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Highlighting Schools & Teache​rs
Furthering Energy Education

​​Schools and teachers across Wisconsin are accomplishing amazing things by introducing their students to real-world experiences that will prepare them for life after school. These stories highlight just a few of the energy education successes that showcase how energy literacy is increasing in Wisconsin.

 Student-Centerd Solutions at Chippewa High School

Student-Centered Solutions at Chippewa High School

 

When thinking of climate and energy efforts in Wisconsin, K-12 schools are a vital component to consider when incorporating innovativeChippHS Green Team_cropped.jpg solutions.  At the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), we focus on equipping educators with placed-based energy education resources to create and foster healthy, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient schools. The KEEP program is a part of the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. The program is funded by the six major utilities across Wisconsin - Xcel Energy, Madison Gas and Electric, WPPI, WPS, Alliant, and We Energies. This funding allows us to provide diverse services to students and teachers in Wisconsin schools to increase energy literacy and efficiency.  

   

At KEEP, we offer professional development, place-based activities, and hands-on resources for teachers to incorporate energy education into their schools and encourage responsible energy use. Our work also supports schools across Wisconsin participating in the national Renew Our Schools Competition hosted by Resource Central. This six-week energy conservation challenge awards the winning team money for energy-efficient improvements in their school. KEEP also hosts several meetings during the year for student green teams across the state to meet, collaborate and share ideas. As part of this support, KEEP offers mini-grants for high school students to explore energy education within their school.   

 

Students utilize our mini-grants to buy equipment, tools, or other items that assist them in their energy education projects/initiatives. This mini-grant process gives students first-hand experience with grant writing and provides funds to explore topics in energy. Note the excellent work these students are accomplishing with this first-hand account from Chippewa High School's Green Team the "Heat Punchers."   

 

“We have always questioned why some classrooms in our school are freezing, while other classrooms are boiling. Due to this, we’ve found our problem: heat is escaping our school in areas where it shouldn’t be, causing a waste of fossil fuels, and use of more school expenditures. With this in mind, we've used thermal imaging technology via drones and cameras to find and take pictures of problematic areas in our school. Thanks to the KEEP mini-grant, we began by identifying areas of heat loss, with a focus on building envelope openings. Building envelope openings are mainly concentrated on doors, windows, and vents. So far, we've identified that a majority of the school's doors lack proper sealing, therefore, this needs to be addressed. As of now, we’re categorizing findings through the use of a grid system and defining why those areas are problematic.    

 

This leads to one of our short-term goals, which is finding areas where thermal energy is escaping, and then organizing and analyzing the data, allowing the establishment of what we can fix. Specifically, by prioritizing areas of low expenses versus high expenses. Low areas include places such as better sealing for windows and doors. Additionally, high areas include places such as roofs, ventilation systems, or a completely new heating/cooling system. So far, using thermal imaging, we’ve identified several places, such as a roll-up door in the band room and most tech-ed windows, all of which are emitting a substantial amount of thermal energy.    Touched Up Article 2.jpg

Ultimately, our goal is to apply for a 1 million dollar grant through the Energy Innovation Grant Program (EIGP). This grant would allow us to carry out actions to conserve heat and energy inside our school. Preserving natural gas, our school’s energy supplier will decrease the amount of pollution being emitted. Natural gas emits methane; a detrimental greenhouse gas that contributes to 3% of US total greenhouse gas emissions. Decreasing the amount of methane emitted leads to an increase in air quality, consequently, reducing health issues in humans, animals, and crops. In the end, the EIGP grant will enable us to fix problematic areas, therefore, facilitating the change needed to improve our environment. 

    

Overall, our school spends approximately $212,200 in gas each year. Compounding the issue, natural gas prices have gone up about 200% in the last year. If we are given the EIGP grant, we could reduce the amount of money spent on heat by 5-10%. This would improve our school along with the environment.” - Chippewa High School Students   
   

These students, like so many, are taking on the challenges of energy efficiency and climate impacts in their schools. We cannot build climate resilience without learning how to produce, consume, and conserve energy responsibly. What better way to learn responsible energy use than through personally relevant hands-on opportunities and career explorations that allow for meaningful learning experiences for all students. KEEP is proud to support our Wisconsin schools in their energy education as they strive to become more energy-efficient and climate-resilient.   

Contributions to the project and article above were made by Nicholas Gagnon, Science Teacher at Chippewa High School and the following students: Iverson Beckwith, Monte Brown, Evelyn Kelly, Karson Balsinger, Bella Biederman, Kam Glamann, Adia Hardt, Maddie Hunt, Nate Mason, Taylor Simonson.


This article will also appear in the Spring 2022 issue of Wisconsin People & Ideas.

 Jenn Sattler, Davis Child Care Center, Oshkosh


Jenn Sattler also famously known as “Farmer Jenn” found her love for gardening while growing up on a farm in southern Wisconsin. Sattler Harvesting the Garden.jpgcompleted her bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. During her time at UW-Oshkosh, she held a variety of positions but found her passion teaching as she worked for the Science Outreach program. With the program, she would go into schools teaching children a variety of science topics. Following college, she started working for Growing Oshkosh, a nonprofit urban farm in Oshkosh, WI. She spent three years there as the School Garden Coordinator and the Youth Program Manager helping with school gardens and educating children about the importance of food. In 2017, she joined Davis Child Care Center as a Garden Specialist/Science Teacher.

For the past three years with Davis Child Care Center, Farmer Jenn has been looking for ways to innovate local food options for kids, create an outdoor classroom and expand the Davis Child Care gardens. Starting out small, together, they have been able to expand the center to provide students with more opportunities to learn outside as well as creating a program to enhance STEM learning.

Since 1990, Davis Child Care Center has been providing childcare for children six weeks through eight years of age and includes an outdoor classroom with a playground space dedicated to outdoor play-based learning. Through partnerships such as Growing Oshkosh and North High School Communities Program, they have been able to expand their garden with more garden beds and food offerings. Throughout the week classrooms visit this space and receive hands-on garden lessons from Farmer Jenn. Ideally once a week, Jenn gets to visit classrooms to teach about a variety of topics such as biology, ecology, chemistry and physics through the STEM program.
Copy of Worm Bin Lesson (10).jpgThe garden has been a great space to teach because the kids are the ones doing the growing and the weeding, it helps them stay engaged in learning about math and science. As a Green and Healthy School, Jenn has also been able to teach about sustainability and the importance of recycling and reduced waste. One of Jenn’s first initiatives at the Davis Child Care Center was creating a Worm Farm. This taught children about converting waste to energy from their daily food scraps such as banana peels and how worm castings are used to fertilize their garden.

One of their favorite activities is of course using slime and Oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid. Through the STEM program, the children can partake in activities to make volcanoes and paste from everyday household ingredients like baking soda and vinegar. A lot of these activities are made to be open-ended and wonder together to get a better understanding of these topics.
One piece of advice Jenn has for other educators is to start small and what you are comfortable with. At Davis Child Care Center, she was able to start with gardens and biology but now she is branching off into teaching chemistry. Utilizing online resources in your curriculum is a great way to find new activities for your classroom. Another big factor in the success of her programs is letting herself have fun with the kids. If you are excited about the activity, the kids will be just as excited.

If you are interested in learning more about what Davis Child Care Center offers, check out their website here:
http://davischildcare.com/

 Travis Augustine & Bill Harris, Class ACT Charter School, Chequamegon School District

Travis's Pictures (3) cropped.jpgSince 2016, Travis Augustine has been an advisor for Class ACT Charter School in Chequamegon School District. After graduating high school in Rhinelander and attending UW-Marathon for a short time, Travis met his wife and started a family. After working in and out of factories for ten years and having a couple year stint in cable television, Travis knew he wanted to pursue a future in education. In 2015 Mr. Augustine graduated from UW-Stevens Point and was offered a position with the Chequamegon School District at Class ACT Charter School, a project-based learning school with a mission to empower critical thinkers to seek meaningful experiences as problem solvers. Travis is one of two teachers at the charter school who advises 9th-12th grade students along their learning journey.
As Travis was looking for an energy project to add to his curriculum, he met Bill Harris of Renewable World Energies. Through their collaboration, the Energy Camp Project found its beginning. Together, they conceived a project that would immerse students in an off-grid situation. Mr. Augustine takes students on a five-day field trip with a net-zero living mission. During the mission, students "take the house off the grid," complete with a tent experience, set up of an eight-panel solar array, batteries, and a power inverter.

