Green School

Jefferson School has succeeded in their task of becoming a “Green School.” According to Michigan House Bill No.5554, schools meeting and documenting 10 of 25 suggested points receive an official Green School flag and a certificate to proudly display in the school entryway.

Earth Day 2008

Our Earth Day celebration on April 22 was a tree--mendous success. Jefferson students were presented with a “Green” flag and a Green School certificate by Mr. Mike Beckwith of the Intermediate School District. Former Superintendent Milli Haug and Principal Doug Bower read the ecological saga "The Lorax" to everyone as the story's pictures were projected on the gymnasium wall. Blue, green, or white "Earth Day" shirts represented land and water as a huge circle was formed in the schoolyard to depict the earth. Photographs were snapped from the rooftop.

Other activities included:

• Playground cleaning and raking
• Environmental art where students either recycled calendars to craft envelopes or used old newspapers to create whimsical hats
• Videos from United Streaming informing students of important environmental issues
• Ball toss-and-catch games showing a way we can reuse milk jugs
• Seed planting (Thanks again to Home Depot for their generous donations)

Earth Day Computer Fun

• Earth Day from Starfall
• Tic Tac Toe / Hangman
• Lorax's Save the Tree Game
• EcoKids Games
• Clean Sweep U.S.A.

Jefferson School’s Green Committee chose their Top Ten List and focused on these points in addition to working towards several long-term projects! Our Top Ten List includes: promoting our district Energy Policy, hosting an ecological speaker, recycling batteries, cell phones and print cartridges, recycling our school-used paper, adopting an endangered animal, conducting a school-wide science project, celebrating Earth Day, writing about ecology issues for our Open House in the spring and creating posters with an ecology theme to display around the school.

Avian Architecture

As one of Jefferson School’s ten tasks required by Michigan House Bill No.5554 to become a “Green School”, Mrs. Renner’s and Mrs. Murphy’s fourth grade classes took on the project of constructing birdhouse habitats. For many students, using carpenter’s tools for building was a new and challenging experience. A huge thank-you goes out to Home Depot for providing the birdhouse kits and all the necessary tools. We’d also like to express gratitude to Jennifer Born of Home Depot who helped make it all possible.

“I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.”

Those words rang true for Jefferson 4^th graders as they staked out perfect sites for seven assorted varieties of trees.  The trees were a generous donation from CBPU to schools wanting to beautify their grounds and help the environment.  This fell right into place with Jefferson’s Green School initiative.  Among the trees planted was the Eastern Redbud shown here with Mrs. Buys’fourth grade class.

At Jefferson School--every day is earth day! The challenge of becoming a “Green School” has become a focus for this elementary school.  According to Michigan House Bill No.5554, schools meeting and documenting 10 of 25 suggested points receive an official Green School flag and a certificate to proudly display in the school entryway.  As a kick-off project, students sold reusable grocery bags.  For every three Ecobags purchased, supporters received a free compact fluorescent light bulb to help see energy savings at home--a twofold green effort! Thanks go out to Legg Lumbertown for their financial support in purchasing these CFLs. Bags and light bulbs were distributed on December 8. Proceeds will go toward adopting an endangered species and helping to purchase land for a state park or state forest.  Pictured are students from Ms. Corless’ third graders setting out to distribute the Ecobags and CFLs.

MR. FRANK PARKINSON
ECOLOGICAL SPEAKER

On Monday, November 26^th, Jefferson School hosted an ecological speaker, Mr. Frank Parkinson, who presented two programs to our Jefferson students and staff—K-2 and 3-5. He presented information on Global Warming, then addressed our “Green School” efforts and discussed some things that WE could do to help save our planet!

A big “GREEN” hand to everyone who participated in our reusable grocery bag sales!

189 Number of ECO BAGS® Sold!

51Number or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) distributed!

A special thank-you to
Legg Lumbertown
for their financial support in purchasing the CFL’s.

JOB WELL DONE!

AMAZING FACTS!

• Americans go through an estimated 100 billion grocery bags every year!
• On top of that, it takes an estimated 12 million barrels of oil each year to produce those same plastic bags.
• THEN, it takes centuries for those plastic bags to decompose!

Statistics from "An Inconvenient Truth"