2018Missouri Green Ribbon Schools

2018Missouri Green Ribbon Schools

Deadline December 15, 2017

Thank you for your interest in completing the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MO-DESE) application for nomination to U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS). In order to complete this application, you will need to collect data about your school's facility, health, physical education and safety policies; food service; and environmental and sustainability curriculum. You will need to document efforts in all of these areas equally.

ED-GRS recognizes schools taking a comprehensive approach to greening their school. A comprehensive approach incorporates environmental learning with improving environmental and health impacts. Becoming a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School is a two-step process. The first step is to complete and submit this form to be selected as a nominee by the eligible nominating authority in your state, in this case MO-DESE. Once selected as a nominee by MO-DESE, the second step of the process requires signatures for the Nominee Presentation Form that will be sent to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) along with your application.

ED selects honorees from those presented by eligible nominating authorities nationwide. Selection will be based on documentation of the applicant's high achievement in the three ED-GRS Pillars:

Pillar I: Reduce environmental impact and costs.

Pillar II: Improve the health and wellness of students and staff.

Pillar III:Provide effective environmental and sustainability education, incorporating STEM, civic skills and green career pathways.

Schools demonstrating progress in all three Pillars will receive highest rankings. It is important to document concrete achievement. It will help you to assemble a team to complete the application. This team might include: a facilities manager, physical education director, food services director, curriculum director, finance department representatives, teachers, and students. You should consult the ED-GRS Green Strides Resources Page and Webinar Series for standards, programs and grants related to each Pillar. This is an excellent clearinghouse of information for all schools, not just for those who apply. You may also contact Jan Weaver – mailto:or specific guidance on the Missouri Nomination Form.

The questions in this application will help you demonstrate your progress in these Pillars as well as provide space for you to include pertinent documentation. Applications to MO-DESE will be due January 15, 2017. We will select nominees and submit them to the U.S. Department of Education by February 1, 2017.

Note that if selected for nomination to ED-GRS, the school principal and district superintendent must be prepared to certify that each of the statements below concerning the school’s eligibility and compliance with the following requirements is true; however, in no case is a private school required to make any certification with regard to the public school district in which it is located.

Submission

To submit a nomination, fill out the form and email it to Jan Weaver at on or before December 15, 2017

Directions

Be sure and read the Directions for filling out the form. It provides more detail than the application and links to pages with more information and resources. Questions? Contact Jan Weaver at .

Register Your School’s Intent to Nominate for Green Ribbon Schools

Registration is not required. However, if you do sign in, you will receive answers to questions other applicants ask, and regular reminders about the deadline. To register, send your name, school name, city/town and email on or before November 15, 2017 to Jan Weaver at .

Missouri Green Ribbon Schools Nomination Form

To complete this form, type your answers in the boxes provided for each question. Do try and stick to the word limit. The box will expand to hold what you do type.

School Contact Information

School Name: / Street Address:
City: / State: / Zip:
Website: / Facebook:
Principal: / District
Principal Email: / Principal Phone:
Lead Applicant and Position (if different):
Lead Applicant Email: / Lead Applicant Phone:

School Eligibility and Compliance (put an x by all that apply)

1. The school has some configuration that includes one or more of grades Pre-K-12.
2. The school has been evaluated and selected from among schools within the Nominating Authority’s jurisdiction as highest achieving in the three ED-GRS Pillars: 1) reduced environmental impact and costs; 2) improved health and wellness; and 3) effective environmental and sustainability education.
3. Neither the nominated public school nor its public school district is refusing the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a district wide compliance review. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is not subject to the jurisdiction of OCR. The nominated DoDEA schools, however, are subject to and in compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements to comply with Federal civil rights laws.
4. OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the public school district concluding that the nominated public school or the public school district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if OCR has accepted a corrective action plan to remedy the violation.
5. The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the public school or the public school district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the Constitution’s equal protection clause.
6. There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the public school or public school district in question; or if there are such findings, the state or public school district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.
7. The school meets all applicable federal, state, local and tribal health, environmental and safety requirements in law, regulations and policy and is willing to undergo EPA on-site verification.

