Ontario EcoSchool CARES - 20 CERTIFIED SCHOOLS!
Keeping the natural environment healthy for future generations
Our Board is proud to announce that 20 Ottawa Catholic schools have recently become certified as Ontario EcoSchools! To become certified, a school must demonstrate achievement in at least four key areas: energy conservation, waste minimization, ecological literacy and school ground greening for shade and energy conservation. To begin, students along with other members of the school community form an EcoTeam. The EcoTeam reviews the energy and waste practices of the school, creates and implements an action plan for improvement, and then reassesses the energy and waste practices again near the end of the school year. Teachers help students develop ecological literacy through the curriculum. School ground greening projects may be undertaken that focus on providing shade for students and the school building.
EcoSchools certifi cation recognizes a school for its environmental initiatives, awarding the school bronze, silver or gold EcoSchool status depending on how fully the school has met the requirements of the program.
EcoSchools use an innovative teaching model that helps students develop ecological literacy while engaged in practices to become environmentally responsible citizens. The certification process is designed to be achievable by beginners, while allowing experienced schools to take the program to its limits. Ontario EcoSchools was created by a consortium of education stakeholders to address environmental issues in the formal education system. The Ontario EcoSchools program is free-of-charge, supported by the Ministries of Education and Environment. Resources may be downloaded from www.ontarioecoschools.org >>
Visit each school's website for more information...view our School Directory >>
GOLD certified St. Anne students show off the garbage created in a 24-hour period before implementing Boomerang lunches, where lunches are packed in reusable containers to reduce waste.
SILVER Certified St. Joseph High School cleaning up the city.
SILVER certified Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha School implemented several initiatives that work towards a healthier school environment – including ThinkRecycle (collecting ink cartridges and cell phones), worm composters, Christmas Light Exchange and Litterless Lunches.
GOLD certified Immaculata High School's Environmental Club in front of their spectacular cafeteria garden.
GOLD certified Chapel Hill Catholic School students load up a truck with used batteries as part of the BatteryCycle program.
Click here for more information on BatteryCycle.
BRONZE certified St. Stephen School students were challenged to perform 1,000 Acts of Green – each act was written on a leaf and then added to a tree. The school had well over 1,000 leaves!
Last Updated: 2010-06-03
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