The goal is to use energy as you would for making food, plugging in phones and of course, making coffee. Overuse of the solar energy brought in during the day can cause energy loss at a critical time. As a group, they decide if the solar in the batteries is enough for cooking and lights, or maybe enough for a movie at night. "This is a tough challenge for these students and failure is totally an option." During this experience, students measure their energy usage and generation from the solar panels and make modifications to their plan in accordance with how much energy they have left. This is just one of the experiences that Bill and his team have been able to create with Mr. Augustine.
From sixth grade on, Bill Harris has always had a love for energy. He graduated in 1977 with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois. This qualified him to work in the utility industry, where he solved power flow challenges and worked with distribution, transmission, and generation processes.

After working as a field engineer for almost two years, he found his way into hydroelectric generation and has never looked back. Over twenty years, Bill and his business partner purchased roughly forty-four hydroelectric plants. They eventually sold these and Bill started Renewable World Energies, which currently owns over twenty hydroelectric power plants throughout the Upper Midwest.

Check out Iron Mountain's 2018 Energy Camp movie. To learn more about these programs visit, https://www.renewableworldfoundation.org/
Bill has committed to bringing his knowledge to classrooms across the Midwest through a variety of student engagement opportunities offered by Renewable World Foundation, a foundation he created to bring hands-on experiences directly to students in energy, environmental science and physical science.

Day at the Dam is one of the more popular opportunities where students visit a hydroelectric plant and learn the physics of operating and maintaining a plant. The Renewable World Foundation hosts several projects including Electricity and Magnetism, Energy Camp, Conservation and Water Resources, Outdoor Sustainable Education and Summer High Adventure.
Adaptations were made to several school programs this year including Mr. Augustine’s class. Utilizing the opportunity their school forest offers for safe instruction, they brought education outdoors daily. Using a nearby spring fed lake, Mr. Augustine’s class investigated the flow of water to calculate how much energy moves through their school property. Another ongoing project includes the creation of a mobile lab from a converted, retired school bus into science stations with microscopes. His students also analyze renewable energy production within buildings and discuss the amount of energy used when running heaters, using chrome books, etc. The students have come to appreciate the convenience of an outlet through these energy education related projects.

Through their collaboration, Bill and Travis have both brought an open mind and curiosity to each project. One piece of advice they have for teachers is to take advantage of every hands-on experience they can get. At the end of the day, they want students to be inspired to be lifelong learners and understand intelligence is knowing where to find an answer by asking questions.

 Laureanna Raymond-Duvernell, Environmental Educator, School District of Waukesha

Laureanna profile pic.jpgIn 2006, Laureanna Raymond-Duvernell had completed her master’s degree in Environmental Education from UW-Stevens Point. From there, Laureanna found her passion combining her love for the outdoors and teaching. She grew up in Edgerton, WI on a 125-acre family farm with plenty of opportunities to get outside. After completing her Elementary Education and Teaching undergraduate degree from UW-Madison, she worked as a Hamilton School District teacher for a total of eight years. During this time, she also completed her master’s degree and was able to connect with like-minded people who shared her same passions. After raising her two daughters, she joined the KEEP program as an ad hoc instructor where she mentors new teachers and is involved in the environmental education curriculum process.

As Laureanna was working for the KEEP program, she found the opportunity to work part-time for the School District of Waukesha as an environmental educator. The School District of Waukesha has an environmental education program that is built right into their science curriculum. Laureanna, along with her fellow educators, see about 10,000 students a year in 4k-8th grade. They are outdoors with them studying anything from water studies to glaciers and landforms to animal adaptations.

This program has been around since the 1970s and has been dedicated to enhancing the environmental education aspect of their teacher’s curriculums back in the classroom. One activity they do for fifth graders includes going to the Fox River and learning what different water qualities look like and what makes a marsh different which is all related to the student’s watershed education. Another activity that Laureanna teaches is ice investigations with 7th graders, the class analyzes road de-icers using infrared thermometers to help determine which substances work best at breaking down ice on the roads.

The pandemic has affected schools across the country, and many have had to convert to online classes. With that, the environmental program that Laureanna is a part of had to adapt to these times as well. Bringing things online brought new approaches to their learning. So, taking a concept like energy education was an opportunity to ask questions such as, where is this electricity coming from that powers this computer, the Wi-Fi signal, etc.? How is it created and what are the effects of that resource extraction? Laureanna has been a strong advocate in using technology to assist in lessons and this year was an opportunity to do just that.

For the past four years, Laureanna has been a guest presenter with Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She creates energy-related presentations for pre-service teachers so they can find an appreciation for energy education and integrate new lessons into their future classrooms. One idea that is continually taught is that energy is something we use every day without thinking about it each day. For example, the use of web applications, turning on lights, and eating food all require energy.
Two of her favorite KEEP activities that she enjoys showing pre-service teachers are Digging for Coal and Renewable Candy Resources. One simulates coal mining and its correlated effects through chocolate chip cookies. The other simulates a tragedy of the commons type scenario where if you take too much of a nonrenewable resource, in this case candy, it will run out, and how you can factor in renewables to help resolve some of those issues.

One piece of advice Laureanna strives to tell her pre-service teachers is to figure out what you are passionate about. She never imagined that she would be working for a school district teaching environmental education and teaching across the state but following her passion, has made educating worth it.

Last fall, Laureanna published her first book, called Under in the Mud. If you are interested in learning more about her work, check out her website: https://www.laureannawrites.com/


 S.U.N. Squad: Sustainability Under One Nation with Menominee Indian High School Students

Sun Squad.jpgAfter a 24-year career at East De Pere High School, Christine Fossen-Rades needed a new challenge. She wanted to teach hands-on science where you can literally get your hands wet! In September 2019, she landed her dream job as the Environmental Science teacher at Menominee Indian High School (MIHS): a school where project-based learning was a priority. Upon starting, Christine recognized that as the unfamiliar face she needed to build trust and prove her commitment, so she started a science club. The science club was open to the whole school and its purpose was simple: to learn and educate the rest of the community. After 50 students signed up for the club, its first order of business was to create a name. After extensive deliberation they settled on a name that gave relevance to native culture and reflected sustainability values: S.U.N. Squad (Sustainability Under One Nation)! The club determined their goal was to reduce energy consumption at the high school by installing solar panels.

Christine knew that you cannot just stick solar panels up on the roof and expect them to do all the work. First, they needed to increase the energy efficiency of the building and to do that they needed to establish a baseline for current energy consumption.
Developing a Foundation
Christine and the S.U.N. Squad went to an energy and climate course for high school students at Trees for Tomorrow Environmental Education Center. They spent four days learning about energy efficiency, climate change and renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. In the woods of Eagle River, the students learned about thermal insulation of snow, used professional energy auditing tools to map the energy flow indoors and out and made recommendations on how to increase energy efficiency from data collected from their energy audit. The hands-on experience took learning to a new level, and the extended group experience developed team-building skills and bonds that produced a high-functioning club. (In 2018, the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) had the pleasure of providing consultation for the development of this course!)

Connections 
Armed with their new-found energy efficiency knowledge, the S.U.N. Squad focused on their next goal: obtaining an energy audit of the Menominee Indian High School building. From her time as an adjunct instructor at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), Christine knew that college students in the Energy Management Technology program needed to conduct an energy audit to receive their degree. She connected with NWTC instructor Jenny Brinker and revealed her idea of using the MIHS building as a project for NWTC students, as well as a way for her own students to be involved. Jenny loved the idea and invited the S.U.N. Squad to NWTC’s new Great Lakes Energy Education Center, a 30,000 square-foot energy training facility. During the visit, the college students taught the S.U.N. Squad to put together circuits and shared their college experiences and career goals.

To cement the real-world connection for the S.U.N. Squad, after the NWTC visit, they headed over to the Oneida Reservation where Mike Troge, Oneida Solar Energy Project Manager, gave them a tour of the 800-kilowatt solar system installed in 2018. The students learned that the project would generate approximately $80,000 per year in savings, that it would reduce carbon emissions by 700 metric tons each year, and most importantly, they saw a model of success from someone like them.

