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Establishing Green Schools Program in Urban School Districts

Moderator: Jill Buck, M.S., Ed. – Founder & CEO, Go Green Initiative

Presenter: Rodney L. Williams, SFP, CEFM – Director Of Energy and Sustainability, Newark Public Schools

Presenter: L. Wayles Wilson, MGA – Green Schools Consultant, Go Green Initiative

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

2:45-3:45 PM

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5 Key Strategies to Starting a Green Schools Programs in Urban School Districts

Sustainable schools require involvement from operations and education leaders.

This session provides proven, replicable resources that align all essential district stakeholders to a sustainability plan with quantifiable results.

Panelists represent Newark and Camden, NJ, and demonstrate how under-resourced urban districts used these resources to achieve the award-winning levels of sustainability.

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Understand how urban districts successfully started Green Schools programs, and the benefits
Internalize the foundational elements needed to successfully launch a Green Schools program
Leverage District & School-level Green Teams to launch a Green Schools program
Utilize resource management tools to track & monitor consumption data + greenhouse gas emissions

Learning Objectives

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Session Agenda

Welcome & Introductions
5 Key Strategies to Start a Green Schools Program
Q&A

Jill Buck, M.S., Ed.

Moderator

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Go Green Initiative (GGI)��Working with Urban School Districts

for Nearly a Decade

Newark, NJ – 2013

Camden, NJ – 2015

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GGI supports

Schools in

Environmental

Justice

Communities

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Data: Air Toxics Cancer Risk

Newark, NJ

Camden, NJ

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Environmental toxins are in school water, air, & food.

Are NOT required to be monitored
Can cause short & long-term health problems for children
Can adversely impact cognitive ability

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Objective #1

Protect Children’s Health from Environmental Toxins

Clean Drinking Water

Clean Indoor Air Quality

Clean Food Supply

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That children will need in the future (some are not renewable)
That could be used by other community sites
That are costly for taxpayers & district budgets

Schools consume costly natural resources.

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Objective #2

Conserve Natural Resources for Future Generations

Conserve Energy

Conserve Water

Reduce Waste

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Students are not prepared to adapt, act, and respond to climate change & environmental crisis.

Students need:

environmental awareness
ability to engage civically
21st century skills: critical thinking, communication, & problem solving

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Objective #3

Investing in the Next Generation as Environmental Stewards / Advocates

Local Leaders of the 21st Century Clubs

Paid Summer Internships

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Panel Discussion

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Rodney L. Williams

Director of Energy & Sustainability

Newark Public Schools

L. Wayles Wilson

Panel Experts

Green Schools Consultant

Sustainable Schooling LLC

Rodney Williams is a sustainability leader who has made immeasurable contributions to advancing solutions in school facilities that save energy and money. Rodney is currently the Director of Energy and Sustainability for the Newark Public Schools’ Office of Facilities Management. Rodney’s technological knowledge and strategic approach has reduced the district’s carbon footprint while enabling Newark Public Schools, the state’s largest school district.

Wayles Wilson is an author of a new book Environmental Equity: Closing the Opportunity Gap in Urban Schools, which demystifies the work of sustainability in schools in the United States. Currently an Education Consultant (Sustainable Schooling), Wayles works with the Go Green Initiative (GGI) supporting schools / districts with sustainability projects and prioritization with the focus on improving lifelong outcomes for children in communities most impacted by environmental harm by advancing environmental health, safety, and sustainability at school. Wayles was previously a client of GGI when she served as Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer of School Support for Camden City School District in Camden, New Jersey. During her time there, she supported the district’s Green Team and sustainability initiatives.

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5 Key Strategies to

Starting a Green Schools Program

5 Key Strategies to Starting a Green Schools Program (Moderator to introduce topics & Panelists share examples)

1. The social infrastructure needed at the District level to identify and budget for programs that will address both short-term goals focused on student health and learning, as well as long-term goals to reduce consumption of finite natural resources. District Green Team

2. The process by which a District Green Team develops a Sustainability Plan.

3. The ideal formation of school site Green Teams, and processes for interfacing with the District Green Team.

4. Tracking energy, water and waste using free tools that generate reports that administrators and school boards can use to make data-driven decisions about reducing consumption.

5. Leveraging awards and certification programs to increase participation in the district’s Sustainability Plan.

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District Green Teams

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Who Should Serve

on the District Green Team?

CNS Director

Asst. Supt. of Instruction

HR

Student Leaders

Reps

from each School

Cabinet

Senior Leaders

School Business Officer

Facilities/MOT

Purchasing

Union Leaders

Head Custodian

3rd Party Consultant

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Roles & Responsibilities District Green Team

Guide school site Green Teams through policy implementation:

School-site Green Team Training
Monitoring for Compliance

Centralize purchasing, contracts and labor issues that pertain

Advise the Superintendent on:

Appropriate Board Policy Budgetary Impact Implementation Goals / Timeline

Advise

Guide

Centralize

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Sustainability Plan

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Sustainability Plan

A simple Google sheet template for Project Timelines maps out the full school year's goals, milestones and expectations.

Using Google Sites, the District Green Team have all sustainability goals, timelines, training materials, resources, etc. in one place.

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School-site Green Teams

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Who Should Serve on a School Green Team?

Principal (Administrator)

Teacher

Custodian

Student

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Roles & Responsibilities School Site Green Team

Assess campus needs pertaining to District Green Team’s Goals & Priorities

Coordinate with & Report to District Green Team on infrastructure, budget, labor needs to fulfill District-level Goals & Priorities

After the School Green Team is trained, train remaining faculty, staff, & students

Assess

Coordinate & Report

Train (ongoing)

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Benchmarking & Tracking Consumption Data

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Certification & Awards

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100% of Newark & Camden District Schools

are certified with

Sustainable Jersey for Schools

The Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification process is, “a free, voluntary, and prestigious designation to help schools and districts pursue a balanced sustainability program one policy, program, or resource audit at a time.”

For certification, Sustainable Jersey for Schools requires the establishment of a green team to oversee and coordinate the process, and must attain a certain number of points from actions identified as priority actions.

These priority actions include:

green cleaning & indoor air quality
renewable energy
energy efficiency
food and nutrition
student and staff wellness

and much more!

The goal of SJS is to provide an all-around healthy learning environment, for both students and staff. A school’s certification status lasts for 3 program years, and schools can apply to be reevaluated after certifications expire.

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Q&A

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