School Characteristics

Level
( ) Early Learning Center
( ) Elementary (PK - 5 or 6)
( ) K - 8
( ) Middle (6 - 8 or 9)
( ) High (9 or 10 - 12) / School Type
( ) Public
( ) Private/Independent
( ) Charter
( ) Magnet / How would you describe your school?
( ) Urban
( ) Suburban
( ) Rural / Total Enrolled:
Graduation rate:
Attendance rate:
Does your school serve 40% or more students from disadvantaged households? ( ) Yes ( ) No
% receiving FRPL: / % limited English proficient: / Other measures:

Summary Statement

In the space below, provide a narrative describing your school’s single most effective effort to reduce environmental impact and costs; to improve student and staff health; and to provide effective environmental and sustainability education. Focus on unique and innovative practices and partnerships, especially things that might not be fully captured in other parts of the nomination. (Hint: You should write this after you have completed the nomination form.

Cross Cutting Questions

1. Team -Has your school assembled a team of teachers, administrators, staff, students and ( ) Yes ( ) No

interested members of the community, to help the school accomplish green goals?

If yes, please list team members and their (roles):

2. Benchmarking - Is your school participating in a local, state or national school program, ( ) Yes ( ) No

such as EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, EcoSchools, Project Learning Tree, or others,

which asks you to benchmark progress in some fashion in any or all of the Pillars?

If yes, please list program(s) and level(s) achieved

3. Awards - Has your school, staff or student body received any awards or grants for facilities, ( ) Yes ( ) No

health, or education related to environmental sustainability?

If yes, please list award(s) and year(s) received.

4. Goals - List one to three goals your school is planning on attempting over the next year.

1.
2.
3.

Pillar I: Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs

ENERGY

1. Energy STAR - Do you track resource use in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager? ( ) Yes ( ) No

If yes, what is your score? / If score is above a 75, have you applied for and received ENERGY STAR certification? ( ) Yes ( ) No Year:

2. Energy - Has your school reduced its total non-transportation energy use ( ) Yes ( ) No

from an initial baseline?

Baseline Year: / Energy (kBtu/student):
Ending Year: / Energy (kBtu/student):
Reduced kBtu: Baseline Energy – EndingEnergy = kBtu / student
%Reduction: Reduced Energy /BaselineEnergy= % kBtu / student
Percentage Reduction per Year: % Energy/ (Ending Year – Baseline Year) = % kBtu / student / year
How are these reductions documented (i.e. ENERGY STAR, utility bills, school district reports)?

3. Greenhouse Gases - Can your school demonstrate a reduction in ( ) Yes ( ) No

greenhousegas (GHG) emissions?

Baseline Year: / GHG Emissions (MT CO2e/student):
Ending Year: / GHG Emissions (MT CO2e/student):
Reduced GHG: Baseline GHG – Ending GHG = MTCO2e / student
% Reduction: Reduced GHG / Baseline GHG = % MT CO2e /student
% Reduction per Year: % GHG / (Ending Year – Baseline Year = % MT CO2e / student / year
How were GHG Emissions estimated?
What, if any, offsets were used?

4. Renewable Energy – What percentage of your school’s energy is ( ) Yes ( ) No

obtained from renewable resources?

