Sustainable Jersey for Schools Sustainable Jersey for Schools - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Sustainable Jersey for Schools

Sustainable Jersey for Schools

• Modeled off of the municipal program
• Free and voluntary
• NJ based and consensus driven
• School level certifications but requires School Board and

district level support

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schools@sustainablejersey.com www.SustainableJerseySchools.com

Program Partners

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Sponsors

Underwritten by: Founding Sponsors:

Why Participate?

• Framework for action
• Best practices, guidance and training
• Technical support resources
• Small grants
• Positive impact on school community
• Cost savings
• Healthier learning environments
• Student and staff performance

schools@sustainablejersey.com www.SustainableJerseySchools.com

Why Participate?

• Move towards a sustainable future
• Increase recognition and understanding of current and future challenges
• Arm students with knowledge and insights to make wise choices
• Connect STEM education with real-life
• Expose students to future career paths
• Recognize and reinforce progress
• Celebrate accomplishments
• Share successes
• Distinguish your district and school

schools@sustainablejersey.com www.SustainableJerseySchools.com

Leverage Success in Other Programs

• Build Additive and Supportive Model
• US Dept. Of Education “GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS”
• National Wildlife Federation, “EcoSchools”
• NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation
• Lots of other great programs…..

Actions: Prosperity, Planet, People

Bronze Certification

• Total of at least 150 points
• Mandatory Green Team
• Implement 2 of 11 priority actions
• Actions completed in 6 of 17

categories

– District Actions – School Actions – District or School Actions

Silver Certification

• Significant progress and a statewide leader
• Total of at least 350 points
• Green Team
• Implement 3 out of 11 priority actions
• Actions completed in 8 of 17 categories

– District Actions – School Actions – District or School Actions

Certification Action Categories

• Student Learning
• Energy Efficiency
• Innovation Projects
• Leadership & Planning
• Learning Environment

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PEOPLE PROSPERITY PLANET PLANET

• Climate Mitigation &

Renewable Energy

• Green Cleaning
• Green Design
• Green Purchasing
• School Grounds
• Waste Management

& Recycling

PEOPLE

• Diversity & Equity
• Food & Nutrition
• Healthy School

Environments

• Safe Routes to School
• Student & Community

Outreach

• Student & Staff

Wellness

Components of Sustainability

schools@sustainablejersey.com www.SustainableJerseySchools.com

PROSPERITY

11 Priority Actions

• Community Education &

Outreach

• School Wellness Council
• Indoor Air Quality Review
• Energy Audit
• Building Efficiency

Measures

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• Professional Development for

Sustainability

• Education for Sustainability
• School Carbon Footprint
• Green Building Policy
• Green Purchasing Policy
• Waste Audit

Types of Actions

• District Only
• District completes these

actions and submits them for review

• School Only
• Individual schools

complete these actions and submits them for review

• Either District or School

can complete the action

• Action must be claimed by

the agreed upon entity

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District and School Participation

• District actions flow down to all participating schools in the district
• Certification is awarded at the school level

District Only Actions

• District actions must be completed at the district level
• Focus on district-wide policies and planning efforts
• Actions listed in the district online application accessible

from the district dashboard

• Approved district actions are automatically incorporated

in to the schools certification applications

SRTS District Policy

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Requires school districts to adopt a Walk and Bike to School, Active Transportation or School Wellness Policy that includes language encouraging walking and bicycling to school as a way to improve and promote student and school staff health District Only Must Submit:

• Active Transportation Policy adopted by school or School Wellness

Policy that includes walking/biking to school

School Only Actions

• School actions must be completed at the school

level

• Focus on programs, activities, and projects

completed at an individual school

• Actions listed in the school’s online application

accessible from the school dashboard

School Travel Plan for Walking and Biking

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A school travel plan maps out how to improve pedestrian and bicycle travel to and from school in order to increase the number of students who walk or bike to school and improve safety School Only Must Submit:

• Copy of school travel plan completed within the last 3

years that includes the following 6 elements

• 1. School description and partnerships
• 2. Maps of school neighborhood
• 3. Walk/bike assessments
• 4. Walk/bike barriers and opportunities
• 5. Goals and actions
• 6. Evaluation

Pedestrian and Bicycle Awareness and Safety Programs

Implement programs that foster a culture of active transportation through safety education and promotion of best practices or infrastructure improvements School Only Must Submit: Two Events plus

