Environmental Sustainability Council

Environmental Sustainability Council Education Task Group Tuesday, June 13th, 2017, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., Dogwood Room, City Hall Minutes 1. Call to Order Members: Sarah Beaman Bayldon (Chair); Laurel Ruland; Susan Matchett; Katie Deal (ESC Student); Niharika Singhvi (ESC Student) Public: Anu Gupta; Jessie Labukas; Naomi Goodwin; Binyamin Hassan Staff: Kate Walker (Environmental Programs Coordinator and Staff Liaison); Cindy Mester (Assistant City Manager) 2. Public Comments Eftihia Ioannidou and Jaime Iglehart expressed interest in helping with the program but were unable to attend the meeting. 3. Introduction to Operation EarthWatch – Kate Walker, Staff Liaison to ESC Participants were welcomed and the existing Operation EarthWatch program was presented. As we approach the 25th year of the program, we would like to celebrate the program’s success and reinforce its sustainability. Ideas were solicited for different elements of the program. 4. New Business  In-school coordination – currently one adult representative per school printing, distributing and collecting activity sheets and tracking participant activities. Current representatives are willing to continue to help, but are ready to pass on the responsibility after this year. The representative can be a parent volunteer in coordination with a key staff contact (usually the office manager) at the school. The program is compatible with the PYP program at City schools, but is perhaps being pushed out by the needs of the curriculum at St. James. Program publicity for the start of the school year (posters, at a minimum) is needed. Anu, Katie and Naomi expressed interest in assisting with this aspect of the program.  Activity sheets – intentionally focused on action, art (drawing and poetry) and reading, avoiding computer-based activities. The Library is actively supportive, providing relevant books each month. One or two activities per month address current environmental action in the City such as habitat restoration or Solarize campaign. It may be helpful to try to tie in to school curriculum. Anu has special expertise in design, and she, Naomi and Niharika offered to help with content.  Website – we have a great url, but are restricted in design capability by what Google Sites has to offer. Staff currently edits the site, generates monthly content and uploads participants artwork selected by the program organizers. Help from someone with knowledge of how to The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call (703) 248-5456, (TTY 711).  transfer content to a better site editor is needed. Fewer word and more pictures would probably make it more child friendly. Links to other environmental sites could add to the appeal, although we don’t want to make the site difficult to maintain or encourage too much indoor on- line activity. It was suggested that separate pages for parents could be added with suggestions for activities each month. Anu, Niharika and Naomi offered to help with content and design.  Sponsorship – the program is sponsored by 12 city businesses and civic organizations, some of whom have sponsored every year. No attempt has been made to recruit new sponsors in the past three years. The 25th anniversary gives us the opportunity both to recognize long-term sponsors and recruit new ones. We must be careful not to raise more money than we can spend, since it cannot be carried over from one year to the next. We would like to find a website sponsor, and solicit extra funding and food donations for the party this year. The swim school by Staples was suggested as a possible donor. Katie and Naomi offered to help with sponsorship.  25th Anniversary Party planning – a party at TJ Elementary School on the Saturday before Memorial Day, with program alumni, sponsors and current participants has been suggested. Party-goers could bring supplies to make posters for the Monday parade. The high school students will take the lead on party planning.  Future – the program has had such long-term success, we do not want to make changes just for the sake of it, but we do need to be ready to grow with our community and adapt to changing priorities. Tying in with the high school seems like a very good way to increase our resources and keep Operation EarthWatch going. 5. Next Meeting  TBD Staff Liaison: Kate Walker City of Falls Church 300 Park Avenue Suite 300 West Falls Church, VA 22046 Email: kwalker@fallschurchva.gov Phone: (703) 248-5297 The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call (703) 248-5456, (TTY 711).