It Takes a Village 
To introduce the project and begin documenting the energy baseline, Christine brought together Jenny and NWTC students - with the MIHS principals, facilities staff and, of course, the S.U.N. Squad. The facilities staff gave the students a tour of the MIHS HVAC system and provided past energy and gas bills. While the college students did the technical aspects of the energy audit, the S.U.N. Squad was assigned data collection tasks such as counting light fixtures, appliances, and windows and logging temperatures and taking thermal images around window and door frames. They were also in charge of stakeholder communication.

The S.U.N. Squad presented at the school board on multiple occasions. They presented what they had learned at Trees for Tomorrow, their goals for the energy audit, and were able to demonstrate their big-picture vision for the project. The school board was so impressed with the students that they gained project support from the principals and superintendent. The S.U.N. Squad has plans to present the energy audit results to the school board and facility staff. Once they receive the results, they hope to start with the low hanging fruit and will look for grants to help them implement this project.

Christine says, her goal is "more than about education, or saving money for the school, or reducing C02 emissions, or science, it is about developing active citizens who feel empowered!"


 Waupaca High School Construction Class Emphasizes Energy Efficiency

20181115_095443.jpgEach school day, a group of high school students heads outside to the parking lot, not to get in their cars and leave for lunch, but to build a house. A Waupaca High School construction class is providing education in construction skills and highlighting the importance of energy efficient building while providing students with desirable skills when entering the workforce.
Started about seven years ago by former Technical Education teachers Jim Richmond and Dave Larson, Jacob Cogger took over the class in 2018. Formerly a small construction company owner from Vancouver, BC, Mr. Cogger also taught technical education in Oregon state for four years before moving to Wisconsin.

Mr. Cogger shared, “The class teaches students how to build a house from foundation to finish. Depending on the production schedule students learn how to read blueprints, frame, side, roof, insulation, wire, plumb, drywall, etc. After a student has completed two semesters within the course, they should be able to walk onto any job site and have a solid overview of each of these respective trades.”
When Mr. Cogger took over last school year the house that he had planned on building fell through in October and he had to scramble.

“I called up Blenker Construction to see if they had any ideas. Jason Blenker said that we could just recycle the old building plan from last year’s class. They really came through in a big way. The current house is 1600 square feet with an attached garage that is being built in the parking lot and will be moved to a foundation.”

Mr. Cogger is responsible for keeping the production on track. He is the sole teacher on-site with 10-16 students at a time. He works to keep everyone busy, engaged, and producing a quality product. This coupled with scheduling sub-contractors can be a struggle.

“Most of my subcontractors are extremely busy. It can be difficult scheduling them into the parameters of a school day.” The project subcontracts with Nett Electric, Woolsey Plumbing, Billies HVAC, and J and L Drywall.

Acknowledging the importance of energy efficient building, Mr. Cogger incorporates this topic in his class with professional energy equipment found in the Energy Audit Kit, borrowed from the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP).
“Very small things in a building can pay big dividends to make a building more energy efficient and livable. Simple things like proper installation of insulation around a rim joist, checking that insulation was properly installed, not only has implications for the future owner’s energy bill, but also for the longevity of the building.”

Mr. Cogger said, “the Energy Audit Kit allowed students to view first-hand why some of the details we obsess over are worth it.” He sent each student home with a different set of tools each day including a light meter, infrared thermometer, infrared camera, watt meter, and temperature and humidity sensor. 

“It’s one thing to show students a picture of thermal bridging and another to have them look at their own walls at home. I also think that this was the first time that my students ever even thought about where their energy comes from and the cost that their parents have to heat/cool and light their home.”

What are Mr. Cogger’s future plans for the class? He would like to continue to expand on increasing building performance using diagnostic tools like blower door tests to help determine a home's airtightness. “Additionally, I think th at there could be curriculum potential through the lens of building more efficiently.”

If you would like to bring energy efficiency to your construction class, or any class, contact KEEP to borrow the Energy Audit Kit or schedule a workshop for teachers or students on energy efficient school buildings. 


 River Falls’ Meyer Middle School Students Tackle Affordable and Clean Energy Goals for Annual Service Learning Day

mms.jpg

River Falls’ Meyer Middle School Students Tackle Affordable and Clean Energy Goals for Annual Service Learning Day

Each spring Meyer Middle School brings students and community together for a service learning day centered on the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. For this day, students plan and carry out projects to build a better future, everything from trash pickups to volunteering with local non-profits like Feed My Starving Children.

Even Principal Mark Chapin is bustling around during service learning day. When asked how and why this annual event was created, Principal Chapin mentioned the desire for a strengthened school/community bond and said that this was not only a great opportunity to connect with the River Falls community, but to give students insights into future careers. In past years, students have built trails and shared veterans’ stories with families. “I think these are the times in kids’ education where they may say I’m going to get in biology. We had a blood drive, I may go into nursing now,” Chapin said.

Teacher Brian Schils and 26 students chose to focus on Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. The group met over several months to brainstorm ways to help reach Goal 7. When asked why they chose this goal, Mr. Schils mentioned the school’s drive to become greener and healthier and that he and the students “latched on to energy.” Schils’ group decided to become energy auditors for the day to determine their school’s energy efficiency. In preparation, Aleisha Miller, of Miller E.S.C.A.P.E., taught students how to use tools from the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program’s (KEEP) Energy Audit Kit, such as light meters and infrared thermometers, to collect school building energy data. The May 11, 2018, service learning day was spent in small groups scattered throughout the school measuring light levels, recording temperatures, and inventorying types of lightbulbs. Students took their findings and developed recommendations to share.

KEEP staff Melissa Alexander shared the day with Meyer Middle School teachers and students, noting students were as passionate as adults about making sustainable changes in the school. One student mentioned his love for all things electronic and that any way he can help to save energy, he’d do it. Another student mentioned that everyone can make a difference, and “if we can do something in this school itself, then maybe we can help [save energy]. One step at a time.”

Before the day was over, students prepared reports to share with the school’s administration. Meyer Middle School’s 2018 Service Learning Day was a success!

 Students Explore Building Heat Leaks Using Energy Audit Tools

Students Explore Building Heat Leaks Using Energy Audit Tools - An Inquiry-based Approach to Learning About Energy

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s annual STEAM Point Day for Boys fell on November 2 this year. Perfect timing for KEEP’s planned session with the weather outside starting to get chilly! This year, KEEP staff and a student in the environmental education and interpretation program had students investigating how heat might escape our cozy homes and buildings when winter approaches. Students used infrared thermometers and thermal imaging cameras to detect the cold spots inside and the warm areas outside a building.

Students explored where heat might be escaping from inside a building. From electrical outlets to lights, they scoured every inch of a room to uncover heat leaks using infrared thermometers. Infrared thermometers are devices that measure surface temperature of an object. Using this technology, students discovered that much of a room needs sufficient insulation to retain heat, including the ceiling, floor, and exterior walls.

Students continued their temperature investigations using thermal imaging cameras. Thermal imaging cameras help measure surface temperatures by displaying a thermal spectrum of the area targeted. These cameras were used to investigate how quickly the temperature indoors drops when a door is opened. Students also looked at the importance of insulation with a human demonstration. Students measured each other’s temperatures and compared temperatures based on the amount of layers other students were wearing. They found that within 30 seconds, students who had less outside layers were 10° cooler than others.

    Student takeaways you can use at school or home for keeping heat in and saving money:
  • Insulate, insulate, insulate
  • Ceilings and floors should be properly insulated
  • Electrical outlets and light switches can be insulated to prevent heat loss
  • Corners of rooms can lose heat if not well insulated
  • Seal it up
  • Windows should be properly sealed
  • Cover windows with plastic to help keep heat in
  • Use draft stoppers under your doors to keep warm air in
  • Habits
  • Keep your thermostat low and layer up!

Visit energy.gov or check out your local utility for more winter energy saving tips!



