Steps - once Profile is completed
· Make a copy for your school’s records
· Ensure all signatures are captured – principal signature required in two places (pages 6 & 21)
· Submit completed Profile no later than June 1, 2016 via one of the methods below
Electronically / This information & link will be given out prior to year endVia School Courier / Send to: Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, Duluth GA
Attn: Brenda O. McDaniel
By U.S. Mail -
Best method if school year is over / Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful
4300 Satellite Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
Attn: Brenda O. McDaniel
For assistance, questions, resources, or staff development opportunities, please contact:
Brenda O. McDaniel
770-822-5187
As stated previously, referring to the Profile throughout the year will help your school to focus on areas which may need improvement, and will set standards for best practices in each of the Earth Friendly areas. Another effective way to use the Profile is for reflection. If your school submitted a profile last year, use it to reflect and complete the following outline to effectively plan for the upcoming year.
Area / Prior Year Reflection / Current Year Goal(s)Waste Reduction & Recycling
Education & Stewardship
Water Conservation & Watershed Protection
Air Quality
Energy Conservation
Beautification & Greenspace Preservation
Community Impact
GREEN AND HEALTHY ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS & AWARDS
Here’s how the scoring works:
Under 81 points: Discovering
This level allows a school to concentrate on discovering and recognizing the healthy, environmentally sound practices and activities that are already in place and what may be missing at their school. Recognition: Letter and Certificate of Recognition sent to the principal, and school listed on GC&B web site as a Discovering Green & Healthy School.
82-162 points: Progressing
This level includes the above, plus completion of items listed under each of the 7 Earth Friendly areas: Waste Reduction & Recycling, Education & Stewardship, Water Conservation & Watershed Protection, Air Quality, Energy Conservation, Beautification & Greenspace Preservation, and Community Impact. Recognition: Letter and Certificate of Recognition sent to principal, and school listed on GC&B website as a Progressing Green & Healthy School.
163-243 points: Taking Action
This level concentrates on expanded involvement in all 7 Earth Friendly areas, as well as demonstrated curriculum integration and alignment to Common Core Standards. Schools must also demonstrate student-initiated project ideas that impact our environment and community. Recognition: 1st time participants earn Environmental Achievement Award Sign. Returning award winners earn renewal sticker. Schools will receive a certificate & award renewal letter sent to the principal, and will be listed on the GC&B website as a Taking Action Green & Healthy School. Taking Action Green Schools will be expected to display “best practices” at the winter Green & Healthy Schools meeting.
244 and above: Reaching Higher
This level demonstrates all of the above, plus exceptional cross-curricular involvement and vertical planning of program components. Schools must also demonstrate at least (2) “new” student-initiated projects that impact our environment & community. Recognition: 1st time participants earn an Environmental Achievement Award Sign and Earth Banner. Returning award winners earn renewal sticker for sign. After 5 consecutive years at the Reaching Higher level, schools will receive a new “sustainability” banner. Schools reaching this level will also receive a certificate & award renewal letter sent to the principal, as well as the principal being recognized at a GCPS Leadership meeting. School will also be listed on GC&B website as a Reaching Higher Green & Healthy School. Reaching Higher Green & Healthy Schools will be expected to display “best practices” at the winter Green & Healthy Schools meeting.
This Profile should be a consolidated effort of the school administration, the teachers, including the GC&B teacher representative(s); PTA representatives; and lunchroom and custodial staff to ensure school-wide participation and cooperation toward earning the Green & Healthy Achievement Award. Your principal will need to sign in two places; below and on the Data Page -21.
Teacher #1 Name
(Profile author)
Teacher #2
Teacher #3
Custodial Staff
PTA Rep
Signature of ALL parties,
as well as documentation or data requested under a given assessment item,
IS required for awards and renewals.
Principal Signature ______
Area # 1Point
Values / Item
No. / Waste Reduction & Recycling / Your
Point(s)
2 pts. / 1A / School instruction includes waste reduction and recycling. If yes, list grade levels:
2 pts. / 1B / School utilized GC&B Waste Reduction and Recycling resources from GC&B Web site.
http://www.gwinnettcb.org/get-educated/lesson-plans/
2 pts. / 1C / School staff participated in staff development/professional learning programs for Waste Reduction and Recycling. If yes, please describe:
(2 pts. per teacher, maximum 8 pts.)
2 pts. / 1D / School has multi-disciplinary “team/committee” involved in waste reduction & recycling programming (teachers, students, custodian, PTA representative, and administration.)
3 pts. / 1E / Waste reduction & recycling “team/committee” has long-range plan for sustaining programs. Please list at least 3 plan goals:
1.
2.
3.
2 pts. / 1F / Your school buys items in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging and save money. List Items:
2 pts. / 1G / Items are salvaged for reuse when lockers/desks are cleaned out at the end of the school year. List teacher or service group responsible for organizing this activity.
2 pts. / 1H / Clothing, food, or other items are collected for charity to encourage community reuse. If yes, list items:
2 pts. / 1I / School participates in service learning waste reduction and recycling projects that benefit the community. If yes, briefly describe.
