Houston GreenSchools! Selects The Monarch School
For National Pilot Program
Monarch has been accepted into the American Forest Foundation’s GreenSchools! Program and recently attended a GreenSchools! training, one of twelve GreenSchools! workshops being conducted around the country in 2009. Other area schools participating include:
- Seabrook Intermediate School
- South Houston High School
- Jackson Middle School
- Eastwood Academy High School
The GreenSchools! workshop is funded as part of a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service - Learn and Serve America. The GreenSchools! Program has three major components:
1) Professional Development: Environmental Education Training for Educators and Students
Educators and selected student leaders receive training in Project Learning Tree, service learning, and use of GreenSchools! Investigations. Workshop participants learn how to investigate environmental issues in their community, conduct GreenSchools! Investigations, and complete GreenWorks! service-learning projects.
2) GreenSchools! Investigations
Schools assess current environmental conditions in and around their school grounds using a set of GreenSchools! Investigations which include: Energy, Waste and Recycling, Water, the School Site, and Environmental Quality. Each investigation consists of background information, a checklist, classroom inventories, and a list of possible action items. The investigations are conducted by students and school staff and conclude with their recommendations for projects that would have a positive environmental impact at their school site. The STEM discipline(s) of science, technology, and math are emphasized. School investigations and service projects also involve technology (monitoring equipment; internet) and math (calculating energy usage; schoolyard measurements).
3) GreenWorks! Environmental Improvement Service-Learning Projects
Grants will be awarded to schools to implement the action plans they develop through the investigations. GreenWorks! service-learning projects give students and the school community the opportunity to work together to improve an environmental aspect of their school or community.
We are excited to have this wonderful opportunity to learn and grow in our commitment to living and learning Green!
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