 Patricia Klabunde, 5th/6th grade STEM teacher, Doerfler School, Milwaukee

A Science Centered Classroom

Patricia Klabunde | 5th/6th grade STEM teacher | Anna F. Doerfler School, Milwaukee

 

Last year, I started teaching at a new school. I was given the opportunity to participate in a science learning journey through Discovery World and decided that I would make science a focus of the classroom. Throughout my years in school, I always loved science and was saddened to see it take such a back seat in so many classrooms. With that decision, I was constantly looking at the MPS website and asking my principal to forward any opportunities in science. When we were awarded the ReFlo grant to redo our playground, we formed a green team that I joined and decided my classroom would also be a part of. Through that I was offered to attend the PD session in May through the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) that focused on energy [titled Using the School Building and Our Local Environment as a Teaching Tool to Engage Students]. Once I attended that session I was hooked. I kept getting the emails with amazing opportunities to learn more ways to integrate science into my classroom through KEEP. I attended the Green Schools conference with my school at the end of the year and touched base with KEEP; they informed me that there were scholarships [to attend summer programming] and that same night I applied for two sessions back-to-back. [The sessions Patricia participated in were Energy Curriculum for Real-world STEM Education and Energize Your Curriculum with Renewable Energy.] I decided that teaching rigorous and engaging science in my classroom was worth a drive. I have a passion for the outdoors and decided to integrate the two; I reserved a campsite close by [the workshop locations in Stevens Point] and took a drive. 

  A Science Centered Classroom  

Being a part of KEEP has been such an amazing and exciting journey. They have given me so many resources and ideas for amazing activities in my classroom. With the help of the KEEP workshops I have successfully made my classroom a science centered classroom. Students oftentimes will ask what our next experiment is and are always locked into learning during science. There is not a day that goes by where a student does not ask me a question regarding science. Recently, I taught a spin-off of a KEEP lesson on renewable and non-renewable energy (see Renewable Candy Resources). [This lesson divides the class into different roles in the community. For example, some students represent either a teacher, student, engineer, or office staff at a school. Another group of students will work as firefighters at the local fire station. A third group of students represent different tasks in a home. Each student is to list all the jobs or actions for each person they are representing that uses energy. All actions they list will allow them one piece of candy from a central pile. If a particular action lasts longer than 15 minutes (chromebook usage), they’ll have to take two pieces of candy. If an action lasts all day (lights on), they will take three pieces of candy. After “three” days pass, students discover what their candy represents, if they have enough energy units to accomplish all their tasks and discuss ways they could have used less energy while still accomplishing tasks.][CJ[REC2]  The kids were so engaged and even asked if we could repeat the lesson. The best part of being involved with KEEP is seeing the joy on my students faces when they are engaged and excited about science. 

Science with the Substitute  

During the last workshop I participated in in November titled Solar Energy Education Using Your School’s Solar Dashboard, I did leave an energy-related activity for [the sub to do with] my students. Since my students participate in science daily, they are familiar with how our science classroom runs. All I left for my sub was the activity directions with an example, and an outline of the activities. We have been talking about alternative energy sources in relation to Earth's limited resources and have identified wind energy as a renewable energy. This was an intro activity to renewable energy and the concept of energy. Students made pinwheels from a template and pencils writing Newton's laws of energy on each "blade". Then they filled out a wind power investigation sheet through independent research online. When I got back, we went over making the pinwheels and what they learned about wind energy. I also brought in a mini solar powered turbine as an example of what a wind turbine looks like. They were in love with making the pinwheels and asked to make more to take outside and see how they worked. I have found throughout the years that simple easily understood directions make things easier on the sub since they are new to the classroom. This makes it so that they can feel comfortable with the directions and students can really take the lead on the activity. In the classroom, especially with science, I believe that students’ questions and interests should lead (as I learned it, we follow the phenomenon!)

  Connections to Place

Research shows that “using the environment as an integrating context in school curricula results in wide-ranging, positive effects on student learning.” (Lieberman and Hoody, 1998) Many of the KEEP activities encourage the utilization of place – both indoor and outdoor environments and community to create relevant experiences. Patricia states, “For our energy scenarios, we used local places such as Miller Parkway and the Urban Ecology Center. We WILL be working with the MPS solar dashboard, We Energies, and connecting more to our own place as we continue. For example, we will be participating in (hopefully!) an energy audit of our school and I will be asking them to get energy statistics from their home.”



 M&M Area Community Foundation Partnership Strengthens Sustainability Efforts in Local School Districts

Community Partnerships Strengthen Sustainability Efforts

Increasing Countywide Sustainability Through Partnerships
The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE) understands the value of partnerships and how increasing environmental literacy and sustainability statewide is only possible by working together with municipalities, school districts, governmental agencies, private organizations, and individuals. This story provides a brief synopsis of one of these partnerships that increased sustainability across two counties.

Teachers and students from across 12 school districts in Marinette County (Wis.) and Menominee County (Mich.) received clean energy education and resources through a unique partnership between the M&M Area Community Foundation and the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), as part of the C.S. Mott Foundation Clean Energy Initiative.

Increasing Energy Literacy
Twenty-six teachers from 17 schools participated in an energy education workshop for teachers in October 2018, and another 17 teachers participated in a renewable energy workshop in February 2019. October’s workshop introduced teachers to a variety of energy activities including exploring where our energy comes from, utilizing energy audit tools to engage students in collecting and analyzing data, and furthering sustainability efforts in school through Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin support. The February workshop was focused more on the benefits and impacts of renewable energy utilization including solar, hydro, and wind systems. Learn more about KEEP workshops.

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin
Due to this partnership, participating schools in Marinette (Wis.) County were registered as Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin, and participating schools in Menominee (Mich.) County were registered as National Wildlife Federation ECO-Schools USA. GHS and ECO-Schools provide support and recognition for PK-12 public and private schools in Wisconsin working to reduce environmental impact and costs, improve health and wellness, and increase environmental and sustainability literacy. Being a Green & Healthy School provides the pathway to become eligible for nomination as a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School. Learn more about becoming a Green & Healthy School.

“Having my 6th grade Science students play Cool Choices really opened our eyes to how much energy and money we can save by making some simple changes in our lives.” – Vanessa Lecy, 6th grade Science teacher, Crivitz

Cool Choices
Ten districts involving 19 teams and more than 500 students played Cool Choices, an online game that encourages reporting of sustainable practices at school and home for any registered GHS school. Logging 985 sustainable actions within an eight-week period, staff and students engaged together in sustainability efforts that cut costs, eliminated waste and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Since the initial Cool Choices game in November 2018, five Crivitz Elementary teachers involved their students in another round of Cool Choices, which builds upon previous efforts and engages even more students in sustainability solutions. Learn more about Cool Choices.

Next Steps
With the momentum already seen in these districts, WCEE staff will continue to engage in and support future environmental education and sustainability efforts. One next step will be to provide in-class training for students through KEEP’s Student Energy Audit Training (SEAT), which turns schools into an energy efficiency “laboratory.” Learn more about Classroom Visits and Curriculum.



 Matt Lonergan, Technology and Engineering Instructor, Oak Creek High School, Franklin Joint School District

Supporting Teachers in Building Science

One of the many professional development opportunities the WCEE enables through the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) is the opportunity for construction teachers to attend the annual Better Buildings: Better Business Conference to strengthen building science skills in high school construction classes across Wisconsin. Building science is the branch of science dealing with the construction, maintenance, safety and energy efficiency of buildings.

With support from Slipstream and Wisconsin utilities, almost 80 teachers have been able to attend this conference over the last 16 years. This learning event facilitates a connection to sustainability and sense of place that educators can tie into their curriculum. With a focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and local sourcing of products, the industry is supporting and growing sustainability by teaching how to build safe, healthy structures that will minimize resource use and that will last a very long time.

Matt Lonergan, technology and engineering instructor from Oak Creek High School, has integrated what he has learned from attending the Better Building: Better Business Conference for the past four years and his students are benefiting from it! It is estimated that almost 400 students from Oak Creek High School have received training from Mr. Lonergan that was inspired from the Better Buildings: Better Business conference.

Below, Matt Lonegran describes his experience with the conference and how his attendance has positively impacted his teaching and his students.

Lessons Learned
One of the main reasons I go to this conference as a high school construction instructor is to gain information I can take back to my classes. I have been able to learn best practices, pick up new building techniques and see new products. Not to mention, I learn about updated building codes.

Specifically, I have learned several building techniques from current contractors that are relevant to my building construction courses. I have also learned from product suppliers and manufacturers about their products and proper installation. I have listened and heard from contractors and building inspectors on updates to building codes and clarifications on current codes. Students at our high school have an opportunity to take a capstone course, a student built house, and the information I gain from the conference directly helps our program and provides students with the most current techniques.

Connecting to local resources: Place-based education
Not only is the above information very beneficial, I have also created a nice network of contacts that now partner with our program. I have connected with manufacturer representatives who have done site visits to show proper installation of their products. LP Smartside is a product we use, and representatives have come out to the jobsite to work with the students to provide proper installation techniques of their products. In addition, I have received donated materials and have been provided with discounts on materials for our program from local manufacturers. I have been able to work with associations willing to come in and speak with students about the construction industry as well as provide field trips for my students to current jobs they are working on. Specifically, Metropolitan Builders Association has put together a Career Day for high school students to visit a Parade of Homes subdivision. Students have the opportunity to speak with contractors, designers and manufactures as they walk through these houses that are currently under construction. Students are then given tickets to attend the Parade of Homes to see the finished product. Lastly, I have been able to provide students with local job banks for full-time or part-time employment depending on what the student is looking for.

I have found this conference extremely valuable for my professional development and the programs I teach. In the end, the students are the ones who really benefit, which is my top priority.”

KEEP supports teachers in their building science training by providing relevant opportunities and resources. If you’re interested in integrating building science concepts into your curricula and think you might benefit from a building science kit, please take a couple minutes to completed this survey.



 Energy Education Activities Have Big Impact in River Falls Schools

Meet Aleisha Miller, a consultant in River Falls who provides Environmental Science, Conservation, and Public Education programming to area schools. Aleisha is contracted by the River Falls Municipal Utilities to provide energy education to River Falls elementary schools. Her work began in the District in the 2010/11 school year when she made seven visits to each of the 2nd and 4th grade classrooms at Rocky Branch, Westside, Greenwood, and the Montessori Elementary Schools. In 2013, she added St. Bridget’s Catholic School 4th graders to her schedule and in 2015, the St. Bridget 2nd graders joined in as well. The goal of the services she offers is to provide River Falls School District 2nd & 4th grade students with the best possible science-based education in the areas of water and energy conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy.  She does this mainly by providing hands-on energy education programming which she obtained through KEEP.
Aleisha-Miller.gif

In 2nd grade, Aleisha uses the following KEEP activities:

  • Evidence of Energy
  • Where Does It Get Its Energy?
  • Fueling Around
  • What Renewable Energy Does for Me
  • Various sparks found in the KEEP Activity Guide

In 4th grade, Aleisha uses the following KEEP activities:

Mike Noreen, Conservation and Efficiency Coordinator at River Falls Municipal Utilities, says, “Aleisha has become a staple of the elementary school’s science curriculum. She proactively works with the teachers and school administration to meet their needs and provide value to the district. Her educational work in the schools meets state science standards so the teachers see the value in her classes. Her classes are held outside when possible, so it’s a unique leaning environment that is eagerly anticipated by the students and teachers.“

Each year, Aleisha provides energy education to approximately 500 students in the River Falls School District. These students have learned the importance of energy in our lives, how to use it more efficiently, and the impacts it has on our environment. Thank you to Aleisha and River Falls Municipal Utilities for supporting energy education at the K-12 level. 

 Glendale–River Hills and Maple Dale–Indian Hill school districts save money, improves student and building health

Jim Beckmann, director of operations for Glendale–River Hills and Maple Dale–Indian Hill School Districts, was determined to maximize the performance of his school buildings and reduce the overall cost of operations, improve the health of the students and staff members, and lower the schools’ environmental impact. Through incremental changes – large and small – Beckmann resolved to improve student outcomes and lessen the burden on the districts’ taxpayers.

Today Jim Beckmann (second to right in photo) oversees operations for two LEED certified school buildings. In April of 2013 Glen Hills Middle School (v3 LEED), located just north of Milwaukee in Glendale, Wis., became the first pre-existing school to be named Gold-LEED certified. This was no small task, as the school, a 178,000 square foot brick building built in 1970, is air conditioned, has a heated pool, and no operable windows. A year later in 2014, Maple Dale School, in Fox Point, Wis. just to the east of Glendale, was the first school in the World to be certified Gold LEED EB v4.

LEED certification was not Beckmann’s original goal; he wasn’t initially certain that the dollars spent certifying the schools would pay off in the end. However, when Glen Hills Middle School’s ENERGY STAR® rating came back as a 65, Beckmann was convinced that the schools could do better, and following LEED protocol could help him achieve that objective. 

At first he and his team went to work improving Glen Hills Middle School. The first year they upgraded dampers and air handlers and sought to find the right mix of indoor and outdoor air, efforts which resulted in a jump in their ENERGY STAR rating to a 91. The savings from that first year, and a U.S. Green Building Council grant, offset the cost of applying for LEED certification. 

Saving energy, reducing consumption, improving health

The districts’ efforts have resulted in energy savings, reduction in water usage and improved resource stewardship leading to healthier, more efficient school buildings – and in turn healthier staff and students, which was always Jim Beckmann’s primary goal.

The schools use toxin-free cleaning products, purchase post-consumer recycled products (a total of 20% based on cost), promote clean air, and take advantage of natural light whenever possible.

The school has saved money by reducing water consumption through low flow, automatic shut-off faucets and lowered natural gas and electricity usage by turning down the thermostat in the winter and running the air conditioning less during the warmer months. Additionally, Glen Hills Middle School uses a solar collector to heat the school’s pool in the spring and summer, saving the district roughly $5,000 per year. 

These efforts also provide a learning opportunity for the Glen Hills students. Mr. Beckmann teaches the school’s fifth grade classes the basics of how the solar collector that is housed on the roof of the building heats the school’s pool. He explains what a BTU is and how these units are measured. He shows them the piping and supply lines, and they see how the inner workings of the entire system operate together to heat their pool. 

The students have also conducted a thorough waste audit of their school. Students at Glen Hills and Maple Dale collected all of the garbage and recycling from an entire day and dumped it in the parking lot. Sorting through the waste, students saw what was correctly disposed of and what was not, giving them a hands-on, minds-on lesson and a better understanding of the schools’ waste stream.

Sustaining the sustainable practices

Jim admits that it is easy to have lofty goals and ideas, but he says the hard work is maintaining the desire and energy to continue the efforts.  

Of course, staff members play a major role in continuing the schools’ efforts. And, courses through the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) have helped maintain an interest in, and ongoing education for, their efforts. In the spring of 2014, about a dozen teachers participated in NRES 634 School Building Energy Efficiency Education, which focuses on evaluating the energy use in school buildings and guiding PK-12 faculty, staff, and building and grounds personnel towards utilizing the school building as a learning tool for energy education. The course also requires teachers to write and implement energy action plans, giving them ownership of the direction of the school’s energy saving projects.

While the schools’ staff members and programs like KEEP play a vital role, Mr. Beckmann says that giving students the responsibility to take care of and monitor their buildings has been the key to sustaining their efforts. Glen Hills Middle School’s student-led Green Team judges the school’s classrooms, scoring each on energy usage, recycling, cleanliness of the room, and general appearance. This friendly competition serves as a reminder that every little action is part of the larger plan to improve the performance and environment of the entire school.

Jim admits that coordinating so many working parts takes commitment and partnerships, but says that districts like his are fortunate to have so many strong and dedicated groups that make energy education in Wisconsin a possibility.

 Colby School District Saves Money by Going Green

Colby School District Saves Money by Going Green

Of Colby School District’s three-year-long sustainability initiative, Dr. Steven Kolden, the school district’s superintendent who spearheaded the efforts, said that fiscal and environmenta​l responsibility and sustainable practices “just make sense.” Dr. Kolden believes that being a steward of the district’s resources, from tax dollars to students, is the responsibility of the public school system.


To that end, the Colby School District partnered with CESA 10’s Sustainability Service in July 2011, and later developed a Sustainability Team, in order to identify goals and create a district-wide action plan.

To ensure buy-in from all involved parties Melissa Rickert, CESA 10 Sustainability Specialist, facilitated staff and community member presentations that helped identify a common vision for the school. Seventy-six percent of participants said creating a ‘financially stable school district’ was their top priority followed by ‘improving student achievement’ and ‘increasing staff collaboration’. It was agreed they would accomplish their goals together by reducing their schools’ energy use and modifying their recycling and waste management. This shared vision would serve as the foundation for changing behaviors and creating a sustainability-minded school culture.

By all measures their collaboration has been very successful. From 2011-2014, the school district substantially reduced its waste stream in the elementary school by recycling milk cartons and composting food scraps. This reduction in waste has significantly reduced their waste management costs, which is based on cubic yards and number of scheduled pickups.


