Objective 2: Student-driven Best Management Practices
For the purposes of this re-certification application, WSB has chosen to highlight the following 4 categories: Solid Waste Reduction; Structures for Environmental Learning; Habitat Restoration; Energy Conservation
Solid Waste Reduction
1) Composting: Our entire student body (and staff) participates in composting food waste generated at snack and lunch time. In the Children's Garden our students compost in outside bins next to the school's organic garden, as do the 1st through 3rd grade students. We do this to allow the younger students to develop a direct connection with the garden and help them understand the composting process. The 4th through 8th grade students use and monitor the indoor Bokashi composting buckets as well as monitor the outside bins for the proper carbon/nitrogen ratio. We use the Bokashi system in order to establish a habit that can be easily replicated in any urban environment our students may encounter the future.
Supporting Documentation:
- Blog Entries document our students composting efforts
Nov 29, 2012: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2012/11/29/classroom-composting/
Jan 7, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/01/07/welcome-to-a-greener-new-year/
- Photos: Various images of our composting stations and students doing their composting duties:
1) Composting: Our entire student body (and staff) participates in composting food waste generated at snack and lunch time. In the Children's Garden our students compost in outside bins next to the school's organic garden, as do the 1st through 3rd grade students. We do this to allow the younger students to develop a direct connection with the garden and help them understand the composting process. The 4th through 8th grade students use and monitor the indoor Bokashi composting buckets as well as monitor the outside bins for the proper carbon/nitrogen ratio. We use the Bokashi system in order to establish a habit that can be easily replicated in any urban environment our students may encounter the future.
Supporting Documentation:
- Blog Entries document our students composting efforts
Nov 29, 2012: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2012/11/29/classroom-composting/
Jan 7, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/01/07/welcome-to-a-greener-new-year/
- Photos: Various images of our composting stations and students doing their composting duties:
2) Students Prepare Bokashi Compost Mix: WSB students, faculty, and staff, compost all organic waste at our school. We compost in a variety of ways. One of the more unique methods is Bokashi Composting, which is a form of microbial farming. Throughout the school year, all our students get the chance to make the bokashi mix that is used in this composting process. You can read more about Bokashi on Green Dragon Bytes: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/bokashi-composting/
Supporting Documentation:
- Photos - 2nd Grade students making Bokashi Mix - Taken March 2014
- Link: A video of 2012-13 4th Grade students can be seen making Bokashi mix on a PowerPoint presentation made for a workshop that was presented my WSB's Ecoliteracy Coordinator, Michel Anderson, for the MAEOE 2014 Annual Conference. It can be found online here: http://www.maeoe.org/conference/Conference%20Presentations/Michel%20Anderson%20-%20Bakashi%20Indoor%20Composting.pdf (slide 35)
Supporting Documentation:
- Photos - 2nd Grade students making Bokashi Mix - Taken March 2014
- Link: A video of 2012-13 4th Grade students can be seen making Bokashi mix on a PowerPoint presentation made for a workshop that was presented my WSB's Ecoliteracy Coordinator, Michel Anderson, for the MAEOE 2014 Annual Conference. It can be found online here: http://www.maeoe.org/conference/Conference%20Presentations/Michel%20Anderson%20-%20Bakashi%20Indoor%20Composting.pdf (slide 35)
3) Recycling: All of our students participate in recycling. Each classroom has student-made signage and a recycling bin. When it is full, two students from each grade take their classroom's recycling out to a larger bin in the hallway. Our 7th Grade class is in charge of moving all the recycling waste outside for pick-up on Thursday afternoons. This is a yearlong activity.
Supporting Documentation:
- File: Weekly Article - 8th Grade student writes about recycling at WSB - March 2011 (page 5)
- File: WSB Recycling Procedure 2013-14
- Photos: Students in action!
