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DCL
My oldest daughter is starting Kindergarten in a few weeks, and irony of ironies, she's going to the same school I went to at her age. Perhaps the strangest thing is that, despite the passage of more than a few years, everything still looks pretty much the same (except that the Apple II computers that we learned on have been replaced with sleek new Macs. Lucky kids...)
But the old days of lunches comprised mainly of prepared junk food, wasteful use of supplies and lack of proper recycling systems are still very much alive. Add to that the more modern issues of fewer outdoor activities and junk food-laden vending machines, and there's a whole lot of green work to do in the average American school. Here's your guide to working with the school community to make some important changes.
Working with School Administration
The School Board
In most public school districts, every decision from educational policy to what brand of toilet paper the district purchases is made by the school board. Most school boards meet monthly, and these meetings are open to the public. If you can get a couple of school board members to champion your cause, you have a good chance of making some headway. Here are a few ideas for working with your school's board:
- Prepare an information packet about whatever your project is (providing local, nutritious lunches, for example). Include information about the costs vs. savings of your proposal, what impact it would have on staff, and examples of districts that have successfully made the change you're proposing. Mail the packets to each member or bring them to a meeting with you and present them. Most meetings include some time set aside for comments from the public; this is your chance to make your case.
- Which leads us to idea number two: attend those school board meetings. Know what decisions your school board is facing, and be available to offer eco-friendly suggestions.
- Ask for an agenda item to be set for your proposal. Present your idea and its implications for the school district to the board.
- Keep at it. Some school boards are notoriously slow in moving forward. Keep showing up, keep commenting, keep sending the members letters.
- Get a few more parents to show up. There are probably at least a couple of other parents who share your enthusiasm. Convince them to go to a school board meeting and speak out. There is strength in numbers. If you can't convince them to go to a meeting, ask them to write letters to the board.
- Don't wait for the right board member to just show up. Run for school board next time around, and have a direct hand in what decisions are made for your kids' schools.
School Administration
Maybe you're getting nowhere with the school board. But the superintendent, principal, or one of the directors (such as director of facilities, director of food services, or curriculum director) might be willing to take up your cause.
- Write letters to the administrators about your ideas. Have others do the same.
- Request a meeting with the person in question. Face to face or phone meetings are great, because they allow for the kind of back-and-forth discussion that it takes to move most initiatives forward.
- Get involved in your school's parents organization (such as the PTA or PTO). These organizations are often the source of some of the best grassroots efforts to make change in schools, and any changes you want to make will most likely require approval or assistance from the parents organization. Most importantly, these organizations have direct access to the decision-makers in the school.
Working With Parents and Teachers
While you're trying to make big changes in the district or in an individual school building, don't overlook the impact a small but impassioned group of parents and teachers can make. Maybe you're getting nowhere with the board or the administration. But what would happen if a group of parents decided to make it their job to provide organic, healthy snacks for the kids? Or decided to plant an edible garden? Or decided to organize a "walking bus" to lessen the pollution caused by traditional transportation methods? Schools are always in need of help, and if the brand of help you're offering both helps the school and makes it greener, it's a win for everyone involved - especially the kids.
Find like minded parents by attending PTA meetings, talking to other parents while you're waiting to pick your kids up, or posting notices on the bulletin boards. You can usually also request an item in the school newsletter asking for parents to get involved; generally, the principal or the school secretary would be the person to approach with this request.
Going Solo
Sometimes it's not easy to find people who are willing to work together. Time is scarce, and people already feel like they have enough on their plate. That doesn't mean you can't make changes in your school for the better. Here are a few ideas:
- Offer to provide healthy, organic snacks for your kids' class.
- Offer to plant and maintain a native plant garden - this will save on water, fertilizer, mowing, and also allow children to experience nature -- something that's getting more and more rare in our schools.
- Approach your child's teacher about the possibility of talking to the class about green issues such as recycling, reusing, and conserving. Put together a fun presentation and you'll be sure to inspire a few kids to help make the change.
- If your school doesn't compost, work with the school's food service person to get one started. Either compost on-site or offer to take the food waste home to your own bin (the logistics of this, of course, depend on the size of the school you're dealing with!)
I hope this article encourages you to get out there and get involved in the greening of your kids' schools. It isn't always easy, but it is entirely worth it to green the places in which our children spend the majority of their waking hours nine months of the year. And if you have more tips for getting involved with greening your kid's school, please share them in the comments!