In addition to being taken out of the waste stream, the compost has been used in the high school’s greenhouse and agriculture education vegetable plots as well as in the elementary school’s cold frame growing systems.

Energy reduction has also played a major role in the district’s sustainability efforts. By reinforcing the message that ‘every little bit helps’ the district has saved significantly by consistently improving their energy-saving behaviors like turning off the lights, closing blinds and doors, and shutting down computers when not being used.

Director of Building and Grounds, Dennis Wenzel, admits he was skeptical at first but says he’s seen great benefits from the district-wide efforts. In fact, he says, last year the district saved more than $16,000 through the combined efforts of students and staff. He hopes to broaden the efforts to include a visit to the Waste Management facility in Plover and to educate students about products produced from recycled materials. This, he says, will help students to understand the entire lifecycle of products we often take for granted.

Far from seeing the sustainability plan as an added burden, Colby staff and students have embraced these efforts. To many, the program is a way to educate students about long-term, sustainable practice that not only save money and benefit the enviornment, but simply make sense.

 ​Veronica Campbell, Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, Clintonville Schools

veronicaCampbel.pngLIKE MANY OF US, FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES  INSTRUCTOR Veronica Campbell's interests and passions were formed from childhood experiences. Veronica credits her family, especially her paternal grandparents, for her conservation ethic. Newlyweds during the Great Depression, her grandparents passed on their household policy of making sure every item that entered their home had two uses before it was discarded and her grandfather told Veronica how he walked to work in order to "save the car".

 

For those of us with family who lived through the hard times of the 1930s this message of conservation is familiar. However, for many of today's students, lessons of economy are often only part of the social studies curriculum. Mrs. Campbell seeks to change that by incorporating energy education and lessons about smart consumption into the courses she teaches within the Clintonville School District.

 

After graduating from UW-Stevens Point with a degree in family and consumer sciences and a teaching certification, Veronica pursued her passion for environmental education by taking courses offered by the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) and found that she was able to integrate much of what she learned into her FACS curriculum. While we often think of energy education as a component of technical education, Veronica found that the themes of energy efficiency, overconsumption, and conservation fit naturally into her classes.

 

By incorporating these themes, Mrs. Campbell teaches her students to think about future generations and about their own consumer habits and carbon footprint. In her Chefs Class, students learn to read EnergyGuide labels on appliances and how to shop for energy efficient appliances, like the refrigerator her classroom received through a KEEP grant, and the savings, in both money and electricity these appliances provide. Students taking Creative Foods and Fun, Food, and Fitness courses learn about the benefits of eating organic, locally grown foods. In her Culinary Arts class students are challenged to think about what they discard in the kitchen by finding other uses — soup stock, stew, casserole ingredients — for what is often relegated to the compost bin.

 

The impact of Mrs. Campbel​l's classes has extended beyond her classroom lessons, as many students actively work to reduce their waste, recycle as much as they can, and reuse items whenever possible.

 

Mrs. Campbell allows students to use pitchers of water instead of plastic water bottles and requires them to recycle all cans, aluminum, paper, and glass used in class — a practice many have extended to their lives outside her classroom. Additionally, her Fashion and Design students, using donated yarn and unfinished yarn projects, knit and crocheted scarves and afghans which were donated to local food pantries.

 

Clearly the lessons learned in Veronica Campbell's FACS courses are impacting her students and providing lessons they will carry with them for their entire lives. Parents, too, have noticed the effect and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Mrs. Campbell's work proves that, with creativity and passion, energy education and the lessons of reducing, reusing, and recycling can be integrated into nearly any activity, subject, or curriculum.​​​

 Greendale School District's Sustainability Focus Reflected in Classroom Operations

GreendalePhoto.jpgGreendale Schools’ District Administration and Sustainability Committee, in cooperation with CESA 10, engaged staff and students in an energy conservation campaign to help reduce District energy use, waste, and utility costs over a 12-month period. The program, called the Kilowatt Challenge, had a goal of a 5% reduction in District energy use (a value of approximately $20,000 in cost avoidance) in the period from May 1, 2013, through April 30, 2014.

By reducing energy use by 5%, Greendale can save $20,000 of community taxpayer dollars and the money that typically goes to the utility each month can be redirected for use within schools for student benefit through instruction or services. Eighth graders from Greendale Middle School (GMS) have been working this year on saving energy here at the middle school as part of the program. Teachers from Greendale participated in a professional development course focused on School Building Energy Efficiency through the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), which included a visit from We Energies and Focus on Energy representatives this fall.

GMS students studied the current use of energy through guided inquiry labs using KEEP’s curriculum and carried out energy action plans designed to reduce energy use by students and staff. Students then had the opportunity to participate in the Cool Choices game this spring available to Green & Healthy Schools, a collaborative program between the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education. The game reminded students about best practices to keep GMS on a green and healthy track. It also brought up new topics and opportunities to learn about energy policies in the District.

This initiative follows efforts in recent years to reduce energy costs in Greendale Schools. Over the past several years the District shaved about 20% permanently from its utility bills through multiple energy-saving efforts, which include upgrades to facilities and mechanical equipment and through the introduction of alternative energy sources (solar) used to heat domestic water and the pool at the high school. As a result, Greendale’s school facilities have transformed from among the worst in energy use to the top of the efficiency ratings for public buildings in the State, according to a benchmark study by CESA 10.

Saving energy through the Kilowatt Challenge and Cool Choices game are just a few sustainability initiatives in Greendale’s schools. The District recently earned “Sugar Maple” certification from Green & Healthy Schools program after completing extensive data collection and reporting in nine focus areas: energy, water, transportation, environmental health, school site, recycling and waste management, health and wellness, environmental education, and community involvement. A state-level team of education consultants and content experts reviewed the application and lauded the District’s efforts to reduce the schools’ environmental impact and costs, improve the health and wellness of students and staff members, and provide effective environmental and sustainability education.

“We strive to operate and educate our students in the most sustainable way possible and have been working hard to do so for more than a decade,” said Erin Green, Director of Business Services for Greendale Schools. “In addition, sustainability concepts are continually being integrated into the curriculum and we are expanding opportunities with outdoor classrooms, such as the school gardens at the high school and Highland View, as well as in our community forests.”

Late in 2013, Greendale Schools’ Canterbury Elementary and the Middle School woods and Greendale High School woods became registered as school forests in the Wisconsin Community Forest Program. This certification will allow for the expansion of the District’s outdoor classroom space and increase opportunities within the existing curriculum at all grade levels and across disciplines. This designation means Greendale Schools will be eligible to receive free forest management assistance from the DNR and free seedlings from the state nursery program. The District will also be able to apply for grants from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB), and to receive assistance from the statewide school forest education specialist. As the forest management plan is implemented, the additional outdoor learning spaces will expand opportunities for students to see first hand how species interact and how living and nonliving things work together to support a healthy ecosystem.

A visionary Business Manager (Green) and motivated staff sustainability committee has helped Greendale to successfully reach its first sustainability goals. With the support of the Board of Education and administration, the District continues to make plans to meet the needs of its diverse population of students and continuously enhance curriculum with a focus on growth and achievement. A grant from the Greendale Education Foundation helps to provide financial support for the efforts of the sustainability committee.

News Release Courtesy of Greendale School District.​

Also printed in the Greendale NOW (4/15/14).

 An Energy Expedition at the Milwaukee Environmental Sciences Charter School

The Milwaukee Environmental Sciences (MES) Charter School is a year-round charter school servicing grades K4-5, whose academic program is guided by the Expeditionary Learning (EL) philosophy. Students will be prepared for college and career success with a program that combines engaging projects, academic rigor and character development in​ a safe, child-centered environment.

MES recently embarked on an Energy Expedition, which lasted seven weeks and engaged students in learning opportunities focused on energy concepts appropriate for their grade levels.

Instead of learning about energy through textbooks or even experiments, the Expeditionary Learning process involves the development of Case Studies that make generic curriculum specific, compelling, and relevant to students.

The energy Case Study for grades K4 and K5 allowed students to discover energy using simple machines, such as the one pictured here where they made ice cream! The first and second grade Case Study immersed students in sound and light waves by focusing on the Coast Guard and navigation of the Great Lakes.

The third-fifth grade Case Study empowered students to take action to use energy more efficiently every day. The school is utilizing various energy resources from the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education's Resource Library including the Pedal Power energy bike, hand-crank generator, and solar oven.