Supporting Documentation:
- File: Weekly Article - 8th Grade student writes about recycling at WSB - March 2011 (page 5)
- File: WSB Recycling Procedure 2013-14
- Photos: Students in action!
weekly_3.21.11_p5.pdf | |
File Size: | 107 kb |
File Type: |
wsb_recycling_procedure_2013-14.pdf | |
File Size: | 89 kb |
File Type: |
4) TerraCycle: Our Middle School Student Council began a TerraCycle program in December of 2013. To date, WSB has gathered over 6,400 points through collecting a wide assortment of solid waste: cereal bags, hummus containers, cell phones, mp3 players, and ink & toner cartridges (to name a few). With those points the Student Council has preserved an acre of wildlife habitat and has provided 13 people in Africa with filtered, clean drinking water for 1 year. This is an exciting new initiative that has quickly become a focal point for the Student Council's efforts.
Supporting Documentation:
- Various blog posts on Green Dragon Bytes highlight our Student Council's work with TerraCycle:
Dec 16, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/12/16/terracycle/
Feb 20, 2014: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2014/02/20/wsb-student-council-presents-another-zero-waste-initiative/
- File: PDF scan of Student Council Agenda from Feb 13, 2013
- Photo: Our TerraCycle Station & Student-made Poster
Supporting Documentation:
- Various blog posts on Green Dragon Bytes highlight our Student Council's work with TerraCycle:
Dec 16, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/12/16/terracycle/
Feb 20, 2014: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2014/02/20/wsb-student-council-presents-another-zero-waste-initiative/
- File: PDF scan of Student Council Agenda from Feb 13, 2013
- Photo: Our TerraCycle Station & Student-made Poster
student_council_agenda-2_13_14.pdf | |
File Size: | 125 kb |
File Type: |
Structures for Environmental Learning
1) Chickens: In April of 2013, WSB adopted Gumball, Richard, and Darwin, into our community (our 3 chickens, named by our 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grade students). As chicks they lived in the 2nd & 3rd grade classrooms. During that time, the chicken coop was built as an after-school project led by our Ecoliteracy & Sustainability Coordinator, Michel Anderson -- 6 students participated in its construction. On Earth Day of 2013 they moved outside.
All our students care for our hens -- each month, 2 classrooms are in charge of the daily choirs of fetching eggs and providing food & water, as well as weekly coop cleaning. Everyday Early Bird & Aftercare students construct/deconstruct the pen that moves throughout the schoolyard.
Supporting Documentation:
- Various blog posts document our students involvement with the school's chickens
April 29, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/04/29/the-chicken-ark-is-almost-complete/
Feb 12, 2014: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2014/02/12/introducing-the-birthday-egg/
- Photos: Various images of our hens and the students engaged in building the coop and their daily care:
1) Chickens: In April of 2013, WSB adopted Gumball, Richard, and Darwin, into our community (our 3 chickens, named by our 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grade students). As chicks they lived in the 2nd & 3rd grade classrooms. During that time, the chicken coop was built as an after-school project led by our Ecoliteracy & Sustainability Coordinator, Michel Anderson -- 6 students participated in its construction. On Earth Day of 2013 they moved outside.
All our students care for our hens -- each month, 2 classrooms are in charge of the daily choirs of fetching eggs and providing food & water, as well as weekly coop cleaning. Everyday Early Bird & Aftercare students construct/deconstruct the pen that moves throughout the schoolyard.
Supporting Documentation:
- Various blog posts document our students involvement with the school's chickens
April 29, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/04/29/the-chicken-ark-is-almost-complete/
Feb 12, 2014: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2014/02/12/introducing-the-birthday-egg/
- Photos: Various images of our hens and the students engaged in building the coop and their daily care:
2) Earth-oven Maintenance & Timber Frame Playhouse with Earthship Foundation: WSB students have worked to enhance our outside area in various ways. WSB has an earth-oven that requires yearly maintenance which is preformed by our elementary students. This coming spring, we will be revamping the oven as well as building a small green roof over it. In spring of 2013, WSB alumnus, Ben Gallagher, built and donated a timber frame playhouse to the school. Middle School students helped in the community day to raise the playhouse as well as carved all of the railings in their woodworking class.
