GreenNotes
DECEMBER2014 

Early Bird Rates Fly Away in 5 Days!


No time to waste! It's time to register for the 5th annual Green Schools National Conference.
Early Bird rates mean great savings, but they're gone after Dec. 15, so register today!
From our Executive Director
 
Making the Case


 


Dragnet's Joe Friday was famous for asking for "just the facts, ma'am," and Sgt. Friday was certainly on to something!


As green school advocates, we need to do our own detective work. How? By gathering and evaluating the facts about the benefits of green, healthy and sustainable schools.

The more research focused on green schools practices and their connection to improved academic achievement, cost savings, and student health and wellness, the better. This data will surely bolster our arguments that green is the way to go in our nation's schools.

 
This week, we welcome some of this research, and it comes from some familiar folks.
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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

 
One in a million? You bet.
Another one of our GSNN Advisory Board members is making news: Stephen Ritz of the Green Bronx Machine is one of 50 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize.
The Prize is an annual $1 million award from the Varkey GEMS Foundation given to an innovative and caring teacher who has made an inspirational impact on their students and their community. Learn more about Stephen and this amazing opportunity.
GSNN Board Spotlight: Alison Suffet-Diaz

Alison is Founder and Executive Director of Environmental Charter Schools, in Lawndale, CA.  She is responsible for driving strategic development, as well as fundraising, fiscal/capital budget management and oversight of administrative operations. ECS has also developed the Green Ambassador Training Institute to support educators and organizations to replicate the best practices demonstrated at its school.

Check out our other board members.

 
Going Green Could Save Detroit Schools

News headlines have focused for the past year on the fact that the City of Detroit is in crisis -- so why are their schools going green?

The Detroit Public School (DPS) district last week kicked off its Go Green Challenge to introduce schools and the community to its Sustainability Management Plan (SMP). The Go Green Challenge is a call to action for all schools in the Detroit district to work to reduce their energy use. The overall DPS SMP focuses on six areas of impact: energy and water, waste and recycling, transportation, outdoor environment, indoor environment and nutrition.

Learn more about this ambitious recovery program.
GSNN Partner Spotlight
Making a difference through the Schoolyard Habitat Program

We're proud to partner with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and promote its Schoolyard Habitat (SYH) Program.
School grounds can be a place of inquiry, discovery and imagination for children, and this program connects kids with nature by helping teachers and students create native wildlife habitat on their school grounds.
SYH projects give every student a chance to observe, learn from, and experience nature. This enhances their connection to the outdoors, reducing the effects of "nature deficit disorder."


Walking - er, Skating the Walk

We sometimes spotlight schools that are doing it right, and Conserve School is among the best. Its mission is to inspire young people to environmental stewardship through academics and engagement with the forests, lakes, and wildlife of Lowenwood, just west of Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, near the Upper Peninsula Michigan border.

The program targets students who have demonstrated a genuine interest in the natural world and who are motivated to conserve it. Its semester-long immersion in environmental studies and outdoor activities deepens students' love of nature, reinforces their commitment to conservation, and equips them to take meaningful action as environmental stewards.
Head of School Stefan Anderson is a longtime GSNN supporter, a member of our board, and he's a frequent contributor to the Conserve School's blog. Check out one of his recent entries and you'll see how Stefan combines his commitment to the environment with a love of play that's hard to resist. Great work, Stefan!

Solution Summits = Real Change

We've finalized the Solution Summits for the upcoming Green Schools National Conference, and the topics are thought-provoking, to say the least. These conference sessions are a dive into the deep end of the green school pool, and you'll find yourself leaving with perhaps more questions than you started with -- and that's a good thing!
Check out the offerings, and scan the rest of the conference program. As in past years, there's something for everyone!
 
LA River Revitalization Focus of Workshops Feb. 21 & March 21
If you're in Southern California, check out the Green Ambassadors' upcoming workshops on LA River revitalization. You'll learn the challenges of water use and how to inspire students to take action in their communities.
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