PCS Science, Environmental Literacy,

& Climate Action Committee

September 10, 2024

Agenda

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1. Welcome & Introductions
2. Updates & Announcements
3. Focus on Transportation
4. Looking Ahead
5. Closing

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California Biodiversity Week

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Kirsten Franklin, PCS Environmental Literacy Coordinator (special assignment)

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kfranklin@petk12.org

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North Star(s)

2021 Board Resolution

2015 CA Blueprint for Environmental Literacy

California Green Ribbon Award Program

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Updates & Announcements

24/25 Committee Focus Areas

Curriculum & Professional Development

Facilities & Grounds

Community Partnerships

Messaging & Communication

Food & Nutrition

Transportation - today!

District Mission

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Petaluma City Schools delivers a high-quality, diverse, equitable, and inclusive education to all student scholars so they creatively explore interests, collaboratively solve problems, and fully develop as resilient, caring, and responsible members of our community.

Looking Back…

• Meetings
• October 24 Kick-Off: Needs Assessment (poster data)
• December 5: Focus on Food Service (Brian Dufour, PCS) & Waste Management (Lisa Moore, Recology)
• February 13: Focus on Curriculum (Dr. Fawn Canady, SSU & Kirsten Franklin, PCS)
• March 2: Book Study - Teach for Climate Justice" by Tom Roderick
• June 4: End-of-Year Reflection & Goal Setting
• Partnership!
• Shout Out to Steering Committee: Babs, Kirsten, Liza, Jenny - THANK YOU!!!
• w/ CAPS, SEI, Cool Petaluma, City of Petaluma, Safe Routes to School, Safe Streets Petaluma, Jenny Stock (NOAA), Recology, SSU, SEEC, CREEC, ECCLPs, Dr. Jessica Bean, and so many more!
• Building Capacity, Building Awareness

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Nurturing the Next Generation of Climate Leaders 

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2022-23 CAPS intern class

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Juli Miller,

CAPS Program Director

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Application now open!

APPLY HERE: https://wkf.ms/47gRAvf

20 internships available!

$215 per month!

Green Ribbon Vision and Incentive

The Green Ribbon Program is a recognition and award program that incentivizes whole system transformational change for schools and districts to engage in environmental and climate action across every aspect of a school community.

Interactive Image: https://www.plt.org/greenschools-poster/

Operationalizing Framework

Explore Framework at → www.tinyurl.com/4CsECAFramework

Prioritization Through Committees and Tasks Forces

Explore Resources at → www.tinyurl.com/AYGreenCommittees

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• Mary Collins earned Silver Award for 23/24
• PCS will apply as a district for 24/25
• Application due November 4, next steps

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Lee Boyes, PCS NGSS TOSA

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Deb Fox, Climate Action Manager

Focus on Transportation

Christina Panza, Director

• Sonoma County Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Resources
• Preparation for October "International Walk & Roll to School Month!"

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Looking Ahead

Once we start to act, hope is everywhere.

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Grete Thunberg (2018)

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Grant Opportunity

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• Applications for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program are now open!
• The purpose of the grant is to issue up to $1,500,000 annually in the form of grants for beverage container recycling and litter reduction programs to promote increased recycling of beverage containers throughout California.

Applications are due September 24:

https://tenstrands.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8bcb5e36980d0f285e13c2bdc&id=8876d313ac&e=53f30f8b5a

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Brainstorms for 24/25 and Beyond

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• Policy to spawn ACTION - "what policy does PCS need to develop an Action Plan?"
• Build out "5 areas of Focus" to provide a framework for future policy
• Book Study notes to inform future policy
• Systemic "city-wide" or "regional" commitments to Zero Waste, Alt Transportation, etc
• Deepen partnership w/ City of Petaluma - "Climate Action Manager" - use Poster Data from 10/24
• The City of Petaluma makes every decision through the lens of Climate Action - is there a formal framework we could adopt?
• Building strong systems of Waste management - "you're in Petaluma, this is just how we do it"
• Curriculum and PD - "complete coverage" - TK-12
• Incentives for Staff to lead the work: Teacher Stipends? Env. Literacy leaders?
• Capacity Building - Building Sustainable Champions: Professional Development
• SY 24/25:
• Tuesday Afternoons Meetings - offer Child Care - 3:30-5:00 - aim for 3 per semester (don't forget year-round schedules) - School reps needed from all schools in PCS, PTAs, ELACs, Maintenance/Ops?
• Focus Area Ideas: Traffic study, Best practices in reusable containers/packaging, Kitchen Facility Audit, Grants to support facilities upgrades, Visual Map of where your waste goes, Field Trips to MRF (Recology) - 15+ years old, Outdoor learning environments, bike racks, land use study of district property (what is on the land, how much water), land stewardship study w/ Point Blue - "school districts as Land Stewards", Increase Web presence, Communication, Best practices for Food Waste to Compost Bins

Next Meeting

October 15, 2024

3:30-5:00pm

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Location TBD

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Focus on MENTAL HEALTH & CLIMATE ANXIETY

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Closing Circle