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SERT Flash School Energy and Recycling Team

“It’s your world…choose to conserve”

Martin Luther King Recycling Panthers are Taking Recycling to the Next Level…. Are you?

MLK Recycling Panthers Beverly Thompson, paraeducator, from Martin Luther King Middle School has taken recycling to the next level. Not only do her students do a great job of collecting the school’s recycling material, but Ms. Thompson has the students weigh and graph out the increased weight of recyclable materials. In-house performance measures help reinforce the proactive approach of the team. The students enhance their math skills and create bar graphs demonstrating their progress for posting in the main hall. Keeping the school informed of their efforts increases awareness and participation. This outstanding effort models successful strategies used in creating a well-rounded educational environment and promotes a culture of conservation. Team work demonstrating initiative, leadership skills, and environmental stewardship, propels Martin Luther King Middle School’s recycling team to excel. We thank everyone for staying active and involved. Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E-mail: [email protected] SERT Program- 240-314-1090



Innovative Thinking Inspires New Recycling Practices at Whetstone Elementary School

Have you ever thought “It’s a shame to throw this out?”

Whetstone Elementary School started a unique pilot program in Montgomery County Public Schools. Susan Still, administrative secretary, realized that the cardboard copy plus boxes were being broken down and recycled after just one use. Her thinking was more along the lines of “Why can’t we reuse these boxes?” Instead of just thinking, Ms. Still took action.

Ms. Still created a pilot program with Department of Materials Management/Copy Plus. The copy plus boxes are collapsed, placed in the pony, and returned to the print shop for reuse. This innovation has economic and environmental benefits and models collaborative efforts that affect change and help make our system environmentally friendly, by reducing our use and extending the life of these useful boxes. The reuse part of the recycling equation is often overlooked. Remember to think before you recycle your boxes, maybe they can be reused.

Thank you.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E-mail: [email protected] SERT Program- 240-314-1090



Randolph Maintenance Depot Electric Shop has a “Bright” Idea!

SERT appreciates the innovation demonstrated by all of our maintenance depots!

The Randolph Maintenance Depot is initiating replacement installations of energy-efficient lighting throughout their area where applicable. The electrical staff, lead by Mr. Jack Lewis, electrician area supervisor, are busy replacing high intensity discharge (HID) lamps and ballasts and high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps and ballasts with 120 volt and 277 volt compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

By indentifying these opportunities at their schools and taking advantage of this new technology the Randolph Maintenance Depot electric shop staff is saving valuable resources (time, money, and the environment) along with reducing maintenance costs for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Once the replacements are complete the future lamp replacement is as simple as screwing in an energy-efficient CFL light bulb.

Remember, a CFL

• can save up to $30.00 over its lifetime,• will pay for itself in 6 months,• uses 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb,• must be recycled.

The School Energy and Recycling Team (SERT) office would like to thank the Randolph Maintenance Depot for their initiative and another “bright” idea.


mailto:[email protected]�



Julius West Middle School Students are into Green Design!

Ms. Lauren Casey, 6th grade science teacher, invites SERT staff to work with her students on a “Going Green” project. Students worked together on a project-based learning challenge where they were actively solving problems, making decisions, and investigating options for creating new designs and improvements for existing Montgomery County Public School facilities making them more energy-efficient (Green). Mr. Williams from the SERT office assisted in facilitating the reflections.

Students at Julius West Middle School welcomed Mr. Williams enthusiastically with signage and banners! Mr. Williams presented School Energy & Recycling Team (SERT) program information and helped lead the students through their investigation of green design. Examples of green strategies that were reviewed included the benefits of using lighter paint schemes and how that increases the reflection of light thereby reducing the need for electrical lighting – daylight harvesting.

Mr. Williams was pleased to find that many students were well on their way with regard to the green project and had a strong basis of knowledge in the area. Many students also knew about the SERT program, since most of them had come from elementary schools with successful SERT programs such as College Gardens, Beall, Ritchie Park, and Twinbrook elementary schools.

After the presentation, the sixth grade students from Julius West Middle School were very excited to apply the central concepts and principles of green building design. Mr. Williams also learned from the experience and has a great deal of respect for all teachers and educators.

On behalf of the SERT staff, thank you Ms. Casey for inviting SERT to share with your students and for your continued conservation efforts!





Natural Lighting Saves Energy!

Gaithersburg Elementary School: (L-R) Mr. Ruthven Cooper, Building Service Manager; Ms. Niki Hazel, Principal; Mr. Joseph Rowe, Assistant Principal

Did you know that approximately one third of a buildings energy use comes from lighting?