1 pt. / 1J / Teachers and students swap/share unused supplies and/or books.
3 pts. / 1K / Cans, bottles, etc. are recycled on school-sponsored field trips
1 pt. / 1L / Announcements for all staff are emailed, posted, or listed on TV circuit rather than duplicated (when appropriate.)
Point
Values / Item
No. / Continued Waste Reduction & Recycling / Your
Point(s)
1 pt. / 1M / Teachers and students bringing lunch to school are encouraged to bring reusable lunch containers. Briefly describe.
1 pt. / 1N / One-copy rule is utilized in Computer Lab(s) and Media Center.
1 pt. / 1O / School maintains a compost pile.
1 pt. / 1P / Recycling bins (along with educational materials) are utilized in teacher work areas.
1 pt. / 1Q / Newspaper, magazine and book subscriptions are circulated.
1 pt. / 1R / Half-sheets of paper are used for printing and correspondence (when appropriate).
2 pts. / 1S / Your school purchases recycled paper.
2 pts. / 1T / Your school buys other items made from recycled materials. If yes, list items:
2 pts. / 1U / School conducts year-round recycling for newspapers.
2 pts. / 1V / School conducts year-round recycling for cardboard. (Contact your paper/cardboard recycling vendor for more detailed information.)
6 pts. / 1W / School has been able to raise funds (bake sale, donations, fundraisers, etc.) to pay for paper recycling program.
(extra 4 pts. if ALL classroom and work areas participate in paper recycling)
2 pts. / 1X / Other than paper and cardboard, list items that are collected for recycling and are sold or donated to a vendor. (2 pts. per item.)
3 pts. / 1Y / Students participated in upcycle projects and/or products. (Trash to Treasures,
Artwork made from reused materials, etc.) Describe and list approximate amount of students that participated:
2 pts. / 1Z / The school conducted an annual clean-out and recycled/disposed of materials as appropriate.
1 pt. / 1AA / The school scheduled a chemical pick-up and/or removed all “expired” or “not for school use” chemicals. Date of disposal:
AREA # 1 SUBTOTAL
Area # 2
Point
Values / Item
No. / Education & Stewardship / Your
Point(s)
3 pts. / 2A / Faculty member appointed to serve as GC&B Green & Healthy School representative.
4 pts. / 2B / Faculty member was appointed to GC&B “Schools’ Steering Committee.”
3 pts. / 2C / Faculty members participated in local school and/or district staff development that included environmental/green concepts.
(2 pts. per participant per class.)
4 pts. / 2D / Designated teacher and PTA environmental representatives attended GC&B G& H Schools’ meetings in Sept. and Jan and reported information back to school faculty.
(4 pts. per rep per meeting)
4 pts. / 2E / School displayed “best practices” at GC&B Green School Meeting(s).
(4 pts. per meeting displayed.)
List teacher and meeting date:
2 pts. / 2F / Custodial staff participates in GCPS Custodial Academy classes. List custodians who attended the Custodial Academy.
2 pt. / 2G / GC&B Education Tool Kits are utilized for staff development or classroom enrichment. Place a check mark and indicate grade level beside each kit used at your school this year.
List grade levels & # of teachers/students viewing kits
Water Pollution ______
Wetland ______
Waste Reduction & Recycling ______
Georgia Habitats ______
Air Quality/Smog Soup ______
Other ______
Request a tool kit by emailing .
(2 pts. earned for each kit utilized per grade level.)
1 pt. / 2H / Environmental instructional materials (other than GCPS) utilized such as KAB’s Waste in Place; Project Learning Tree; Project Wet; Project Wild; GA Conservancy’s Native Waters or Native Seasons; other. List materials used:
1 pt. / 2I / Environmental videos viewed by students/teachers. List at least 3 videos:
(1 pt. per grade level.)
2 pts. / 2J / Permanent display of environmental stewardship materials is visible to entire school population, such as bulletin board, hall posters, graphs/program data, etc.
1 pt. / 2K / Student(s) participated in local school science fair in the environmental science category. (1pt. per project.)
4 pts. / 2L / There is a dedicated science and/or math lab in the school that includes environmental learning experiences.
Point
Values / Item
No. / Continued Education & Stewardship / Your
Point(s)
2 pts. / 2M / Students and/or teachers attended/participated in the following events. If yes, place a check beside each event in which your school took part & include the
total number of teachers and students that participated in the event.
______Great Days of Service
______Great American Cleanup
______Christmas Tree Recycling
______Adopt-a-Road
______America Recycles Day
______Storm Drain Stenciling
______Stream Clean Up
______ Other:
(2 pts. per event.)
2 pts. / 2N / School sponsors an environmental club (i.e. recycling, robotics, ECO, gardening, other).
Club Name:
Club Advisor:
(2 pts. per club.)
4 pts. / 2O / Conducted school-wide environmental education event such as STEM Day, Eco Night, Science Night, Earth Week Celebrations, or other. Please describe the event(s) and list the date: