Recycled Ornament & Holiday Craft Sale- Success!

Just wanted to say a BIG thanksto all who purchased your childs/students holiday recycled ornament and crafts! Special Thanks to Kinder parents: Anna Rose, Jill Boourneman, Nan Fitzpatrick, Suzanne Talbert, Ann Gregory, Amy McGoldrick, Kelli Codero, Jenny Matchell, Kristy Coroan, Ginger Stimac, and Angela Glasgow for helping in the classrooms with the projects!!!! Such a GREAT success in helping our school be more green! Here's to a GREEN NEW YEAR!

Classroom Worm Compost Bins

We have started Worm Compost Bins in 5 Caleb classrooms!

Students were taught by Green Docents a worm composting lesson which included reasons for worm composting (reduce school lunch waste), what worms can/can't eat, started worm bin (added bedding, food scraps, and worms, and begun worm journals.
Students will fill a 16 oz container with lunch food scraps (fruit/veggie scraps) every monday, wednesday, and friday. Thanks to teachers/classrooms who now have worm bins!
~Mr.Myers and Mrs.Ching's 2nd grade
~Mrs. Kitowski's and Mrs.Pascoe/Aguirre's 1st grade
~Mrs. Lee's 3rd grade

An outdoor worm bin was also started and will be a learning bin for Kindergarten and other classrooms!

Caleb Wins Solar Educational Grant!

A $850 grant from the City of Sacramento (via Solar America) has been given to Caleb Greenwood to assist with our Green Team Goals! A portion of these funds will help Caleb students learn how to use solar ovens and other energy saving related projects!

For more info. visit:
http://solaramericacommunities.energy.gov/cities/sacramento/
and
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/SolarGrant/index.html

Recycled Holiday Project Dec.'10

Students K-8 will be creating Recycled Holiday Crafts/Ornaments for Caleb's Holiday B-Fast/Flap Jack Run(on Saturday Dec.11th, 2011 )! Crafts can be purchased for $3 proceeds benefiting Caleb's Compost and Recycling Projects1

Kindergarten: Paper Maiche Ornaments
1st & 2nd: Bottle Cap Tree Ornaments
3rd-5th grade: Junk Mail Bracelets

Caleb's Educational Garden Project & Green Team Update

These are some of the things that the Green Team and the Garden Docents have been working on the last month:
~ Gathering support from parents, teachers, students, and P.T.S.O. for implementing steps for teaching garden lessons in classrooms.
~ Organized and cleaned garden shed for materials and tools for ed. garden lessons.
~ Purchased materials for ed. garden projects
~ Planted winter gardens for 2nd grade classes (Mr.Myers and Mrs. Ching): lettuce, carrots, spinach, kale, chard, broccoli, bok choi, peas, and collards. 3rd grade Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Stallworth's class, as well as kindergarten classes Mrs. Wong and Mrs. Richardson (radishes, peas, lettuce, carrots).
~ Weeded and dug out dead and/or diseased plants in other garden plots.
~ Taught Soil Compsition Lesson to 2nd grade classes: Mr. Myers and Mrs. Ching,
as well as 3rd grade classes: Mrs. Stallworth & Mrs. Lee. Mrs. Wong's Kindergarten class as well.
~ Harvested vegetables for garden snack vegetable soup for Mr. Myers and Mrs. Cherry's clasrrom-students LOVED it!

Caleb Green Team Meeting Thursday Oct.7th

Our first Caleb Green Team Informational Meeting willbe held on Thursday Oct. 7th @ 8:15 a.m. in the cafetria or 6 p.m. @ Starbucks on H & Elvas St. We will be discussing the Educational Gardening Volunteer Handbook, Waste Reduction, and other Green Team projects for the 2010-2011 school year! Hope to see you there!If you have any questions please contact Kim Felix: kjfelix73@hotmail.com

Caleb Green Team Meeting Agenda Oct. 7, 2010

I. Introductions

II. Mission & Goals for Green Team 2010-2011

III. Waste Reduction:
1) Compost Bins
Build, location (access to H20!) maintaining? (grade level, classroom, group of volunteers including students) Worm Bins in classrooms? Mr. Myers-yes, others?
2) Recycling Bins & Signage
Set-up (free bins/posters) around school & rooms
3) Capri Sun Recycling Project
Lunch volunteers (to gather), empty!, ship to Teracycle for money to school

IV. Educational Gardening:
1) Winter Vegetable Gardens
What classrooms? Garden Docents? Seeds for indoor containers (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) Plant in October. Plant seeds directly in gardens as well (carrots, radishes, beets, lettuce, onions, peas, chard, kale, garlic) with students!
2) Winter Garden Work Days (Preparing gardens for winter planting-weed, harvest,add soil, fertilizer, etc.) Thursday October 14th (9-12 p.m.) & October 15th (9-12 p.m.)
3) Volunteer Handbook: Review

V. Materials, Shed Project for Green Team:
1) P.T.S.O summary: $
2) Shed: Shelves for materials, organize, labels
3) Materials: Donate, purchase items
4) Outdoor classroom? tent/shelter?

VI. Grants & Fundraisers
1) Need help with writing grants for the green team! (http://www.kidsgardening.com/kgn-current.html)
2) Fundraisers (Fall festival- sunflowers seeds, Papa Murphy’s, GreenRaising, Holiday Breakfast/Run, Laptop Lunch Box, Earth week, Spring/Art Auction)

VII. Educational Gardens Field Trips! Theodore Judah, Davis, etc.
1) Set up date for trip(s)

Green Docents 2010-2011

Please help Caleb’s Green Team!

As a Green Docent you will teach or help teacher with lessons/activities on environmental education (recycling, composting, gardening). As well as help maintain classroom garden plot(s). All lessons will be ready with activity and materials before you begin!!

Please contact Kim Felix for more information
email: kjfelix73@hotmail.com

Recycled Fashion Show April 22nd-EARTH DAY!

Caleb’s Recycled Fashion Show
Earth Day April 22nd



This dress was made out of recycled cans, bottle tops, cardboard, glass beads, and plastic bags!

Make a dress, shirt, pants, or hat out of recycled materials
M.C. will introduce you as you walk down the catwalk
Pictures of YOU will be taken! (Photos will be available on Monday April 26th)
Some ideas are; plastic bag dress, grocery bag t-shirts, tissue paper hats- use your imagination!
Sign up to reserve your space in the spotlight
Fashion show will begin @ 11:15 a.m.
RECYLED FASHION SHOW SIGN UP:
Student Name Teacher

Earh Week Events ,April 19-23

Caleb Greenwood‘s
“Steward of the EARTH”
Poster Contest!

We want YOU to create a poster on how you are a “Steward of the Earth” either at home or at school. Some ideas are recycling , using
re-usable items, carpooling, walking or riding your bike to school, composting, conserving water and/or energy!

Posters due by: APRIL 16TH
Winner for each grade (K-8)
Winners receive mini-pizza and other prizes!
One winner’s design will be selected to be used for the “Steward of the Earth” t-shirts!
Please include your name and teachers’ name on back of your poster entry
Posters should be on a 11” x17” or 12” x 18” paper and no larger than 16” x 20”
Caleb Greenwood’s EARTH WEEK APRIL 19-23rd LUNCH TIME EVENTS!

Monday April 19th
Chalk World Art Day: Help draw/color a picture of the world with chalk on the blacktop!
Tuesday April 20th
Earth Music Day: Make musical instruments out of recycled materials and join the “Save the Earth” Parade!
Wednesday April 21st
Waste Free Lunch Day: Pack a lunch using reusable bags/containers and get a prize!
Thursday April 22nd
Recycled Fashion Show Day/ Earth Rally @ Capitol 3 p.m.
Create a wardrobe out of recycled items and walk down the catwalk at lunch!
Friday April 23
Garden Day/Papa Murphy’s Pizza Order Pick Ups
Plant a sunflower seed to take home. Pick up your Pizza and help raise money for Caleb’s Green Team!

