Forming a CT Green LEAF Team
Each school is unique, with unique goals and resources. Consider including people from all levels and from many different sectors of your school community on your Green Team. Think about who your “champions” are and maintain an open invitation to your entire school community to recruit and sustain Green Team members.
Administrators – Administrators understand the complexities of your school and are in contact with those who can make change happen. Consider including administrators on the district level who might also serve as consultants as needed.
Teachers—Including teachers on your team is a must! They should be willing to communicate with peers and rally support from their peers as projects and activities unfold. Teachers are key to connecting the greening of your school to classroom curriculum.
Facility Staff—Engage your facility manager, and maintenance and food services staff. Depending on the projects you choose, you will need to tap knowledge from these folks to succeed in your greening efforts. They have a wealth of knowledge about how the school works.
Students–No school project can succeed without including students as stakeholders. Projects can be enriched by integrating the project into classroom curriculum. Students should represent different grades. We want student voices to be heard. We ask that you train student representatives on how to participate fully in team conversations.
Parents/Family— Consider including the extended school family, PTA/PTO members, and school board members in your Green Team. Each has a unique view of the school and can be valuable supporters.
Community— Your neighborhood or local community can be valuable assets, as members of your Green Team, or as consultants or activity partners. Your team may focus on projects that benefit from community support. For example, your school garden project may benefit from the Garden Club, local master gardeners, Extension Center, or local landscaper.
Your next steps:
Once you have established your team, it is time to start (or review) your Green LEAF Self-Assessment tool. From there, the team can identify initiatives or projects that they would like the school to work on. Be realistic with your initial work, and recruit partners to help. For example, you might recruit one grade level to estimate or measure trash and provide that calculation to the team, or work with the PTO on a schoolyard clean-up project. Each new partnership adds volunteers, interest, commitment and investment in your school’s efforts to go greener.
Resources and Assistance:
How to Form a Green Team
The Connecticut Green LEAF Schools Advisory Council and leadership team are here to help you every step of the way. We encourage you to contact us at ctgreenleaf@coeea.org