Environmental Sustainability Council

Environmental Sustainability Council Education Task Group MINUTES Thursday February 8, 2018, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., TJES Library Priority Tasks 1. Follow up room request for TJ 2. Solicit food donations for party 3. Set up Google Form about t-shirt for Party, Send out invites and spread the word Draft Minutes Call to Order: Anu Gupta (Acting Chair); Kate Walker; Naomi Goodwin, Katie Deal, Hannah Trauberman, Evelyn Duross (ESC students) Public Comments: None Review of Previous Minutes: Approved with minor changes Ongoing Business: Priority Topics In-school Coordination update  Survey: In-School Coordinators are not in favor of sending out paper surveys to every student (concerns about use of paper)  Numbers: MD and SJ numbers are lower than in previous years. Parents may be overburdened.  For SJ: Only 20% of students live in Falls Church, so may feel that the program does not apply to them. Increase outreach to SJ (Emails, events, etc.)  Received a request from a TJ Teacher about Operation EarthWatch working on TJ’s Butterfly Garden (something the program used to do). Discussed as part of Anniversary Party (below). 25th Anniversary Party  Room request has been submitted  Still need to send out Food request letters  E-vite is almost ready to be sent out – needs a link to a Google Form about T-Shirts (need to include potential cost for T-Shirts). Can include that there are door prizes.  ESC Students will send out invitation and put on personal Social Media accounts as well (also Schoology)  Invites to: Principals, City Council, Sponsors, School Board, School staffs (all teachers); City Staff (City Manager/Assistant City Manager; Kids Room Librarians  Also sent out invites to the Program Founder (Annette Mills; lives on West Coast), also Jeremy Edwards and Kathy Allen. Send info to Diane Landry. May see if they can connect via Skype.  Ask the Lion’s Club to make a small speech.  May include outdoor activities in the Butterfly Garden as an activity during the party. Hannah to ask her brother; Kate to ask Master Naturalists (FC Garden Club with technical expertise) if they can help.  Should seek recognition from City Council for 25th year  ESC Students will take care of slideshow  Activities: Recycled Butterflies, Posters for parade, Speeches, Slideshow, possibly Butterfly Garden Promotion  Also include Nextdoor.com  There are Broadmont and Falls Church families lists  See if Letty Hardi (City Council member) can include in her newsletter.  Continue sending material to City Communications person Sponsorship letters  4 sponsors have sent in donations, each for the increased amount ($250) Survey  Anu to send Kate text; Kate will send to person for FCCPS Morning Announcements Website  Naomi and Son to see if they can make website more inviting T-Shirts  Layout OK’d by Teacher Coordinators, Kate checking on cost of printing on both sides. New Business  ESC Yearly Goals: 1) Increase participation at all 3 schools; and 2) If it deemed the right move, start the process for Operation EarthWatch to become a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.  STEAM Night – February 15 at TJ. Will use EnviroScape to discuss pollutants. Will promote party and survey, as well as Bird and Insect activities from February sheet.  Bring recycled cereal boxes or similar light cardboard to March 8 meeting – Naomi can demonstrate Butterfly activity Next Meeting: March 8, 2018 at 4:30 in the TJ Library