Doug Janssen, a 3rd/4th grade teacher at MES, stated, "We see and use energy each day...when I approached my students and asked them what energy is, they didn't have a clear understanding or definition." He went on to say, "With the partnership of KEEP and UW-Stevens Point, we were able to use the Pedal Power and the Hand-crank to power certain appliances. This gave the students a hands-on approach [to learn] how much work actually goes in to powering something as simple as a light bulb."

Students in Doug Janssen's 3rd and 4th grade classes are getting hands-on experience using real energy audit equipment, including light meters and infrared thermometers which they checked out from KEEP.

A light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light in a room/building. This tool is helpful to determine that enough light is present in classrooms so students aren't straining their eyes; however, too much light can also cause glare on surfaces and can cause students to squint, which may cause headaches. 

Having just the right amount of light is beneficial to student learning and can also save energy. 

An infrared thermometer measures the temperature emitted from objects. They are sometimes called laser thermometers if a laser is used to help aim the thermometer. This tool is helpful to determine if there are cold spots in walls or if pipes carry hot or cold water and what the temperature of those pipes might be. 

Students are collecting and interpreting their school's energy data to enable them to provide a report and recommendations to their administration in regards to the school's efficiency and ways to improve it. 

Expeditionary Learning (EL) schools inspire the motivation to learn, engage teachers, and students in new levels of focus and effort, and transform schools into places where students and adults become leaders of their own learning. EL schools provide a model that challenges students — even those starting with low skill levels — with high–level tasks and active roles in the classroom. This model succeeds in urban, rural, and ​suburban schools at every grade level.

To learn more about Expeditionary learning, visit elschools.org.

 St. Bronislava School forms Energy Team with Focus on Energy and Wisconsin Public Service

In the fall of 2012, St. Bronislava in Plover, Wis. formed an Energy Team with Focus on Energy & Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) to help make the school and connecting church more energy efficient. Through Focus on Energy and WPS grants and incentives, St. Bronislava was awarded over $42,000 to assist in purchasing and installing new light fixtures throughout the school and church. Overall, St. Bronislava was able to replace and recycle over 1,200 inefficient lamps and claimed approximately $3,000 in energy savings. 

As part of this effort, students at St. Bronislava learned about energy and lighting costs with help from staff of the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program and Gary Oudenhoven of WPS (who played a big role in helping to implement the lighting changes). These lessons provided the students with an understanding of how to calculate energy costs, efficient lighting and how and why appropriate lighting is measured. Students used math skills, hands-on activities and read light meters to accomplish this. 

 School Highlight: Pittsville High School Hydraulic Fracturing Forum

CURRENT EVENTS AND CRITICAL THINKING are familiar concepts in education. But, the current events studied in the classroom are often happening in conflict zones and capital cities and involve world events or political upheaval.

However, students at Pittsville High School recently took part in a school-wide learning initiative designed to connect their community to a subject with state and national implications. The project, spearheaded by Pittsville High School Principal Mark Weddig, taught students about the topic of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and the frac sand mining that is taking place in much of western Wisconsin, including Wood County where Pittsville is located. 

The controversy over hydraulic fracturing, the process of using highly pressurized liquid to shatter rock, often large deposits of shale, in order to extract the fossil fuels contained within, is largely centered in the eastern and western states and parts of Texas where it is practiced. In those regions opponents of fracking are largely concerned about the effects on local and regional water supplies. Each year the process of hydraulic fracturing in the United States uses billions of gallons of water and treatment and disposal of the wastewater produced is problematic as it has been shown to contain "high levels of salinity, toxic metals, and radioactivity."1

However, fracking has equally strong supporters who feel the energy independence and job creation the practice may yield outweigh any potential risks. These proponents point to estimates that show fracking could ultimately yield nearly a century's worth of natural gas2 and the creation of more than 1.7 million jobs.3

While Wisconsin does not contain the fossil fuels that hydraulic fracturing extracts, the state is rich in the silica sand that is vital to the process. The "frac sand" as it's known, is high purity quartz that is prized for its uniform composition and durability which allow it to hold the fractured rock open, permitting the sequestered natural gas and oil to flow to the surface.

It is the mining of frac sand that connects Wisconsin to the national debate. And though the environmental concerns are less extreme in Wisconsin, frac sand mining has sparked debates similar to those heard on the national level. Concerns over the quantity and reclamation of water used for washing and preparing the sand as well as air quality in the areas surrounding the mines are met with claims of increased job creation in a down economy.

To bring the topic to the entire student body, Pittsville staff assigned objective materials that allowed students to better understand the issues that surround both hydraulic fracturing and frac sand mining, ultimately dedicating an entire school day to studying the topic.

The block-style schedule used by Pittsville High School allowed intense examination, enabling teachers and students to delve deeply into the material. A week before the forum was held, all students read the same articles in class at the same time of day, providing context for a larger, school-wide discussion.

To provide a complete understanding of the issue, staff members chose articles and resources that covered four initiatives important to students' understanding of the subject: The basics of fracking and frac sand mining; The effects of fracking and frac sand mining on human health; The effects of fracking and frac sand mining on the environment, and; The history of hydraulic fracturing and frac sand mining.

The project concluded with a school-wide discussion forum with Patricia Malone, professor of community resource development at UW-Extension who presented Frac Sand Mining in Wisconsin: Understanding the Issues.

During the forum with Professor Malone, students demonstrated their understanding of the subject, asking questions about economic and environmental implications as well as the history of the industry.

Principal Weddig says the school plans to continue learning forums, stating the forums develop "higher-level thinking skills, which will lead to greater success in any field that the students choose after high school."

Though the initiative was brief, staff members agreed that it provided an excellent context for learning and advancing critical thinking as well as providing for a school-wide conversation.


1 Environ. Sci. Technol., 2013, 47 (20), pp 11849-11857; DOI: 10.1021/es402165b; Publication Date (Web): October 2, 2013

2 "What Would Be the Impacts of Shutting Down All Fracking?." RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://theenergycollective.com/jemillerep/274626/what-would-be-impacts-shutting-down-all-fracking.

3 "Fracking Will Support 1.7 Million Jobs, Study Shows." Bloomberg Business Week. Bloomberg, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-23/fracking-will-support-1-dot-7-million-jobs-study-shows.​​​​

 Nels Lawrence, Technology Education Teacher, Kaukauna High School

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION teacher Nels Lawrence, Kaukauna High School students are learning and using the technologies that are destined to define our future. Since arriving at Kaukauna High School in 1996, Mr. Lawrence has seen technology advance by leaps and bounds and continually adapts and changes his curriculum to prepare his students for the future. As Nels designs his courses he thinks about the questions: what kind of jobs will his students have in the future and what tools will they need to learn in order to be successful? This kind of thinking led him to introduce innovative technologies like Vex robotics and a three-dimensional printer called the Maker Bot, as well as design new courses such as a sustainable architecture class, which was inspired by a course he took on humanitarian law as well as the Better Buildings: Better Business Conference (more about this conference below).

While 3D printers and cutting edge robotics may be expected in a technology education class, the connection between sustainable architecture and humanitarian law is less obvious. That is, until Nels explains that one of his goals is to teach his students that many of today's issues - and the issues they'll certainly face in the future - rarely exist in isolation. The problems of the modern world often encompass energy, logistics, and architectural solutions that will require collaborative problem solving skills and holistic thinking. So, to prepare students, Mr. Lawrence encourages them to learn to communicate their ideas effectively and to use a "big system approach", such as LEED's cradle-to-cradle philosophy.

 

To stay inspired and on the cutting-edge of technology, Nels continues to learn and remains active in Wisconsin's technology education community. He credits the many grant opportunities and courses provided by KEEP and professional development opportunities such as those provided by the Wisconsin Technology Education Association (WTEA) and Better Buildings: BetterBusiness Conference with providing funding, motivation, and ideas that help his courses and curriculum evolve.

 

“KEEP has been a catalyst for a lot of what the technology education department has accomplished."

 

His hope for his students and future teachers is that technology education continues to evolve and maintain the high standards set by Wisconsin's education community. Nels mentioned that in order to complete his many goals he will need to keep teaching for many years; and while he continues to teach, each student he guides through technical education in Wisconsin will be better for having been in Mr. Lawrence's class.

