School District: Highline
School Location: SeaTac
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: November 2007

Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2009
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2012

Waste reduction and recycling (level one)

• Madrona Elementary School increased its recycling rate from 32 percent to 54 percent.
• Due to increased recycling, the school cut its garbage volume in half and eliminated one of its two, 4-yard garbage Dumpsters, thus reducing costs by $589 per month.
• Students from one class at Madrona  assist with emptying the recyclable materials in common area and office recycling bins.
• Newsletter articles, staff email and notices on the staff bulletin are used to promote the school’s waste reduction and recycling efforts.
• Teacher Eve Kolakowski organized a “no paper day” in 2009, when both students and staff learned more about paper consumption and its impacts on the environment.
• Madrona staff eliminated unwanted newspaper subscriptions and mail by requesting removal from vendor mailing lists. Staff member Amy McManamon continues to unsubscribe from unwanted subscriptions and mailings on behalf of the school.
• The school instituted “reuse it” boxes for paper that has only been used on one side. Eighty percent of the school’s teachers use these boxes in their classrooms. 
• Recycling containers were added to the lunchroom for milk cartons, juice boxes, plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
• School staff placed recycling stickers on classroom and lunchroom recycling containers and above recycling bins. The stickers list what can and cannot be recycled.
• The school reduced lunchtime garbage volume by recycling plastic bottles, aluminum cans, juice boxes and milk cartons. Madrona Elementary recycles over 600 milk cartons per day.
• Several teachers take home lunchroom food scraps and pizza boxes to be placed in their household yard waste bins.

Energy conservation (level two)

• Working with district resource conservation manger Pandora Touart, Madrona reduced its energy consumption by 31 percent. One large contributing factor was the adjustment of the timing of the occupancy sensor system.
• Students monitor lights and make sure computers are turned off over weekends, while reminders about turning off lights and monitors are posted in the bulletin.
• A staff member works with the custodian to ensure that all outside doors are closed during recess to contain the heat within the building.

For more information about the school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:

Eve Kolakowski, teacher
Evelynn.kolakowski@highlineschools.org

Pandora Touart, resource conservation manager for Highline School District
pandora.touart@highlineschools.org