School District: Kent
School Location: Kent
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: January 2009

Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in June 2009
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in June 2010
Level Three of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in November 2010

General

• Scenic Hill Elementary is the first school in King County to complete Level Three of the Green Schools Program.
• A suggestion box for conservation practices such as waste reduction, recycling, energy and water conservation has been placed in the lunch room for all students to access. Custodian Ginger Ott reviews the suggestions, meets with the student Green Team and considers implementation of the suggestions. Students and staff receive recognition for their suggestions.

Waste reduction and recycling

• Scenic Hill Elementary School increased its recycling rate from 12 percent to 48 percent.
• Thanks to the school’s recycling success, the size of the recycling Dumpster was increased and the frequency of garbage collection was decreased, resulting in a monthly savings of approximately $190.
• Efforts included educating students about recycling, reducing lunchtime garbage volume and expanding milk carton recycling.
• Recycling containers were added to the lunchroom for milk cartons, juice boxes, plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and recycling stickers listing what can and can’t be recycled were placed on all recycling containers.
• During 2008-09, the Scenic Hill student leadership team created posters on which they hung examples of recyclable items such as plastic bottles, milk cartons and paper. In 2009-10, students created new posters that can be found throughout the school.
• The school uses worm bins to compost small amounts of food scraps. Custodian Ott supplied worm bins and encouraged four Scenic Hill teachers to involve their classes in worm bin composting. A group of students participated in a King County Green Team worm bin workshop to learn the basics of composting with worms.
• During 2009-10, student volunteers helped with recycling during breakfast and created paper reuse bins for every classroom.
• The school received the King County recycling assembly in the fall of 2009 and had follow-up classroom workshops that focused on waste reduction and recycling.
• Fourth grade students taught first graders about how and why worm bins are used, and students place their lunch food scraps in worm bins.
• In the fall of 2010, the school started two small outdoor on-site composting bins. Students use these composting bins to compost their vegetable and fruit scraps.
• Fourth grade students help kindergarten classes with recycling every day during lunch. Other student recycling advisers are stationed at garbage and recycling bins during breakfast.
• As of Nov. 2010, the school recycles approximately 230 juice and cereal containers and 760 milk cartons per day.

Energy conservation

• During 2009-10, Scenic Hill reduced energy use by 16 percent and saved approximately $3,600 in energy costs compared to 2008-09.
• Comparing September and October 2010 with September and October 2009, Scenic Hill reduced its energy use by 37 percent.
• To save energy and heat, after-hours activities are centralized into common areas.
• Students conduct spot checks in classrooms to make sure that lights are turned off when classrooms are empty.
• Scenic Hill uses daylight to reduce energy use. Lights are kept off when daylight is sufficient.
• In the fall of 2010, students created and posted “The Power is in your Hands” posters by all light switches throughout the building to encourage energy conservation.

Litter reduction

• Students wrote and promoted an anti-litter policy for Scenic Hill that outlines student responsibility for litter cleanup. The policy will be included in the 2010-11 student handbook.
• Recycling and garbage containers are easily visible and clearly labeled.
• A litter cleanup group patrols the school grounds weekly.
• An anti-litter campaign included posters that illustrate playground litter, a sandwich board with anti-litter messages, and announcements reminding students and staff to put garbage and recyclable materials in the proper receptacles.
• Litter at Scenic Hill was reduced from approximately 150 items to 65 items per weekly pickup.

Water conservation

• Green Team students track Scenic Hill’s monthly water usage and report results on the Green Team bulletin board for students and staff to see.
• Students make weekly “water smarts” video announcements to promote water conservation facts.
• In the fall of 2010, Green Team students created water conservation posters for bathrooms. This winter, students will translate the posters into multiple languages to make certain all students are informed about water conservation.
• In the fall of 2010, Green Team students created a water conservation pledge which includes water conservation tips. The pledge was placed in the lunchroom, which is a location that all students visit daily. Many students and staff have signed the pledge.
• Scenic Hill started an “Every Drip Counts” program to inspect for leaks. Scenic Hill, one of the oldest buildings in the Kent School District, has faucets that often drip. Staff and students have been diligent about investigating leaks and reporting them to the school custodian Ginger Ott.
• Rain collection bins are housed in the courtyard of Scenic Hill. The school uses reclaimed water to irrigate surrounding plants and to wash milk cartons, trash cans and buckets.
• Drought-tolerant plants are chosen for new plantings on the school grounds.

Award

• Ginger Ott, head custodian, and the Scenic Hill conservation program received a King County Earth Hero at School award in April 2011.

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

Ginger Ott, custodian
ginger.ott@kent.k12.wa.us

Danielle Pfeiffer, principal
Danielle.pfeiffer@kent.k12.wa.us

Beth Gilbertson, Kent School District environmental services supervisor
Elizabeth.gilbertson@kent.k12.wa.us