Following is a list of fact sheets developed while exploring recommendations for action under the Climate and Sustainability Commitment adopted by the Bethlehem Area School District. Each fact sheet contains a description of the topic or proposal, information on its potential impacts on health, learning, the environment, and other factors; they also contain source information and references for additional information.
We were unable to collect from the Bethlehem Area School District some information needed to relate each issue to current practices, but they provide a useful guide to the range of topics that need to be addressed.
- Arts integration & STEM to STEAM
- Asthma Friendly Schools
- BAVTS – fully implement the commitment
- Call for Teacher Innovation & Research
- Career Pathways, including 1st-year intro classes
- Clubs & Extracurricular Activities
- Community Service
- Community, Social & Environmental Benefits – Use of school grounds & facilities
- Composting food waste
- Continuing Education Reimbursements
- Curriculum
- Curriculum – Climate & Sustainability Across the Curriculum
- Curriculum Mapping
- Develop reports & presentations to increase public awareness
- Ecological Literacy assessment at all levels
- Eliminate wasted energy – Lighting
- Eliminate wasted energy – HVAC
- Graduation Requirements
- Green Ribbon district
- Green Training for Custodial Staff
- Guidance for School Counselors
- Immersion projects
- In-service programming to support climate & sustainability
- Introduce Commitment & next steps at Principals meetings
- Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Annual)
- LEED for construction & major renovations
- Low-VOC Paints & Other Chemicals
- Native & Water-Resilient Plantings Wherever Possible
- Nitschmann Plans with Commitment in mind
- Purchasing to support sustainability
- School Food
- School Gardens
- School lunch (time & environment)
- STEM to STEAM & Arts Integration
- Stipends for teachers to revise curriculum
- Student Videos, Art, & Writing
- Support Biking & Walking to School
- Survey – Students ?
- Survey – Teachers ?
- Sustainability Committee / Team / Task Force
- Transportation – Anti-idling policies at BASD facilities
- Transportation – Anti-idling policies for BASD vehicles
- Transportation – reduce busing & parents driving students to school
- Waste Minimization & Recycling
- Wellness Policy