Dr. Sonja Brookins SantelisesChief Executive Officer, Baltimore City Public Schools
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Dr. Lynette Washington, Interim Chief Operating Officer
Joanna Pi-Sunyer, Green Schools Coordinator
Sustainability Reportfor
School Year 2017-18Presentation to the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners
Operations Committee
December 18, 2018
Goal: A Green School System
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“Turn every school in Baltimore City into a
green school”
Sustainability Policy ADG in 2016
ADG-RASustainability
ADG-RBEnergy, Water & Resource
Conservation
ADG-RCGreen
Cleaning
City Schools’ Sustainability Plan – 2018
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Develop environmentally literate students
Reduce and conserve natural resources
Improve school green spaces
Build student leadership
Create healthy school environments
Engage school communities
http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/sustainabilityFor full plan, including strategies and metrics, see:
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Develop environmentally literate students
* Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE), required by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement, requiring In-class lesson, outdoor activity, action project
Provide standards-based curriculum
Curriculum-Embedded STEM Experiencesaligned to grade-level science curricula:
1 – Baltimore Museum of Industry2 – Great Kids Farm/Rawlings Conservatory3 – Maryland Zoo in Baltimore4 – National Electronics Museum
plus: Social Studies – Every Kid in a Park5 – Chesapeake Bay Foundation*6 – National Aquarium*7 – BioEYESBiology – Watershed Investigation*
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Develop environmentally literate students
• Teacher PDo Chesapeake Bay Foundation – 18o NorthBay – 17o Towson University - 11o Systemic PD – 24o Greening information sessions – 25
• Custodial, Maintenance, Food & Nutrition Serviceso OSHA training – 150+
• Ground Shop in Facilitieso Storm water management/
bioretention training – 12
Provide professional development to teachers and staff
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Develop environmentally literate students
• Green Schools Network – monthly e-newsletter to 1,400 recipients; annual meeting
• Partnerships with multiple public and non-profit entities
Connect schools to partners
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Healthy School Environments
• 45% of schools purchased at least some correct supplies• Continued outreach to custodians, school leaders, contract
custodians
Use green cleaning products
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Reduce and Conserve Natural Resources
• 28% of schools with strong recycling programs (24% in SY17, 17% in SY16)
• Distributed donated recycling bins to schools
• Multiple student-led greening grants with recycling focus
• Information Technology Department entered into electronics recycling contract (approximately 26,000 lbs recycled in
last two months of SY18)
Reduce solid waste
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Reduce and Conserve Natural Resources
• PowerDown energy competition 15 schools
• $400,000+ saved in corrected billing errors
• Using BGE rebates, updated lighting at 25 schools: exterior controls, auditorium, and/or gymnasium
• Graceland and Holabird – net zero energy schools began construction
• Building Automation Systems – in development
Conserve Energy
• Air curtain at North Ave headquarters entrance
• Bulb Eater – for safer and cheaper fluorescent bulb disposal
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Improve School Green Spaces
• Nature play space – with National Wildlife Federation
• REAL School Gardens –installations and teacher training
• Farms to Schools Specialists – to be funded by Food & Nutrition Services in SY19
• Storm water management –training of Ground Shop staff about bio-retention facilities
Add nature play spaces, outdoor classrooms, and gardens
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Engage School Communities
• Multiple partners supporting schools
• Continued support from Constellation, BGE, Baltimore Community Foundation, Krieger Fund, Fund for Change, Baltimore Ravens
• Green Schools Advisory Board convened by the Baltimore Community Foundation
Maintain robust Green Schools Network of partners
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Engage School Communities
• 97% schools designated Sustainability Ambassadors (96% in SY17)
• 19% schools submitted a Sustainability Plan (45 in SY17)
• 17% schools with Green School certification (18% in SY17)
• 24 teachers at 16 schools received Green Leader Achievement Units (AUs) (31 teachers at 19 schools in SY17)
• Participated in Family and Community Engagement outreach events
Build network of staff leading school-based sustainability efforts
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Build Student Leadership
• 50 student-led greening grants –$78,000
• 12 student-led energy grants –$12,000
• 31 paid internships at Branches at Parks & People Foundation
• 6 paid internships at the City Office of Sustainability
• Students formed Baltimore Beyond Plastic and helped get Styrofoam ban in Baltimore City passed
• Brower Youth Award to two interns
Provide training and leadership opportunities
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And…. 21st Century Schools
• LEED* certifications achieved:• Silver: Fort Worthington, Frederick,
• Gold: Wildwood
• LEED certification projected:• Silver: Dorothy I Height, Forest Park,
Pimlico
• Gold: Arlington, Arundel, Cherry Hill, Graceland, Holabird, Robert Poole
(ACCE/Independence)
* LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green-building standard
• Geothermal heating and cooling: ACCE/Independence, Forest Park, Graceland, Holabird
And…. Research about impact of nature on children
Students were more engaged and less distracted after lessons in a natural outdoor setting compared to classroom-based lessons.
School garden activity may promote science equity and help close the achievement gap between more-privileged and less-privileged students.
Horticulture-related activities can reduce the stress levels and salivary cortisol concentration of elementary school children with emotional and behavioral concerns.
Access to natural environments can benefit children in various ways, including improvements in confidence, social interactions, cognitive development, academic achievement, and emotional well-being.
Participating in outdoor education classes on a regular basis has a positive effect on children’s stress responses.
https://www.childrenandnature.org
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Excerpts from research studies compiled by the Children and Nature Network
Challenges
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Value
Disagreement about the value of the work
Budget
Lack of funds to do all we want to do
Time
Difficult to add or change a person’s
work
Coordination
Cross-disciplinary effort is required
Turnover
Changing teachers, principals, and central
office staff
Staffing
Green Schools Coordinator is part-time and grant-funded
Focus Areas SY19
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• Continue building inter-departmental connections
• Educate teachers and leaders on benefits of environmental literacy and engagement, and implementation
• Support teachers and students to be green leaders
• Build stronger partnerships
Sustainability resources
www.baltimorecityschools.org/sustainability
www.baltimorecityschools.org/internal_sustainability
Appendix: City Schools Videos
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6th grade What lives in the Harbor? STEM experience
Biology Classes Investigate the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Students Advocate to Ban Styrofoam in Baltimore City
Every Kid in a Park program comes to Baltimore
Mount Royal students plant a garden and create an outdoor classroom
Board of School CommissionersCheryl A. Casciani, Chair
Linda Chinnia, Vice-Chair
Dr. Muriel Berkeley
Dr. Michelle Harris Bondima
Andrew “Andy” Frank
Dr. Martha James-Hassan
Ronald S. McFadden
Vernon A. Reid
Johnette A. Richardson
Joshua Lynn, Student Commissioner
Christian Gant, Esq., Board Executive Officer
Senior Management TeamDr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, Chief Executive Officer
Alison Perkins-Cohen, Chief of Staff
Shashi Buddula, Interim Chief Technology Officer
Sean L. Conley, Chief Academic Officer
John L. Davis, Jr., Chief of Schools
Jeremy Grant-Skinner, Chief Human Capital Officer
Theresa Jones, Chief Achievement and Accountability Officer
Tammy L. Turner, Esq., Chief Legal Officer
John Walker, Interim Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Lynette Washington, Interim Chief Operating Officer
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