School Garbage 101

So, last week was the official start of our school's recycle/compost lunch monitor project. Plastic gloves on, Kylie, 4 by my side-grabbing garbage like it is gold!
Too funny. Students stopping before they throw away all their precious items. The assortment of full h2o bottles, the gourmet sandwiches, the fresh fruit and vegetables so carefully cut and sliced. All down the drain. The "green" compost bin awaiting these gems to be rotted and eating up by our worms. The blue soda cans, h20 bottles, etc. being used for a little extra money where it is needed. The brown paper box throws out the infamous brown paper bags, and the cardboard boxes of lunchables. Students being conscious of the cycles of life and the beauty that comes from caring, being a part of the earth instead of against it. Here is our future getting out their and being TRUE "Stewards for and of the EARTH".

Thank you Worm Farm!/1st day of lunch recycling/compost

Our verimcomposting has begun thanks to the Worm Farm! They donated all the bedding and worms and owner Marc came and taught K-8 students all about worms (Free assembly too-WOW!).

Our first day of recycling and composting @ lunch was a huge success as well. We only used 3 garbage bins vs. the 4 normally used. Many students helped place veggie and fruit in the compost bin, drink pouches for our Capri Sun drink brigade (terracycle.net), as well as cans and plastic bottles! Thanks to Mrs. Ellerman's two 6th grade students who are helping this week-great job!

City of Sacramento Free Composting Workshops

Here is a listing of the free compost workshops the City of Sacramento hosts every year!

Learn how to turn yard waste into compost and improve the health of your soil! These free seminars include a how-to lesson, a special compost recipe and the ability to purchase a Biostack compost bin for $65 (retails for $129). Each seminar will feature a special lecture on various topics that will help your garden continue to flourish all year long. Composting is great for flower and vegetable gardens and can help conserve water and recycle yard waste. No reservations necessary.

Come join us!

March 13, 2010 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
Southside Park Community Garden
5th and W Streets
Lecture Topic: Adding green manure/cover crops to garden
BioStack Compost Bins will be available at-cost ($65, retails for $129)

April 10, 2010 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
Fremont Community Garden
14th and Q Street
Lecture Topic: Planting summer vegetables
BioStack Compost Bins will be available at-cost ($65, retails for $129)

May 1, 2010 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
J. Neely Johnson Park Community Garden
516 11th Street
Lecture Topic: Planting summer vegetables
BioStack Compost Bins will be available at-cost ($65, retails for $129)

September 18, 2010 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
GEO Garden – Grant High School
1221 South Ave
Lecture Topic: Gardening for Youth
BioStack Compost Bins will be available at-cost ($65, retails for $129)

October 9, 2010 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
Southside Park Community Garden
5th and W Streets
Lecture Topic: Planting cover crops
BioStack Compost Bins will be available at-cost ($65, retails for $129)

Sponsored by the City of Sacramento Department of Utilities Solid Waste Services

For more information about the Compost Seminars, please call 311 or (916) 264-5011.


http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/22527/City_of_Sacramento_Announces_Its_2010_Free_Composting_Workshop_Schedule

Worm Farm Assembly this Wed. Feb 24th!

We are excited to have owners of The Worm Farm from Durham, CA present a worm composting assembly @ our school. Come and learn abll about worms and how they can help us reduce our waste! 9-11am: Caleb Greenwood K-8 School 5457 Carlson Drive 95819

Feb. 17th School Newsletter Notice

Going Green at Caleb Greenwood

Our new Caleb Green Team begins its campaign to reduce, reuse and
recycle! The mission of this volunteer parent committee is to
implement programs that create awareness and education on environmental
issues and concerns. Helping to inspire students to become "Stewards of the Earth"
beginning here in our own community.

Planned projects include “Earth Day” celebrations, waste free lunches, and student
contests that inspire others to be involved in saving our natural
resources. First on the calendar, is an assembly on Feb 24 th
with a composting presentation by The Worm Farm.

Green Tip for this week: Plant native & drought resistance plants.
Visit:
http://www.cnps.org/

Next "Green Team" Mtg. Feb. 18th!

Please come to support and discuss projects we are currently working on for our school.
Thursday Feb. 18th
@ 8:15 am (in Cafeteria)
or
6:00 pm (@ Tupelo's Coffehouse/Elvas St.)