 Lynn Scala, 6th Grade Teacher, Arkansaw Elementary, Durand School District

FROM EARLY ON, LYNN SCALA, A SIXTH GRADE TEACHER at Arkansaw Elementary School in Arkansaw, Wisconsin, was aware of the natural resources she was consuming. She recalls her father pounding on the bathroom door, telling her "That's enough water Lynn" as she drew her bath as a girl. When she started teaching, she got involved with Pepin County's youth education program, Pepin County & the Big Woods, and became interested in bringing resource conservation into her classroom. Eventually she began incorporating Earth Day lessons and activities and took KEEP's School Building Energy Efficiency Education course, which helps teachers understand their school's energy consumption and helps them use their school building as a tool to teach energy education.

Through a KEEP mini-grant (available to course participants) Lynn started a project called Operation KARE. Operation KARE, which stands for Keep Appliances Ready for Electricity, teaches students how to help reduce energy consumption at school and home. Lynn's personal experiences — she found an enormous amount of dog food blocking her refrigerator's grille causing it to run non-stop — became her motivation for the project. Through Operation KARE, students learn how to keep furnaces running efficiently by changing air filters and cleaning the grilles covering air ducts at home and school. They also learn the importance of making sure air returns are not blocked, windows are tightly closed, lights are switched off when no one is in the room, and how to reduce phantom energy consumption (referring to the energy consumed by some devices when they are in standby mode or turned off.)

To prepare her students for Operation KARE, Mrs. Scala taught a variety of lessons about where energy comes from as well as energy consumption and production. Digging for Coal teaches students about how coal is formed, where it is found, how it is mined, and how it is used, while Light and Your Load helps students understand the costs associated with lighting at home and school. Additionally, Lynn used the Energy Action Assessment put out by the National Energy Foundation and created her own lesson to look for phantom load appliances. The students also did a little research of their own and created poster presentations on various types of lighting, such as incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs, Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and halogen lights, to name a few.

Ultimately, Lynn wants to make the lessons meaningful to her students so they will incorporate energy awareness into their everyday lives, not just in the classroom. So far, students' enthusiasm for the project has been high and many have already made positive behavior changes. One student reported doing something he'd never done before — he unplugged the charger to his Nintendo DS. Operation KARE is proof that meaningful learning can help students have a better understanding of how minor changes in behavior can lead to major reductions in energy consumption.

 Lynn Landre, Facilities Manager, Dimensions of Learning Academy, Kenosha Unified School District


FACILITIES MANAGER LYNN LANDRE'S
passion for improving the 100+ year old school building that houses Dimensions of Learning Academy is unmistakable. Her dedication to the students and staff of the Kenosha, Wis. charter school is evident in the joy she takes in caring for the building, which opened in 1911 as the home of the St. Thomas Aquinas parish. While many believe there are limits to the energy efficiency that can be achieved in older buildings, Lynn Landre isn’t one of them.

Lynn first became concerned with the energy consumption of the school when she determined that her building’s 1950s era boilers were not running efficiently. She discovered a hairline crack that was causing increased water consumption and excessive firing during operating perio​ds; fixing the problem saved the school a significant amount of money in water costs and inspired Lynn to look for ways to save money in other areas.

While Lynn's passion has been the driving force behind many of the energy and money saving changes the school has made, she credits the administration and staff for the successful implementation of the long range plan. The Dimensions of Learning Academy community, including the students and their families, the entire staff, and administration, has embraced Lynn's desire to connect her primary role as facilities manager to her desire to improve the students' learning environment.  This expanded role has allowed her to thoughtfully and deliberately strategize solutions and work with the entire school community to reduce energy consumption. Through collaboration with the principal, Ms. Diana Pearson, and the school's teaching and custodial staff, the school developed a larger, more comprehensive plan called the Smart Energy Management Program. 

The Smart Energy Management Program is a multi-dimensional – and ongoing – campaign that involves the entire Dimensions community in making the school as energy efficient as possible. By reviewing reports provided by the Kenosha Unified School District, Lynn and her team were able to better understand their energy consumption. This understanding allowed staff to set the guidelines that define the program. The solutions range from simply turning off lights when not in use and setting the water heaters to 120 degrees to larger projects like exchanging "energy hog" appliances with more efficient models and replacing exterior fixtures with Energy Star Smart Fixtures.

Partnerships outside the school have proven to be incredibly valuable, too. A five-year-plan to utilize financial incentives offered by Wisconsin Focus on Energy helped Dimensions phase out older, less efficient lighting and replace much of it with energy efficient T-8 fixtures. With the help of another Focus on Energy incentive the school replaced its outdated steam traps.

Buoyed by success, Lynn was given the nod to investigate a plan to replace the boilers that provided the initial spark for her efforts. After studying boiler options and learning to understand the industry from an installer's point of view, Lynn was able to guide the project to a successful conclusion. Ultimately the boilers were replaced and much of the money saved was reinvested in the school, directly impacting the instructional needs of the school.

Lynn says she is most proud of the improvements in her school and the money savings those improvements have generated. The accolades, she says, have been a bonus. By 2009, Kenosha Unified School District had set an energy reduction goal of 11% for all buildings. While the goal was not known to the schools at the time, a handful of them – including Dimensions – were recognized as Energy Star rated buildings. With this acknowledgment came a plaque and rebate check that was shared with the classroom teachers to promote their continued commitment to the Strategic Energy Management Program and other energy saving initiatives.

Outreach and education are staples of Dimensions of Learning Academy's approach to energy efficiency. While the care Lynn takes of her “second home” is inspirational, what makes Lynn’s efforts truly remarkable is the way she interacts with, and teaches, the students and staff, without whom she says the school is “just a building”. While it may not be the norm, Lynn says her desire to connect her work as facilities manager to the business of learning and student development is fully backed by the staff, the district, and the students and their families.

 

As we recounted last month much of Dimensions of Learning Academy’s energy efficiency is due to Lynn’s work in updating boilers, replacing inefficient light bulbs and fixtures, and developing a Strategic Energy Management Program. However, in addition to her own efforts she credits programs like the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) and Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin with providing the resources and education she uses to connect with students.

Through KEEP’s professional development offerings Lynn found a valuable supply of resources and education. KEEP courses like Energy Education in the Classroom and Doable Renewables satisfied her need to connect with students and staff and School Building Energy Efficiency Education helped her in her role as facilities manager.

Likewise, KEEP’s Bright Idea Fundraiser provided an opportunity for her students to earn money for the school by selling compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to members of the community. The program provided the students with the knowledge and resources to inform others about the energy savings that could be achieved by simply switching from incandescent bulbs to the more efficient CFLs. In addition to education, the program allowed students to keep 2/3 of the proceeds and provided the seed money for the school’s ‘green library’. Though the program is no longer running, it is an example of how seeking outside resources can provide a boon to both a school’s and a community’s education, environmental, energy efficiency efforts.

Beyond the material resources and education provided by KEEP courses and fundraisers, Lynn found the networking opportunities afforded by the program to be invaluable. Connecting to like-minded facilities managers and educators allowed Lynn to see what others were doing in their schools, generating ideas and providing inspiration for her own efforts.

It was with educational resources, framework, and knowledge from programs like KEEP and Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin that she has been able to galvanize the individuals who make up the Dimensions of Learning Academy’s Green Initiative (GRIN). GRIN is composed of students and staff in order to support the Smart Energy Program and serves as the umbrella under which to explore and implement all environmentally focused initiatives within the school community.  From an after school environmental enrichment club to raised planting beds that are part of a type of farm-to-table program within the school, the school’s Green Initiative continues to grow and thrive.

Of all Lynn’s efforts, she says she most enjoys working with students, finding joy in seeing students take responsibility for their school and take action to conserve energy. “I love it when they engage in keeping the building up as a community,” she says. And, she knows her efforts have reached a student when she sees them take action without direction, like stopping to pick up a piece of paper and place it in the recycling bin or closing open doors to conserve energy.

 

In the end, Lynn says that she is driven by the challenge of operating a safe, healthy and successful school building that connects with forward-thinking people who want to contribute to sound environmental practices. While every school is different, and not every facilities manager has the freedom to work in all the facets that she does, Lynn feels that by accepting responsibility for a building’s energy efficiency and seeking out resources, like those she found with KEEP, that all schools have the ability to reduce their energy consumption and their environmental impact.   ​​

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