The Go Green Initiative Movement in Syracuse

List-serve edition #4

September 19, 2006

What's in this edition:

?         An updated list of the schools in Go Green Initiative Syracuse Team

?         GREEN teams: on your mark, get set, GO!

?         Submitting notes?

?         Grant $$$$$ opportunity

?         WANTED : Your opinion

?         Environmentally conscious activity sheets from the DEC

?         Get involved with the community gardens initiative

?         Green Tip of the month -  Global Warming in the classroom  

?         Lincoln and Edward Smith weigh  in

?         NYSAR3 conference update – Come see the Illusionist! FREE!!

Welcome 2 new schools to the Go Green Initiative Team!

We’ve hit the 25 mark!

Meachem Elementary School

Clary Middle School

            25 schools have now signed up for the Go Green Initiative in Syracuse alone! We are ever moving closer to becoming a city wide team - thank to all for your participation in the Go Green Initiative!! For more information on Green Team Schools please visit www.naefrecycling.com  or www.nysar3.org

GO GO Green Teams

With the new school year underway, GREEN team meetings are set to begin! Forming your GREEN team is the most vital step in building a sustainable Go Green Initiative program at your school.GREEN team meetings must be held on a regular basis, and must consist of faculty, staff, custodians, teachers, parents and students. The following schools have scheduled meetings to date: Elmwood. Dr. Weeks, Van Duyn, Shea, HW Smith, Edward Smith, Seymour Magnet, Lincoln, McCarthy and Solace – Please contact GGI coordinator Jennifer Spoor ASAP for assistance in setting up your GREEN team meeting.

Submitting Notes? – A case for involving community

As part of the GGI program, participants are required to record meeting minutes, based on their personalized goals. The GGI in Syracuse is a unique opportunity to unite the district with superior environmental education! These notes are a unique opportunity for other schools to examine and learn from your GGI program. Notes do not need to be lengthy – a few paragraphs will do. Please submit your notes after monthly GREEN team meetings, to Jennifer Spoor at greenupny@yahoo.com  Let’s make Syracuse a model Go Green Initiative city !

Grant funding opportunity with the GGI

Congratulations to the following schools that applied for and were awarded Go Green Initiative seed money, from GGI New York sponsor NYSAR3, based on their fantastic GGI plans!

Edward Smith Elementary                           Grant Middle School

Manlius Pebble Hill                                     Frazer Middle School

Bellevue Elementary                                     Levy Middle School

Solace Elementary School                              Lincoln Middle School

HW Smith Elementary School                       Delaware Academy         

NYSAR3 will be offering GGI funding next school year. You can find more available Go Green Initiative seed money by visiting: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/teachers.htm

Wanted: Your opinion

The Next GGI newsletter is set to go out as school is starting up. This newsletter will feature GGI school Green Teams - and their goals. Now is the time to share your plans with the Go Green Team and community!  Please send your Green Team goals to Jennifer Spoor at greenupny@yahoo.com!

Community Gardening

A great chance to get involved and maybe – to have  a school garden!

Every 3^rd Thursday of the month at 9:30 am, the Menorah Park hosts a meeting of the minds. This group of concerned residents is looking to transform vacant lots located throughout Syracuse into gardens – to raise awareness about gardening and local food production and to tackle hunger right here in Syracuse! The “Syracuse hunger project – community gardening” groups consists of local farmers, members of the food bank, the cooperative extension, church volunteers, teachers, parents and other concerned citizens.

This group is looking for school participation! It is a priority to build these gardens where they are accessible to community residents – including students. To get your school involved email Jennifer Spoor, for more information.

GREEN tip of the month Global Warming:

“An Inconvenient truth” – in the classroom

Global warming may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference. If we try, most of us can do our part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the atmosphere. Al Gore’s visit to Syracuse, on September 14^th, to promote his movie (and message) “an inconvenient truth” is getting a lot of press. Now is a great time to showcase the issue of global warming to our children.  The following website is a great resource for educating children about global warming:

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/

Two GGI schools weigh in

With amazing results!

Lincoln Head Custodian Steve Ruggaber has been weighing recyclable material at Lincoln Middle School all summer long. Over 1600 lbs of paper was recycled this summer alone! And since the start of school 846 lbs of paper has been diverted from the waste stream and 64 lbs of metal!! Edward Smith, who, were the first school in NYS to sign onto the GGI in 2005, have recycled almost 12 tons of paper since they joined the GGI program. All GGI schools are expected to weigh and record the weigh of their recyclable material, on a weekly basis. For assistance please contact Jennifer Spoor.

Looking for recycling/environmental education activity sheet:

Visit the New York State department of environmental conservation’s website for environmentally conscious crossword puzzles, mazes, word-finds, fill in the blanks, coloring sheets and more! Something for every interest and age! 

For all this and more visit: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/redrecy/teachhom.htm 

Email DEC environmental education expert Debbie Jackson for  more information: dajackso@gw.dec.state.ny.us

NYSAR3 conference update – The “Illusionist”

Jill Buck is coming to New York!

The 17^th annual NYSAR3 conference is scheduled for November 16^th and 17^th.Unfortunately for many of our 5^th grade teachers and students, state history testing falls on the same days.. BUT – we won’t leave you out in the cold! FREE OF CHARGE, on November 16^th, at 6:30 pm. You are invited to see the “Illusionist” perform magic tricks with environmental flair. Join the excitement - network throughout the community -

Please RSPV ASAP with Jennifer Spoor, greenupny@yahoo.com.

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