Best Management Practices - Ohr Chadash Academy
Energy Conservation:
- Energy monitors - Students are tasked with being energy monitors. This means they are in charge of shutting off the lights and/or air conditioner. Students know this act will help reduce energy consumption. One energy monitor is assigned per class (7 classes=7 students) and they switch throughout the year.
Structures for Outdoor Learning:
- The Early Childhood Center's playground is environmentally friendly by being a natural playground. Structures are built from upcycled materials, tree bark and non toxic materials. The children love climbing and playing on the structures, knowing at a young age that these structures were made from environmentally friendly materials. Children are also encouraged to use what is around them (from the outside) to play with ie. sticks, leaves, rocks, etc. Students are encouraging their teachers to take them outside to play on their natural playground. Students find objects in nature and add them to their playground. There are 56 students who use the structures & encourage their teachers!
- Teachers are encouraged to take their lessons outside of the classroom, to the outdoors. Teachers use the facility's large outdoor space and wooden picnic tables to teach lessons.
- Students are lucky to have a few garden plots on campus. They are taught the cycle of planting and harvesting by planting bulbs. The Environmental Club, which has 16 students, is in charge of keeping up the gardens and helping the other students with it. An edible garden is underway and students have planted a few vegetables already. Once the seeds bloom, students will pick the harvest and enjoy as a healthy snack. Students will use their composted soil in the garden.
Solid Waste Reduction:
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- Dec. - January 2016 - The Student Government, which has 13 students, ran a "winter" clothing drive where families were asked to recycle any gently worn clothing that they would not be using anymore. The bags of clothes were donated to the Purple Heart Foundation. Over 10 huge bags were collected and recycled!
- 10/28/15 - Present - The Environmental Club and Pre-K classes (71 students) came together to develop "Trash Free Tuesdays!" 3 lunch monitors go around and check who has trash free lunch. Those children who have trash free lunches are rewarded. This encourages others to bring in trash free lunches as well. Students were taught what constitutes a trash free lunch, and parents were educated as to how to incorporate this into their packing lunch routine.
- September 2015 - Present - The ECC uses upcycled materials in their classroom for various purposes. Examples include tree bark used as "benches" for the kids to sit on while reading. A cave was made out of bark while the students were learning about bears and hibernation. Soda liter bottles are used to house rocks and soil for an on-going hydroponics lesson.
Healthy School Environment:
- November 2015 - Present - 14 students went around and put plants into each room of the school to promote clean air. Specific students are assigned to water and weed the plants and make sure no other students are harming them.
- May 2016 -Trash Day - In addition to "Grab & Go," fifth grade students, 13 in all, will be tasked with taking a day to clean up their campus, classroom, and surrounding areas. This will take place on Sunday, May 22nd and involve students and their families. Students will run a "drive campaign" to see who could "clean up" the environment the most!