Gaithersburg Elementary School saves energy by leaving hallway lighting off on sunny days! Taking advantage of natural day lighting from windows and existing emergency lighting provides enough illumination to meet the needs of the students and teachers at Gaithersburg Elementary School. These efforts are recognized and supported by their team including Principal, Ms. Niki Hazel, Assistant Principal, Mr. Joseph Rowe, and Building Service Manager, Mr. Ruthven Cooper. When visiting the school, SERT notices that on most days hallway lighting remains off. We appreciate Mr. Cooper who has been following this strategy for years which keeps their energy use down. Remember the best way to conserve is not to use.

Taking advantage of natural day lighting and assessing needs along with preferences allows most schools to adjust their lighting use. Mr. Dwight Brown, building service manager, at Sally K. Ride Elementary School practices lighting conservation strategies too.

Consider the lighting needs in your school while taking advantage of natural daylight. SERT can provide light meters for students and staff to explore the building. Adjusting lighting levels by measuring foot candles with these meters can save energy and be a fun educational activity for all who are involved.

Other opportunities for saving energy through lighting manipulation can be taken advantage of by simply delaying the time the lights are turned on in the morning.




John F. Kennedy High School Students Build Green School Club

John F. Kennedy High School Students (L-R) Alfena Johnson, Brian Chambers, Amanda Dotson, Mary Guenther, and Jainaba Fye

Raising awareness with regard to the environment is the main objective for John F. Kennedy High School’s (JFKHS) Green Schools Club. The club promoted and

conducted a school wide poster contest to get the students excited and involved with their new mission. The Green Schools Club thought that by having student-made posters hanging throughout the school it would help increase their recycling

rates and create awareness.

John F. Kennedy High School winning posters

Congratulations go to Alfena Johnson for winning the poster contest! Alfena created two beautiful posters encouraging others to recycle. The winning poster

has become the official Green Schools Club poster this year.

SERT staff were invited out to participate in an awards ceremony where Alfena received a certificate as well as a small monetary gift.

Now that a winning poster has been selected and the prize given, the hope is that more students will be inspired to join the JFKHS Green School Club and help keep

JFKHS Green.


mailto:[email protected]



Recycling Juice Boxes is an Every Day Thing! Go Westbrook Elementary School

Westbrook Elementary School Building Service Manager Raymond Blanchard shows MCPS students how to recycle juice boxes!

SERT staff was invited to help celebrate Earth Day at Westbrook Elementary School to help

support their week long trash free lunch efforts. A great surprise awaited SERT staff when

we arrived. Students brought their lunches in reusable plastic containers, cloth napkins,

and some students even brought their own flatware. The building service manager has a

complete recycling station set up in the cafeteria. One bin just for trash, one bin for bottles

and cans, and one bin for juice boxes and paper. Mr. Blanchard provides positive guidance

and encouragement to the students in their efforts to recycle responsibly while manning the

recycling station.

This additional recycling opportunity exists in all of our schools. SERT visits all Montgomery

County Public Schools (MCPS) during lunch periods by request in the SERT “Reach-Out

Lunch Program,” one issue is universal amongst schools visited so far this year – a lack of

paper recycling containers. Juice boxes and milk cartons are recyclable and should be

collected in a “paper” container. These bins are also available to schools through the

Maximo work order system.

Please join Westbrook Elementary School in their superior recycling practices by placing a

paper recycling bin in your cafeteria next to each recycling station. Post signage (click for

link) above and directly on the paper bin to provide a visual aid that reminds students and

staff to recycle drink boxes. This additional bin is a significant and necessary part of the

lunch time recycling protocol which will help increase our rates.

SERT would like to thank Mr. Blanchard and all of Westbrook Elementary School’s recyclers

for their dedicated recycling plan to capture more of the recycling stream. Every drink box

counts…

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E-mail: [email protected]

SERT Program- 240-314-1090

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/juicebox.pdf

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/juicebox.pdf




Richard Montgomery High School Staff (L-R) Ms. Laurie Bourdeaux, Mr. Gerard Giblin, and Ms. Afie Mirshah-Nayar

SERT Captain and Assistant Principal, Afie Mirshah-Nayar, at Richard Montgomery High School gets a “High Five” from the SERT Office!

Every once in a while we come across someone working in a school that is as passionate about energy

conservation and recycling as we are. Ms. Mirshah-Nayar is one of those people. She truly cares about

helping our environment. Richard Montgomery High School (RMHS) has come a long way in terms of

conservation. Even though the school is new and relatively energy efficient, human behavior still has the

biggest impact on conservation and that’s where Ms. Mirshah-Nayar has been the most successful. She

has literally changed the culture at RMHS. Ms. Mirshah-Nayar gets a lot of help and support from Ms.