Thanks!

"Small Steps"

Small Steps

Recently, Caleb Greenwood K-8 School in East Sacramento has began making small steps in educating the students, staff, & families about ways to help our earth. The “Green Team” had their first successful project in December ’09 which focused on the 3 “R’s” (Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle). K-5 grade students made holiday ornaments out of used CD’s that were decorated with the recycling logo. The “CD’s” ornaments were then sold for $1 @ Caleb’s annual Holiday Pancake Breakfast and Run. All proceeds were to raise money for future “Green” programs for the school, like the upcoming Worm Composting Assembly that is scheduled for February 24th, 2010. The Earth Day Festival/Activities is scheduled for the month of April 2010.

The Earth Day Festival will be partnering with various community organizations and businesses to help promote & strengthen “Green” efforts for Caleb Greenwood students. For example, to launch the Earth Day program we have invited the City of Sacramento to come & discuss what happens to household waste after it leaves the recycling and/or garbage bins.

Caleb’s “Green Team” projects also hopes to build a bridge with the Sacramento Unified School District by assisting with some of the goals as laid out in the school districts strategic plans of 2010. First, as Policy priority #4 .2 goal suggests; “Strengthen partnerships with community-based organizations & agencies to enhance social, emotional, & physical safety of students.”, the Caleb “Green Team” are as in the examples above working towards this policy (I.e.- City of Sacramento). Another part of working towards this goal will be accomplished by an Educational Garden that Caleb Greenwood is beginning. This garden will enhance each students’ direct relationship within the social network of their school peers, neighbors, & community at large. As told by the Garden of Learning founder Kelli Wessman “A well structured garden program benefits children in many ways: Develops a true cooperative spirit as children work together toward a common goal.” And, the garden, on an emotional level “provides for children a respite from the busy school life by allowing children to focus on a task in a smaller, quieter setting (source:http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Schools/56001007.PDF, pg.37).”

Second, as Policy Priority # 4.4 goal reads “Implement energy effeminacy strategies to reduce our energy consumption.” By having a worm composting at our school we can help reduce energy consumption by reducing the waste stream as well as cutting disposal costs. Third, for Policy Priority # 6.1 states “Provide informational technical assistance, training, & other supports necessary to assist district schools in planning & implementing effective parent engagement activities to improve student achievement.” This “Green Team’ can work together with the school district by incorporating activities, such as recycling that are known to improve student achievement.

“The practical nature of recycling is also a way in which children at all levels can 'enjoy and achieve', for example by designing an effective recycling scheme and learning about the properties of different materials while they sort them for recycling.” (RecycleNow Schools website).

Caleb Greenwood’s “Green” Committee would like to invite the Sacramento School Unified School District to improve efforts in making a change in how our schools can implement waste reduction and by doing so will “benefit by:

Reduced disposal costs.
Improved worker safety.
Reduced long-term liability.
Increased efficiency of school operations.
Decreased associated purchasing costs. (http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/ReduceWaste/Schools/#Why).

Finally, as the State’s California Recycle Program states “California school districts dispose of large amounts of waste (approximately 763,817 tons per year) [1]. These wastes represent a significant loss of natural resources and school district funds, as well as a potential threat to student/staff health and the environment. To be responsible stewards of environmental quality, school districts should review processes and operations, and even curriculum choices.” (www.calrecycle.ca.gov). Like the Caleb “Green Team” is doing, let all of us in the Sacramento Unified School District take small steps to help prove to be a successful program in forging a Waste Reduction Program.

Please join us in taking these steps. Please contact Caleb’s “Green Team” Committee Chair @ kjfelix73@hotmail.com or 916-595-5564.

Let’s make small steps together!

Sincerely,
Kim J. Felix

Email to School District Board....

Hi,
I am a parent @ Caleb Greenwood K-8 School in River Park. Our school has started a "Green Team" ; a committee of parents that hopes to enhance and inspire our students, staff, & families of helping the earth. Through beginning various projects such as a worm compost,, "Stewards of the Earth" (student/classroom recycling monitors, etc.), educational school-wide garden, waste-free lunch, and Earth Day projects, etc.