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• One active transportation

best practice

• Bicycle Parking & Storage
• Remote Drop off/Pick up
• Staggered Dismissal
• Safe Routes to Bus Stops
• Staff walking/biking to school

program

• One infrastructure
• Installing sidewalks
• Stripe crosswalks
• Signals
• Safe Routes to Bus Stops

OR

School Wellness Council

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Develop and maintain an active and diverse School Wellness Council that proactively works toward improving student and staff health School Only Must Submit:

• List of participating council members and meeting

schedule (6 times per year)

• Report of council’s accomplishments

District or School Actions

• Focus on programs or activities that could be implemented on a

district-wide basis or by individual schools (i.e. Breakfast After the Bell, Green Purchasing)

• District activity on the action overrides school
• District and schools need to coordinate who will take the lead on

these actions

• Actions listed in both the district and individual school’s online

application

• If the district claims the action it will be listed on the schools

application but not accessible

• If an action is approved at the district level, it will be automatically

incorporated in to the schools’ certification applications

Green Team

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The formation of a "Green Team" is the first step in establishing a school sustainability program. Green Teams leverage the skills and expertise of team members to develop plans, implement programs, and assist with educational opportunities that support the creation of a sustainable school. Must Submit:

• Documentation from superintendent (district level) or principal

(school level) formally establishing team that includes list of members

• Summary of activities undertaken by the Green Team int the

previous twelve months.

Anti-Idling Education & Enforcement Program

Reduce vehicle idling on school grounds Must Submit

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District:

• Anti-Idling Resolution
• Two initiatives
• District educational outreach
• Collaborate with police on

enforcement

• Curriculum link
• Anti-Idling technology on

buses

• Bus route management
• Bus driver training

School:

• School assessment
• Three initiatives
• School educational outreach
• No idling signage
• No idling pledges
• Anti-idling program for students
• Collaborate with police on

enforcement

• Evaluation report

Outdoor Air Quality Awareness Program

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Encourages district or school to track outdoor air quality and the implement of protocol to limit student exposure on days considered to be unhealthy Must Submit:

• Description of how air quality information is provided to

the school community

• Protocol for unhealthy air quality days
• Samples of outreach materials

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• School district adopts resolution of participation and registers.

Superintendent invites district’s school principals to participate

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• School principals register their school with letter of participation

signed by principal and superintendent

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• Green Team created at district or school level

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• District/School completes certification actions totaling at least 150
• points. Online interactive application goes live January 2015

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• School uploads documentation. Certification awarded after review

Five Certification Steps

schools@sustainablejersey.com www.SustainableJerseySchools.com

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Initial Certification Cycle

Program Timelines

• October 2014 - Program Registration Open to School Districts
• January 15-March 30 2015 Initial Rolling Online Application

Submission Deadline

• Mid-April 2015 First Round Review Comments Provided to School
• May 30 2015 Second Application Submission Deadline
• Mid-June 2015 Second Round Review Comments Provided to

School

• August 30 2015 Third (Final) Application Submission Deadline
• Mid-September Final Decision on Pending Applications

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Program Outreach

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• In collaboration with partner organizations
• Statewide conferences (NJSBA, NJPSA, NJEA, NJLM)
• Regional meetings (NJSBA, NJASBO, NJADP, NJPSA,)
• Spotlights in association communications
• Sustainable Jersey webinars and workshops
• Resource agency support
• Small Grants Program
• $2,000 Capacity Building Grants
• Larger Project Grants

Districts Registered to Date

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• Atlantic (Egg Harbor Twsp, Galloway, Hamilton)
• Bergen (Allendale, Ramapo Indian Hills High School District)
• Camden (Black Horse Pike Regional)
• Hunterdon (Readington)
• Monmouth (Matawan-Aberdeen Regional)
• Somerset (North Plainfield)
• Union (Springfield)

Schools Registered to Date

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• Galloway Township Middle School
• Ramapo High School
• Cambridge Park Elementary School (Aberdeen)

For More Information

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• Visit website at www.sustainablejerseyschools.com
• Email schools@sustainablejersey.com
• Call Sustainable Jersey Staff
• Heather McCall 609-771-2469
• Veronique Lambert 609-771-3427

Thank You