Supporting Documentation:
- Photos: Photos of our 2013-14 3rd Grade students preforming maintenance on the earth-oven; photos taken in April 2013 of Middle School students, teachers & community members, preparing the earthship foundation for the new playhouse; photos of the timber frame playhouse being raised by Middle School students and community members. The railing of the playhouse were made by Middle School student from saplings and sticks found around our property.
Supporting Documentation:
- Photos: Photos of our 2013-14 3rd Grade students preforming maintenance on the earth-oven; photos taken in April 2013 of Middle School students, teachers & community members, preparing the earthship foundation for the new playhouse; photos of the timber frame playhouse being raised by Middle School students and community members. The railing of the playhouse were made by Middle School student from saplings and sticks found around our property.
Habitat Restoration
1) Students Restore Habitat at WSB and in the Wider Community: WSB students not only work to restore the habitat of our school yard, but they also work in the wider community. Our students have helped plant trees, shrubs, and blueberry bushes, around our school yard, and have done community service in private and state parks throughout the region. We would also like to highlight the efforts of our 2009-2010 10th Grade class who helped restore human habitat with Habitat for Humanity, as well as our 2011-12 12th Grade class in their efforts to provide clean water to a village in Uganda.
Supporting Documentation:
- File: Weekly Article about 4th & 5th Grade Bay Grass restoration while on a camping trip in Eastern Maryland, include student interview - Sept 2010 (page 4-5)
- File: Weekly Article regarding the efforts of 2 Upper School students to help the honeybee population - Feb 2011 (page 4)
- File: Weekly article - regarding the efforts of Upper School students to help bring fresh drinking water to Uganda - Feb 2012 (page 2)
- Photos: 3 Photos of 2012-13 5th Grade students removing tubes from trees while on a camping trip on Wye Island. Photos of 2013-14 3rd Grade students removing crop cover while on a field trip to One Straw Farm. 10 photos taken in March 2010 of 10th Grade students restoring a home with Habitat for Humanity.
1) Students Restore Habitat at WSB and in the Wider Community: WSB students not only work to restore the habitat of our school yard, but they also work in the wider community. Our students have helped plant trees, shrubs, and blueberry bushes, around our school yard, and have done community service in private and state parks throughout the region. We would also like to highlight the efforts of our 2009-2010 10th Grade class who helped restore human habitat with Habitat for Humanity, as well as our 2011-12 12th Grade class in their efforts to provide clean water to a village in Uganda.
Supporting Documentation:
- File: Weekly Article about 4th & 5th Grade Bay Grass restoration while on a camping trip in Eastern Maryland, include student interview - Sept 2010 (page 4-5)
- File: Weekly Article regarding the efforts of 2 Upper School students to help the honeybee population - Feb 2011 (page 4)
- File: Weekly article - regarding the efforts of Upper School students to help bring fresh drinking water to Uganda - Feb 2012 (page 2)
- Photos: 3 Photos of 2012-13 5th Grade students removing tubes from trees while on a camping trip on Wye Island. Photos of 2013-14 3rd Grade students removing crop cover while on a field trip to One Straw Farm. 10 photos taken in March 2010 of 10th Grade students restoring a home with Habitat for Humanity.
weekly_9.05.10_p4.5.pdf | |
File Size: | 231 kb |
File Type: |
weekly_2.7.11_p4.pdf | |
File Size: | 382 kb |
File Type: |
weekly_02.20.12_p2.pdf | |
File Size: | 1195 kb |
File Type: |
2) Organic Gardening: All of the students of WSB are very proud of the organic garden they nurture and maintain. The garden is filled with beautiful native plants and well as vegetables that are used for school day snacks and cooking lessons. The students plan the garden in their journals and work to incorporate IPM into its maintenance. The garden is a special place in our school yard that all students are encouraged to visit during their outside recess time. It is a very common sight at WSB to see students exploring and working in the garden (of their own volition) during recess times.
