Environmental Sustainability Council

Environmental Sustainability Council Education Task Group Thursday December 14, 2017, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m., Dogwood Room, City Hall Priority Tasks 1. Paper to Mt. Daniel (360 copies) 2. Sponsorship letters out 3. Update website with activity sheets, student work 4. Determine legality of Social Media, increased website use 5. Set room/location and sponsors for party; Ready the invites for the party 6. Develop student-run question for February worksheet 7. Develop survey questions Draft Minutes Call to Order: Susan Matchett; Anu Gupta (Acting Chair); Kate Walker (Staff Liaison); Evelyn Duross (ESC Student); Katie Deal (ESC student) Public Comments: None Review of Previous Minutes: Approved with deletion of Niharika, who did not attend Old Business: Operation EarthWatch Planning In-school coordination Mt. Daniel:  Around 50 participants in November, sheets still being turned in late. Still getting October sheets; numbers are not as low as previously thought. Some trouble meeting deadlines. In the long-term, review policy of accepting late submissions.  After discussing with teachers, clear that they want/need paper copies every month. Kids need to take a copy home. Need paper to make 360 copies each month.  Sue Smiley will fill in for Susan in January Thomas Jefferson: St. James: Increasing Participation:  Re: Offer to do presentations on the program for students - For Mt. Daniel, does not make sense to do presentations for students; must reach out to parents  Re: Survey for parents: Might not be helpful, would mostly likely get survey back from those people who are already participating. Still could ask improvement questions such as “I’d like it better if X” or asking about neighbors. Immediate action item: Develop questions for survey.  Brainstorming ideas for increasing communication about program: 1) Social media; 2) Contact Environmental Club at TJ; 3) Connect with PTAs; 4) Morning Announcements; 5) Hands-on activities at a table; 6) Post on NextDoor Neighbor; 7) Intercom/Morning Announcements at School; 8) Create an email ListServe; 9) Explore connections to Hippo Hooray’s; 10) Put up more posters; 11) More use of website, direct more people to website (putting more pictures onto website, sending out email or morning announcement blast about new additions to website). Immediate action item: Anonymize student work on website, and determine legality of using student names/work on website. In the long-term, create a Communications Strategy. Activity Sheets  January sheet is done, share with team. Naomi developing some new questions, including linking to PYP and school curriculum.   ESC Student members want to participate in more hands-on opportunities would like to develop a student-run activity for the February worksheet that is hands-on. Immediate action item: Develop activity and question and send to Naomi for inclusion in February worksheet.  Discussion, no conclusion about use of online forum to submit responses.  Addition of a Climate Change question/possible new long-term problems.  Suggested “Litter Day” activity (e.g. picking up litter) Website  Website needs to be updated with pictures of student work (Kate has digital files), also December worksheet (Completed) and FAQs.  ESC Students working on website: Reach out to Mr. Knight at GMHS, person named James is working on updating the site; GM Hack Club will continue?  Want to keep the URL, but may use different program.  Immediate Action Item: Identify possible new web platforms to host/design site while keeping URL, including cost and maintenance needs going forward (Anu and Evelyn). See also above: Drive more traffic to website with communications. 25th Anniversary Party Planning  Room/Location still has to be set. ESC Students to continue reaching out to Seve Padilla, if cannot make contact then adult will step in and go directly to Principal Swanson. Immediate Action Item: Settle location, and/or go to back up plans.  Have names of past participants/alumni, ESC Students still looking for contact information.  Hannah has list of people still in FCCPS, and recent grads; is creating an evite.  Agreed: Invite teachers, City Council members, School Board members.  ESC Students at Mason can put a notice on Schoology.  How to reach out to St. James students alumni?  T-shirt for participants; have them in parade? Alumni could pay for own shirt, need online link.  Food for the party is a big priority. See next section on sponsorship letters.  Immediate action item: Anu will check in with Hannah about data.  Immediate action item: Develop list of tasks, prioritize party planning, including such things as a Google Form and Save the Date.  Immediate action item: Add party information to website, so Schoology can link to it, possibly sign-up. Sponsorship  Immediate action item: Sponsorship letters need to go out immediately on letterhead, with increased ask. Kate to send to Anu to review.  Immediate action item: Anu to create list of possible new sponsors (e.g. child, environmental business sponsors)  Explore possibility of Performer/Presenter at party?  Action item: Select on person on the Committee to act as sponsorship liaison / status  Immediate action item: Decide whether to ask restaurants for food for party, send out asks. Operation Earthwatch as a Nonprofit (Deferred to a later meeting) New Business (input from Cory included)  Improved role for ESC Students (using their strengths and interests) and having them be more engaged in hands-on activities – e.g. Pop Ups, Social Media, etc. Start with student-run activity for February.  Anu has started a Facebook Page. Figure out legality of using Social Media, pass on to students to run.  Thank you/Holiday cards for sponsors Next Meeting: January 11, 2018 (Rescheduled to January 18 at 4:15)