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Education for sustainability is a lifelong learning process that leads to an
informed and involved citizenry having the creative problem-solving skills, scientific and
social literacy, and commitment to engage in responsible individual and cooperative
actions. These actions will help ensure an environmentally sound...economically prosperous
[and socially equitable] future.
President's Council on
Sustainable Development
A sustainable school is one that maximizes the educational opportunities in its
total life to create a total learning community committed to contributing to a more
sustainable future. In a sustainable school, students -- and everyone else -- will see
the intellectual concern for a sustainable future mirrored in the practical decisions in
the cafeteria, during construction or renovations, in the inclusion of students and
custodial staff in energy efficiency training and initiatives, in transportation policies
or in the design and maintenance of schoolyards etc.
To date, we have identified eight focal points to address in creating a
sustainable school; each focal point is a doorway to involvement for different
stakeholders in the formal educational system:
1) schools and their campus as a total learning environment
2) the curriculum
3) extra-curricular activities, community service and outreach
4) professional development
5) constructing, renovating and retrofitting facilities
6) institutional purchasing practices
7) transportation and
8) parental and community involvement.
Initial Objectives:
- To raise the awareness level regarding sustainable schools among teacher leaders,
school board members, business administrators, principals and superintendents through
prominent participation in their annual conventions and other educational opportunities,
including keynote presentations, participatory workshops, exhibit booths and the creation
of a Sustainable Schools Slide Show.
- To assist 6 schools in developing Model School Programs to demonstrate elements
of sustainable schools.
- To increase the number of schools in the Sustainable Schools Network (target: 200
schools) and create a computerized database for the SSN.
- To identify and promote to the SSN sustainability curricular resources that meet
corresponding State Core Curriculum Standards' requirements.
- To establish regular communications among the partnering organizations and
participating schools by preparing at least 4 articles for inclusion in the newsletters
and/or web sites of partnering organizations, by maintaining a listserv for the SSN
featuring an interactive monthly discussion question, and by creating and maintaining a SSN web page with a calendar of
events being conducted by SSN partners.
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