D.A.T.EDeKalb Academy of Technology

and EnvironmentSUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS

About Us• DeKalb Academy seeks to take an approach to teaching and learning with

our motto of, “Learning with Relationships, Relevance, and Rigor!” Our motto is vital in engaging teachers and students in the process of being academically successful. There are many initiatives that have been implemented to improve the educational processes for our students, such as engaging students in meaningful tasks that address their various learning styles, exposing students to various challenging learning opportunities, and increasing students’ motivation to learn. While the academic program and structure of the academy is indeed in the public interest, our initiatives have been proven to be even more effective with the academy’s in-depth instructional focus of technology and the environment. DeKalb Academy of Technology and the Environment has maintained academic success since its inception. This success can be readily seen in achieving Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) status for five consecutive years, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 as a “Distinguished” school. Students have exceeded state and local standards in many subject areas of the administration of Georgia Criterion Referenced Tests (GCRT).

Sustainable development is defined as a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that

these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come.

The long-term result of environmental degradation is the inability to sustain human life. Such degradation on a global scale could imply extinction for

humanity.

Sustainable agriculture uses ecological principles to farm, hence the prefex agro- to farm and ecology- the science of the relationship between organisms and their environment. It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:

1. Satisfy human food and fiber needs2. Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls3. Sustain economic viability

D.A.T.E has a recycling program that encompassespaper, plastic, aluminum and household grease products. We strive to ensure

that the processes of interaction with the environment are pursued with the idea of keeping the environment as pristine as naturally possible.

Intertwinement

DATE in the Community

Environment

Environmental Preservation

Soap

Used Cooking

Oil

Biodiesel

Environmental Sustainability

isEmbedded in

our curriculum

Social

Community Partnerships

The Process

Community Involvement

Economic

Biodiesel Soap

Sustainable Schoolyard • Urban Roots:• One of D.A.T.E Academy’s

biggest challenges is showing everyday people sustainability is not a fad: It is a central element of strong communities and a healthy future.

4. Social, emotional and project-base learning:

5. Create experiential leaning environment

6. Create self-sustaining gardens

Sustainable School Community• Participatory process

• Intentional Neighborhood Design

• Sustainable and Green Practice• Bring entire community together

for one purpose:SUSTAINABLE!!!

Head of The Class!• Bringing gardening to a school

near you

• Model Students: Every boy and girl should be a producer.

• Production is the first principle of education

• The growing of plants should become an integral part of the school program.

Team Gardening@D.A.T.E• Get stakeholders

involved:• PARENTS ARE OUR

GREATEST RESOURCE!!!!!!

Sustainable Builders:

• We make use of the experts that are in our school community

• We encourage eco-friendly building materials

Sustainable Garden Project

Parents and students working together building a better future.

Vine Crops:Relieve the nature deficit disorder

Schoolyard Kudzu CropAccording to the center of Eco-literacy, a large body of research indicates that

social, emotional and project-based learning, such as cultivating and harvesting a garden, can improve scores and behavior in the classroom.

Urban Kudzu Harvesting