Stanton (Conservation Awareness), Ms. Bourdeaux (Recycling), Mr. Giblin (Energy/SERT Committee), Mr.

Durant and Ms. Estep (Building Service) but, and most importantly, the RMHS students. Since Ms.

Mirshah-Nayar has taken over the SERT Program at RMHS, they have implemented the following

concepts:

Upgrading their recycling infrastructure by purchasing enough bins to cover the entire building

Producing daily morning announcements about conservation awareness

Purchasing recycling costumes for students to help promote recycling during lunch

Developing recycling pick up schedules for students recycling collection

Sponsoring and conducting a recycled art show

Setting up centralized recycling stations with bins and proper signage

Setting up a daily schedule to shut off pole lighting on Main Street and the over head lighting in the

cafeteria during the day

Organizing an environmental clean up around the outside of the school

Organizing paperless referrals via “MyMCPS” which will save about 1800 sheets of paper during

the course of the a school year

On behalf of the SERT Office, we would like to thank the students and staff members at RMHS, and a very

special thank you goes out to Ms. Mirshah-Nayar!





Election Site Recycling

On Tuesday, September 14, 2010, and Tuesday, November 2, 2010, over 150 MCPS schools and centers have been selected as

Primary and General Election sites.

Tips to increase recycling

Set up centralized recycling stations - especially paper recycling stations. Set up extra paper recycling stations in the polling areas and hallways. Remember to empty your recycling bins every hour. Use extra bins in concentrated areas (temporarily relocate bins from school). Increase recycling stations if your school or center has an exceptionally large

voter turnout. Call SERT or e-mail [email protected] with any questions.




Recycling Inspections Begin Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services

School Recycling Program Evaluation

Starting on Friday, October 1, 2010, the Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste

Services (DSWS) will begin conducting in-school recycling program evaluations. Please note

these evaluations will continue through December and are conducted at all Montgomery

County Public School (MCPS) facilities. Evaluators will check in at the office and follow

MCPS protocol.

It is once again time for MCPS to demonstrate our excellent recycling program, by following

the tips to a successful evaluation as described below.

Tips to a successful evaluation:

Collection: Hang posters at each collection site and label all recycling bins

appropriately.

Convenience: Place recycling bins of sufficient size in convenient locations.

Participation: Remember, all schools and facilities must recycle paper/cardboard and

commingled material. Please inform the inspector if your school is participating in

other voluntary recycling programs (chip bags, pens, etc.)

Contamination: Please ensure that there is no contamination in the recycling bins or

dumpsters.

Trash: Please ensure that there are no recyclable materials in trash.

Staff participation: Demonstrate your recycling awareness among administration,

teachers and staff – posters, morning announcements, student involvement, staff

lounge recycling, and post your recycling rates.

Program in place: Please ensure that SERT Action Plan is complete and available for

review during the on-site evaluation.

Yard waste: Recycle all yard waste through the Division of Maintenance.

Call SERT at SERT @ 240-314-1090 or e-mail [email protected] with any

questions.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH!

E-mail: [email protected]





Bulletin Boards

Sharing Recycling & Energy Messages

Goshen Elementary School (Main Hall)

Students, staff, and school communities learn more about recycling and

energy conservation through viewing creative bulletin board displays like the one pictured above at Goshen Elementary School. Way to go Grizzlies!

Take advantage of bulletin boards and turn them into three dimensional

teaching tools. Creative displays can help promote a culture of conservation within the school and the local community. Everyone walking down the

main hall at Goshen Elementary School benefit from the display showing items that need to be separated into recycling bins and/or need to be placed

in the trash at school and at home. This clever artistic board also shares energy conservation tips and SERT contest information.

Please visit the SERT web site to view your school’s energy and recycling

data and start a bulletin board with your SERT data charts. Remember to

download Watt’s Up? poster contest information so your student’s artwork can be displayed on bulletin boards throughout the county!

SERT is pleased to recognize Goshen Elementary School in this month’s

Flash for sharing the message in a creative way.


http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/sert.shtm

http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/sert.shtmhttp:/montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/wuwrecycling.pdf




Light Switch Signage Saves Energy!

Glenallan Elementary School Gator Green Team Students Turning Off the Lights

Did you know that approximately one‐third of school buildings electricity use comes from lighting?