I noticed there is not a recycling committee for the our district and if there is one, there isn't a lot of publicity and/or efforts being made to enhance this VERY important curriculum throughout our schools in Sacramento.

I've attached a essay entitled "Small Steps" as a example of how we can improve efforts in reducing waste costs, improving student health (i.e. garden benefits=more veggies!), and overall impact on our environment. My dream would be to implement a program like the Davis Unified School District has so successfully done with their Farm to School Program and other "green" school wide activities taught in the classrooms.

Please contact me if you would like me to present a Resolution in support of these efforts at the next School Board meeting. I would offer my time and ideas/suggestions on how we can work together in making this happen. As the California Board of Waste Management (or Cal Recycle) states in their District Wide Approach to Recycling, "Because new equipment and technology do not save resources, people do! (CalRecycle.org)"

Sincerely,
Kim Felix
Parent/Committee Chair Caleb's "Green Team"
e: kjfelix73@hotmail.com
blog: http://calebgreenteam.blogspot.com/

1st Green Team Mtg. Summary

Caleb Green Team Meeting
1/13
Summary

Here is a list of the things to do, team member on project, dates/deadlines and “other” ideas @ our first meeting for 2010:

“Green Team” Mini-Presentation (Mission statement, goals, etc.) Kick off @ Compost School Assembly Wed. Feb 24th. Kim (due: Feb.24th)

School Wide Schedule for “Hands-on Composting” (I.e. weekly turning/watering for compost/ helping the worms). Kim (due: Feb. 17th)

Green Team fundraiser Project for GALA (Auction “Save the Earth” package :i.e. Student “Steward for the Earth”, Compost Bin, etc.) Angela (due: March 15th)

Publicity; Educating students, staff, families on our Mission and Goals as well as “green” projects/events coming up via flyers, weekly newsletter, posters, etc. Lisa B. (due: ONGOING, 1st memo for Jan. 18th?)

City of Sacramento 3 “R’s” classroom presentation/Doug Huston (Confirm dates/time April 1st/2nd?) Kim (due: Feb. 1st)

Ceramic “Earth” Pendants for Earth Week fundraiser (sales @ am, lunch, and after school?) Suzanne (due: April )

Save the Earth Poster Competition: Each student creates own poster on how they are/will help the earth, winner in every room (each winner is in drawing for prize), select winner for “Earth Day” logo for “reusable bags/t-shirts”(sale for fundraiser), hang posters in rooms, etc. Suzanne (due: April 12th)

Waste-Free Lunch Program ( Earth Week, “Gotcha being Good to the Earth” button/award for students helping the earth/lunch monitors, week long mini-presentations @ lunch on ways to be “Stewards for the Earth”, Waste Audit, etc.) Kim & Team (due: April)

Other:

Contact Mrs. K (counselor) on choosing “earth/green” words for the week in April. Kim
Contact Mrs. Brown to chose “Earth” songs for morning sing & lunch during Earth Week. Kim
Contact Lynette Nordstrom and/or Jen L. to get information on “Earth Day“ t-shirts/bags. Suzanne/Angela?
Plant Native plants/tree during Earth week (grant; Sac Valley CNPS) Kim
Recycling Bins in every room! Kim

Caleb's 1st "Green" Project: A Success!

So, I thought I start a small blog on our school's efforts to become more "Green" by educating students, staff, families, & our community.

Dec. 2009: Recycle "CD" Ornament Project. Grades K-5 made holiday ornaments out of "used" cd's. In each class a small presentation on the 3 "R's" were discusssed (i.e. Did you know that it takes 1 million years for a glass bottle to dscompose? Over billions of soda cans still get thrown away every year, etc.). Recycling logo was glued on "text side" of cd, and decorated w/glitter, stickers, etc. The ornaments were then sold for $1 each to raise money for our "Green Team" projects. We raised $196! Thank you.

Composting/Worm Assembly to be held on Feb. 24th @ Caleb Greenwood! Thanks to the folks @ the Worm Farm in Durham, CA.

First "Green Team" mtg. on Jan. 13th @ Tueplo Coffehouse, 6 p.m.