Nine Rainbow Schools have achieved Ontario EcoSchools certification - Assiginack Public School, Carl A. Nesbitt Public School, Cyril Varney Public School, Confederation Secondary School, Espanola High School, Manitoulin Secondary School, R.H. Murray Public School, S. Geiger Public School and Walden Public School.
The certification recognizes achievement in six key areas: Teamwork and Leadership, Energy Conservation, Waste Minimization, School Ground Greening, Ecological Literacy and Environmental Stewardship.
“We are proud of the achievements of Rainbow Schools,” said Director of Education Norm Blaseg.
“Certification to this standard speaks volumes about the great initiatives undertaken by staff and students to support sustainability throughout the Board. We are instilling a culture of conservation in our schools and fostering environmental awareness among the young people who will lead us into the future.”
Confederation Secondary School, Cyril Varney Public School and S. Geiger Public School recently received Rainbow District School Board’s Go Green Globe Awards for their environmental efforts.
The staff and students at Confederation Secondary School promote eco-friendly practices, with Lights Out Fridays as well as schoolyard and neighbourhood clean ups.
New students are given reusable stainless steel water bottles imprinted with environmental tips. Good On One Side reusable single-sided paper bins are placed throughout the school in photocopy rooms, classrooms and computer labs. Students have also learned how to grow and plant tree seedlings.
Cyril Varney Public School is committed to sustainability. Some 30 staff and students serve as members of the Eco Team and promote waste minimization, school ground re-greening and energy conservation. Students receive daily eco-friendly reminders and compete for the Golden Garbage award, given to the class that produces the least amount of waste during litterless lunches.
S. Geiger Public School has a very active Eco Team comprised of students, staff and parent volunteers. Students participate in classroom projects exploring modern energy trends, investigating reusable energy sources, monitoring the effects of pollution on clean water, and examining the use of earthworms to convert organic waste into fertilizer.
Students enjoy eco-challenges, including waste audits and litterless lunches and lights out. Apple trees shade the schoolyard, and cedar log garden beds are used to grow vegetables for the school’s annual fall harvest feast.
The entire community at Assiginack Public School works diligently to reduce the use of paper for staff communications and classrooms activities.
Students practise vermicomposting and participate in various green initiatives such as reusable water bottle and Earth Day challenges. Kindergarten students created a butterfly and bee garden, as part of a ‘Save the Bees’ campaign.
The school now has a community vegetable garden made possible by the Ice Lake Gardens, a Kids Can Grow Grant and the Healthy Kids Community Challenge. Fruit trees were also planted in the schoolyard, which were funded by the Township of Assiginack and an Edible Trees Canada Grant.
Carl A. Nesbitt Public School received the Go Green Globe Award in 2012 for making sustainability a way of life in the classroom and the community.
The school is affectionately known as “Greenland”, promoting litterless lunches, reusable water bottles, hosting clean ups, conserving energy with lights out and recycling old computers and electronics.
Students enjoy working in the vegetable garden, planting flowers to attract bees, poetry readings outdoors, playing in shaded areas, and participating in lessons and field trips with an environmental focus.
The staff and students at Espanola High School were active participants in all events and initiatives created by the Eco Team including using refillable water bottles, schoolyard clean ups, sweater day and litterless lunches.
The Eco Team thoroughly documents garbage and recycling. Turn the Lights Off stickers remind everyone to turn off electronics when not in use and encourage lights off practices. The Queen of Green delivers morning announcements and offers green tips. Grade 10 students maintain the vermiworm composters and glowing lights from the science classroom sprout plants in the courtyard.
The greenhouse at Manitoulin Secondary School has been breathing life all winter long, where Life Skills students grow decorative plants and shrubs. The greenhouse is packed with various vegetables including an avocado tree that was nursed back to health.
Stainless recycling bins have been added to the hallways and include three compartments to avoid cross-contamination. Students are actively labeling the bins and the entire school community is doing their part to recycle. The school also held an e-waste event to collect unused electronics from community members.
The R.H. Murray Public School Eco Team performs regular waste audits, encourages energy conservation practices, and supports school-wide participation in the Board’s monthly environmental challenges.
Students take part in various eco activities including Earth Day, litterless lunches, composting, community clean ups and curriculum-based lessons in the classroom. Grade 1/2 students built a Bug Hotel, planted a butterfly/bee garden and released butterflies grown in their classroom.
Walden Public School has a dynamic Green Team that monitors lights out, completes waste management checks, encourages community clean ups and delivers environmental announcements. Teachers integrate eco themes into classroom activities.
Students maintain the school’s gardens, and a butterfly garden, and enjoy learning in the new Pond and Plateau outdoor classroom. The learning space includes a seating area, trees and wildflowers planted by teachers, students and parents/guardians, and a pond area where there is a thriving wetland ecosystem. Students use the outdoor classroom to study habitats, plants, animals and rocks.
Ontario EcoSchools is an environmental education and certification program that helps school communities develop ecological literacy and improve environmental practices to reduce the ecological footprint of schools.
The Ontario EcoSchools program encourages schools to conserve energy, minimize waste and provide students with the knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices they need to become environmentally responsible citizens.