Encouraging students and staff to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms helps conserve energy and resources that can be redirected to educational initiatives. One way to encourage turning off the lights is to post student‐created light switch covers.

The Glenallan Elementary School SERT/Green Team saves a significant amount of electricity through encouraging energy‐aware behavior by posting handmade light switch covers. These colorful covers are fun for students to make and also remind others to turn off the lights when leaving the room. Remember, turning the overhead lights off even for a few seconds saves energy.

Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) has almost 8,000 classrooms. If classroom lights are left on accidentally for two hours each academic day this could cost the school system an average of $400,000 per year. Imagine how much we can save if we each do our part to turn off the lights when they are not needed.

Making switch plate covers is a fun and rewarding activity for the SERT/Green Team. It is something that can be done during an indoor recess or even at home. Once completed, SERT recommends laminating the switch plate signage so it can be used more than one year.

If your SERT Team would prefer to post a readymade sign or use the SERT template to make your own, please visit the SERT link below and get creative. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/sertswitchcover.pdf

SERT would like to thank the Glenallan ES SERT Team, Principal Miss. Ronnie Fields, Mr. Ronald Fox, Ms. Gloria Ralph, Mrs. Barbara Templin, and the Gator Green Team students for sharing their creative energy saving ideas.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E‐mail: [email protected] SERT Program‐ 240‐314‐1090




Recycling in Action Cedar Grove Elementary School

Cedar Grove Elementary School has a School Energy & Recycling Team (SERT) team of students actively engaged in recycling, TerraCycling1, and energy conservation.

Each day at lunch students pass clearly marked containers from table to table to collect the different packaging items that are recycled through TerraCycling. The assigned team collects the containers with the help of a parent volunteer and places them on a cart for transport to the collection bins in the hallway next to the lunch room. Next, the sorting begins where the team separates the items and places them into clearly marked large bins for storage until they are shipped for processing.

At the same time another coordinated team of students moves throughout the school collecting the standard recycling items such as cans, bottles, and paper. These items are collected in blue rolling cans that students can easily manage down the halls while stopping at each classroom to collect the recyclables.

A third team is assigned to collect data on the lights that have been turned off in each unoccupied room. A large display in the hall shares information with the school on their progress and their mission. Cedar Grove Elementary School shows just how easy it is to meet the mission of SERT to reduce energy consumption and increase recycling rates.

1 TerraCycles is a company whose goal is to eliminate the idea of waste by partnering with schools to create a collection program for non-recyclable material. http://www.terracycle.net/



Awarding “Good Light Bulb” Behavior at Sally Ride Elementary School

(L-R) Ms. Katherine LoCurto, staff, Christman Schafer, 5th grade student, Ms. Renee Parks, staff

The School Energy & Recycling Team (SERT) Team at Sally Ride Elementary School is

excited to continue their “Light Bulb Award” incentive program this school year to help

save energy at their school. The Sally Ride ES students use their motto, “Eagles

Recycle!” to promote outstanding resource conservation behavior among the students and

staff.

The student members of the SERT team monitor the schools energy use by circulating

through the building every day, checking on unoccupied rooms to make sure their

classroom lights are off. If the students find an empty classroom with the lights off, they

tape a laminated picture of a light bulb to the door. On Thursday afternoons, the students

collect the light bulbs and record the room numbers on a spread sheet. The “Light Bulb

Award” winners are announced, by 5th

grade student, Christman Schafer, weekly and

monthly on the morning TV program, “Eagles on the Air”. The winning classrooms also

get an “Outstanding Light Bulb Award Winner” laminated light bulb picture to display in

their classroom. This program is making a difference as Sally Ride ES is often awarded

by the SERT Program for their energy savings.

The SERT Program wants to thank Christman Schafer, for stepping up and promoting

this great program, and the entire SERT Team at Sally Ride ES, for being excellent

energy conservation ambassadors and role models. At Sally Ride ES, students make the

difference.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a

photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH!







Broad Acres Elementary School 4th Annual Recycling Essay Contest

(L-R) Mr. Luis San Sebastian, AP; Douglas Enriquez, 5th grade student

Broad Acres Elementary School has just held their Fourth Annual Recycling Essay Contest and is pleased to announce that they received over 200 entries this year! Teachers make use of this essay contest to assist students in advancing their persuasive writing skills and often hold writing workshops with large groups of students during lunch/recess to help them with this process. The school wide annual essay contest is open to all students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Each year it has become more and more popular and demonstrates an increasing awareness of the importance of recycling. According to Assistant Principal, Mr. Luis San Sebastian, “The students get very excited to get their thoughts about recycling down on paper for this contest.

