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GreenTeam

Green Team Guide

​Why form a Green Team?
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A Green Team is a diverse group of students, staff, families, and community members who collaborate to make their school healthier, greener, and more sustainable.

 

A strong Green Team:

  • Builds a culture of sustainability in your school

  • Connects classroom learning to hands-on action

  • Engages students in leadership and problem-solving

  • Supports district and statewide goals for healthier schools and communities

Are you an Acorn member ready to advance to Sapling?
Now is the time to start your Green Team!
Who should be on your Green Team?

 

Every school is unique — but a representative, inclusive team is key to long-term success. Consider inviting people from all levels and from many different sectors of your school community on your Green Team. Think about who could be a real “champion for change."

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.

Facility Staff

Engage your facility manager (custodian), maintenance, and food services staff. Depending on your projects, you may need their expertise to succeed in your greening efforts. They have a wealth of knowledge about the inner workings of your school!

Parents/Caregivers

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.

Teachers

Including teachers (para-educators, librarians, specialists) on your team is a must! They can communicate with peers and rally support as projects and activities unfold. Teachers are key to connecting the greening of your school to classroom curriculum.

Students

No school project can succeed without students - let them lead the way! Include different grade levels and integrate projects into your curriculum. We want youth voices to be heard and ask that you train student representatives on how to participate fully in team conversations. Consider tapping into existing student clubs.

Community

Members of your community can be valuable assets to your Green Team or as consultants or activity partners. Your team may focus on projects that benefit from community support, for example, from a local Garden Club, landscaper, or Department of Public Works.

Steps to Starting Your Green Team

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  1. Recruit Members: Spread the word through school announcements, newsletters, posters, and personal invitations.

  2. Host a Kick-Off Meeting: Introduce the Green Team idea, share why sustainability matters, and brainstorm possible projects. 

  3. Create a Mission Statement: Define your purpose and goals. Example: “We respect the environment. We work together to reduce our school’s impact, educate our peers, and build a healthy and sustainable future.”

  4. Choose a Team Name & Identity: Something fun and memorable — logos, badges, or a bulletin board can build pride.

  5. Assign Roles & Set Guidelines: Encourage shared responsibility (e.g., student leader, communications coordinator, facilities liaison).​

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Planting Seeds

Your school is just starting out and making plans. You are determining how you would like to achieve your goals,  establishing priorities, and setting timelines to help your school move to the next level.

Growing Green

Your school is making progress to put your green and healthy school plans into action. You are celebrating small changes and successes, such as professional development, curriculum integration, and greener facilities management.

Sustaining Growth

Your school is now experiencing robust implementation of a green and healthy school plan in all three Green LEAF pillars. Your school has taken many actions to improve and expand a sustained school-wide Green LEAF culture.

Tips for Success

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  • Be Inclusive: Keep an open invitation for new members to join anytime and actively seek out new members at the start of each school year.

  • Celebrate Wins: Share your team's progress at assemblies, highlight projects in school and local newsletters, and recognize student and community leaders.

  • Stay Connected: Consistency is key! Schedule regular meetings (weekly, biweekly, or monthly) and keep notes about who attended and what was accomplished.

  • Embrace the Journey: Reflect and plan ahead! At the end of each year, review your successes and set goals for the following year.

Looking ahead: Self-Assessment

 

Once you've established your Green Team, it will be time to start your CT Green LEAF Self-Assessment. You will automatically receive access to your individualized tracking tool as soon as you submit the Green Team form!​​​​​​​

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About the Self-Assessment

 

This tool is designed to 1) meet you where you are at and 2) help you identify and prioritize goals.

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You might feel overwhelmed at first and that's ok. We're here to help! Know that you will emerge from this process with more questions than answers and lots of ideas about how and where to take action. 

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From there, your Green Team can identify initiatives or projects that they would like to focus on. Be realistic with your initial goals, 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 your parent-teacher organization on a schoolyard clean-up project.

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Each new partnership adds volunteers, interest, commitment and investment in your school’s efforts to go greener. 

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