Supporting Documentation:
- Photos: Images of our 3rd Grade working in the School Garden and images taken from their gardening journals.
Supporting Documentation:
- Photos: Images of our 3rd Grade working in the School Garden and images taken from their gardening journals.
Energy Conservation
1) Classroom & Hallway Artwork & Posters Remind Our School to Save Energy: At WSB our hallways are full of student made eco-oriented artwork and posters. Some of the work is made in art class and some is made during their various lessons about the more-than-human world. All of the artwork serves to remind our community to respect and cherish the natural world and its resources. In March 2012, Upper School students participated in an ACE Leadership Training workshop to prepare them for the Biggest Loser: Energy Competition in which they made and placed signs saying "Kill A Watt" and "Shut Em Down" around the building.
Supporting Documentation:
- File: Weekly Article showing student made posters for UN World Environment Day - May 2011 (page 4)
- File: Weekly Article about ACE Leadership Training and student-made signs about energy conservation - March 2012 (page 4)
- Photo: Art work by 3rd Grade student that hangs in our lobby. Photo taken in April 2011.
1) Classroom & Hallway Artwork & Posters Remind Our School to Save Energy: At WSB our hallways are full of student made eco-oriented artwork and posters. Some of the work is made in art class and some is made during their various lessons about the more-than-human world. All of the artwork serves to remind our community to respect and cherish the natural world and its resources. In March 2012, Upper School students participated in an ACE Leadership Training workshop to prepare them for the Biggest Loser: Energy Competition in which they made and placed signs saying "Kill A Watt" and "Shut Em Down" around the building.
Supporting Documentation:
- File: Weekly Article showing student made posters for UN World Environment Day - May 2011 (page 4)
- File: Weekly Article about ACE Leadership Training and student-made signs about energy conservation - March 2012 (page 4)
- Photo: Art work by 3rd Grade student that hangs in our lobby. Photo taken in April 2011.
weekly_5.2.11_p4.pdf | |
File Size: | 177 kb |
File Type: |
weekly_03.05.12_p4.pdf | |
File Size: | 90 kb |
File Type: |
2) Students Campaigned Baltimore Neighborhoods for Green Energy: In spring of 2013 WSB students campaigned their households and neighborhoods to conserve electricity and sign up for 100% renewable energy through Clean Currents. After being taught how electricity is produced and consumed around the world, our students went door-to-door in their neighborhoods and shared the benefits of energy conservation and the importance of using renewable resources. Within 3 months they succeeded in signing up 18 homes, all of which operated on 100% renewable energy from wind farms located in Pennsylvanian. Unfortunately, Clean Currents went out-of-business in the winter of 2014; however we are in the process of forming a partnership with another renewable energy company to continue these efforts in the future.
Supporting Documentation:
- Various blog posts demonstrate our involvement with Clean Currents:
Feb 5, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/02/05/your-clean-energy-home/
June 3, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/06/03/clean-currents-the-final-update/
June 6, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/06/11/new-video-features-wsb/
- File: Flyer used during our Clean Energy Campaign
- Photos: Taken on the day Emily Conrad, of Clean Currents, did a energy lesson for our 3rd grade students to prepare them for the campaign.
Supporting Documentation:
- Various blog posts demonstrate our involvement with Clean Currents:
Feb 5, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/02/05/your-clean-energy-home/
June 3, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/06/03/clean-currents-the-final-update/
June 6, 2013: http://sustainablewaldorf.com/2013/06/11/new-video-features-wsb/
- File: Flyer used during our Clean Energy Campaign
- Photos: Taken on the day Emily Conrad, of Clean Currents, did a energy lesson for our 3rd grade students to prepare them for the campaign.
clean_currents_flyer.pdf | |
File Size: | 329 kb |
File Type: |