On-site renewable energy generation: % / Type:
Purchased renewable energy: % / Type:
List any federal or state school energy programs, like USDA Fuel for Schools or DOE Wind for Schools in which you participate:

5.Building - Has your school constructed or renovated building space in the past ten years?( ) Yes ( ) No

Year school was originally constructed ______Total Building Area ______

New Construction (duplicate this section if necessary for different sections of your school)

New Construction Year: / Total Area of new construction:
Certification Year: / % Area that meets a green building standard:
Certification Standard:

Renovation (duplicate this section if necessary for different sections of your school)

Renovation Year: / Total Area of renovation:
Certification Year: / % Area that meets a green building standard:
Certification Standard:

WATER AND GROUNDS

6. Water Use - Can you demonstrate a reduction in your school's total water consumption?( ) Yes ( ) No

Baseline Year: / Water Use (gal / student / year):
Ending Year: / Water Use (gal / student / year):
Reduced Water Use: Baseline Water Use – Ending Water Use = gal / student /year
% Reduction: Reduced Water Use / Baseline Water Use = % gal / student
% Reduction per Year: % Water Use / (Ending Year – Baseline Year) = % gal / student / year
%Reduction Domestic Water Use: / % Reduction Irrigation Water Use:
How are these reductions documented (i.e. ENERGY STAR, utility bills, school district reports)?

7. Landscaping – Does your school have water efficient or regionally appropriate ( ) Yes ( ) Nolandscaping (WERAL)?

Total Area: / WERAL Area: / % WERAL:
List Water Efficient Plants:
List Regionally Appropriate Plants:
In 50 words or less, describe WERAL Features:

8. Alternate Water Sources - Does your school use alternate water sources for irrigation? ( ) Yes ( ) No

If yes, in 50 words or less, describe alternate water sources:

9. Runoff - Does your school try to reduce storm-water runoff and/or reduce impermeable ( ) Yes ( ) No

surfaces?

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe those efforts:

10. Ecology – Does your school have area(s) set aside for ecologically beneficial (EB) uses? ( ) Yes ( ) No

Total Area: / EB Area: / % EB Area
If yes, in100 words or less, describe the beneficial uses:

WASTE

11. Solid Waste – Has your school diverted some of its solid waste from a landfill( ) Yes ( ) No

through recycling and composting, and/or has it implemented practices to reduce

waste at the source (source reduction)?

A - Monthly garbage service in cubic yards (garbage dumpster size(s) x number of collections per month x percentage fulle when emptied or collected:
B - Monthy recycling volume in cubic yards (recycling dumpster size(s) x number of collections per month x percentage fulle when emptied or collected:
C - Monthy compostable materials volume in cubic yards (food scrap/food, soiled paper dumpster size(s) x number of collections per month x percentage fulle when emptied or collected:
Recycling Rate = ((B + C) / (A + B + C) x 100) =
Monthly waste generated per person = A / number of students and staff
In 50 words or less, describe any efforts at source reduction:

12. Hazardous Waste - Does your school have a program for tracking, managing, and safely ( ) Yes ( ) No

disposing of hazardous waste, and/or for systematically reducing the amount produced?

How many gallons or lbs. does your school currently have of each of these classes of hazardous materials?
Flammable liquids / Corrosive liquids / Toxics / Mercury / Other:
In 50 words or less, describe how hazardous materials are tracked, managed and disposed of:
In 50 words or less, describe any efforts your school plans to reduce hazardous waste:

13. Green Cleaning - Does your school use a green cleaning custodial standard?( ) Yes ( ) No

Which green cleaning custodial standard is used? / What % of your products are certified? / What specific 3rd party certified green cleaning product standard is used

14. Electronic Waste - Does your school recycle electronics in an environmentally ( ) Yes ( ) No

responsible way?

If yes, in 50 words or less, describe how electronic waste is disposed of:

TRANSPORTATION

15. Alternative Transportation – Do students and/or staff use alternatives to single passenger( ) Yes ( ) No

vehicles to get to and from school?

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe how you arrived at your estimate, include percentages of individuals who walk, bike, bus or carpool (2+ students in car):

16. Accommodations – Does your school accommodate alternative transportation by( ) Yes ( ) No

providing designated carpool parking stalls, bike racks for all ages, a Safe Pedestrian

Routes or Walking School Bus program, and/or other programs?

If yes, describe in 100 words or less:

PURCHASING

17. Paper - Is any of your school’s total office/classroom paper sustainably sourced? ( ) Yes ( ) No

% post-consumer
recycled content paper: / % paper from FSC
certified forests: / % chlorine-free
paper:
In 50 words or less, describe any other steps the school takes related to sustainable sourcing of equipment or supplies:

18. Food - Is any of the food purchased by the school organic, local, or environmental( ) Yes ( ) No

or sustainable in some other way?

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe how the food is environmentally preferable, include the % of food purchased and the type:

OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

19. Environmental Impact Summary - Summarize your school’s top three accomplishments in energy use, ghg emissions, water and grounds, waste, transportation and purchasing. Be sure to include any innovative efforts or efforts not included already in this section. Use a narrative format. (200 words max)

Pillar 2: Improve the health and wellness of students and staff

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

1. Water Sources - Is the school’s water source, whether municipal, on-site well, or other,( ) Yes ( ) No

protected from potential contaminants?

If yes, in 50 words or less describe your school’s source of water and efforts to protect it from contaminants :

2. Drinking Water - Does your school have a program in place to test for and control lead ( ) Yes ( ) No

or other contaminants in drinking fountains and sinks?

If yes, in 50 words or less, describe the school’s program:

3. Moisture - Does your school take steps to control moisture and mold?,( ) Yes ( ) No

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe the school’spractices for:
controlling moisture from leaks, condensation and excess humidity –
to monitor and address mold problems promptly -

4. Ventilation–What steps does your school take to maintain the ventilation system? ( )Yes ( )No

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe the school’spractices for:
inspecting and maintaining the ventilation system –
ensuring all unit ventilators are clean and operating properly –
ensuring that all spaces are adequately ventilated with outside air consistent with state or local codes or national standards -

5. Airborne Contaminants - Has your school taken steps to control for specific airborne( )Yes ( )No

contaminants?

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe the school’s actions:
exhaust systems for heating systems, labs, and our other major airborne contaminant sources –
no idling policies for vehicles (including buses) –
vehicle loading/unloading zones at least ten feet from air intakes, doors and windows –
steps to prevent exposure to asthma triggers in and around the school -

6. Integrated Pest Management - Does your school use Integrated Pest Management ( )Yes ( )No

(IPM) to control pests?

What is the volume of your annual pesticide use (gal/student/year) ______
If yes, in 100 words or less, describe your school’s IPM efforts, including:
IPM/Green certifications earned –
routine inspections –
pest identification –
monitoring and record keeping -

7. Chemical Management – Does your school have policies and procedures for identifying, ( )Yes ( )No

managing and or reducing student and staff exposure to chemical hazards.

If yes, describe the policies and procedures related to:
smoking on school grounds or buses -
mercury -
radon in frequently occupied rooms (should be below 4 pCI/L) -
playground structures that contain chromate-copper-arsenate treated wood -
implementing EPA’s IAQ for Schools and/or similar tools for periodic, comprehensive inspections to identify health and safety issues and take action -

NUTRITION AND FITNESS

8. Healthier US Schools – Does your school participate in the USDA’s Healthier( ) Yes ( ) No

Schools Challenge or a similar program?

If yes, in 100 words or less, describe your efforts including the level and year achieved:

9. Healthy Foods – Does your school incorporate fresh, local and/or organic produce ( ) Yes ( ) No

from a Farm to School program, a school garden or some other source into the cafeteria,

or into a class cooking lesson?

What percentage of the food purchased or used by the school is environmentally preferable in some way?
______%
If yes, in 50 words or less, describe the criteria you used and how you arrived at your calculation:

10. Fitness – How many minutes a week are spent on supervised P.E., and what % of that takes place outdoors?

minutes P.E.: / % outdoor P.E.: %
In 100 words or less, describe the outdoor P.E. activities:

11. Outdoor Safety – Does your school have programs to raise awareness of safe sun( ) Yes ( ) No

exposure (e.g. EPA SunWise), safe outdoor air quality (e.g. AirNow AQ Flag), etc.