The 2011 first place winner, fifth grade student, Douglas Enriquez, wrote his winning essay to the question “Why is Recycling Important to Me?” In his essay, Douglas wrote, “Recycling saves space……the less space we have the less oxygen we have because trees produce oxygen so they cut down trees to make space”, and “About 850,000,000 trees are cut down a year! So if we don’t recycle all that paper that we cut down the more we cut the existence of humankind.”

SERT would like to congratulate all of the students and staff at Broad Acres Elementary School for promoting recycling through this successful essay contest.” The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners all receive gift cards from a local vendor purchased with SERT funds that Broad Acres Elementary School has won.

Keep up the good work!!



Cafeteria Tray Reduction Efforts

Did you know that select high schools are participating in a pilot program to reduce the number of trays

currently being used in our cafeterias?

Select high schools are participating in a “reduce your use” pilot and are making significant progress in

reducing the number of cafeteria trays used on a daily basis. Some schools have totally eliminated the use of

these trays during breakfast or on certain days while others are working on changing behaviors by making it less

convenient to access trays during lunch and breakfast.

Ms. Laura Reese, cafeteria manager at Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School (HS) is currently working on a

reduction plan called “No Tray Tuesday” where on selected Tuesdays trays are not used at all in the cafeteria.

To promote this program the school broadcasts a video made by students on tray reduction to remind students

that food will not be served on trays that particular day. All other times, the trays are placed away from the

main serving area. A student standing in the serving area will have to make a conscious effort in order to obtain

a tray.

Wootton HS is proud of their reduction efforts. Cafeteria Manager, Ms. Sharon Forbes, places a few trays out

at each time and they are placed away from the main serving area. According to Ms. Forbes, they have seen

significant reduction in the use of these trays at Wootton HS compared to the same time last year.

Blair HS and Seneca Valley HS have stopped serving breakfast on trays. During lunch, the trays are placed

behind the serving counter and cafeteria workers will hand out a tray if asked.

Clarksburg HS and James H. Blake HS have reduced their use by eliminating the use of trays when serving

breakfast.

Each of us can do our part to reduce our use in school, at home, and in the cafeteria! Be part of the solution and

use only what you need.

Is your school currently participating in a “reduce your use” effort? Please contact SERT office at 240-314-

1090 or e-mail us at [email protected] to share your strategies so we can share your success with all of

MCPS.

Together, we can make a difference!

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you

too can be featured in a future FLASH!







“Take Me Out to Travilah Elementary School”

Mrs. Carol Knoblach, 4th

grade Teacher and courtyard at Travilah Elementary School

It’s the bottom of the ninth inning; score is tied; two outs; bases are loaded; the count is 3 balls/ 2

strikes! Carol Knoblach is at the plate! The pitcher throws a low fast ball. “Pow” Carol Knoblach

hits it out of the park!

Okay-okay, I’m not talking about baseball but, Carol Knoblach does knock it out of the park in

terms of energy conservation and recycling at Travilah ES. Mrs. Knoblach is a 4th

grade teacher

and a true “Greenie” at heart.

Mrs. Knoblach has 22 students on her SERT team. They meet as a group once a month and they

do a variety of green activities in between their meetings like:

collecting all the recycling from the building weekly

collecting composting from lunch and using the compost for their organic flower bed

implementing “No Trash Friday” in the cafeteria

leaving friendly reminders to staff when lights are left on in classrooms and work rooms

collecting all the aluminum foil covers from lunch trays for recycling

Mrs. Knoblach takes going “Green” to a whole new level. She is currently working on getting

Travilah ES recertified as a” Maryland Green School.” One of her special projects included

applying for a grant to install a pond in the courtyard.

Thank you Mrs. Knoblach for leading the “green” initiatives at Travilah Elementary School.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and

paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH!






Mrs. Tracy Katoski and Mrs. Raka Goswami

Montgomery Village Middle School Staff Members

What do you see when you walk into MVMS?

We see how important resource conservation is to the Montgomery Village Middle

School SERT team members. The Montgomery Village Middle School SERT Team has

set up centralized recycling stations in the main hallway and throughout the school so that

students, staff, and visitors are able to recycle paper, bottles/cans and dispose of their

trash responsibly.

Thank you to Mrs. Tracy Katoski, administrative secretary, and Mrs. Raka Goswami, 6th

grade science teacher, who are the driving force behind the creative hall displays and

bulletin boards. These displays share recycling and energy conservation information and

useful facts with everyone at Montgomery Village Middle School. Students, staff, and

community members can learn about their very own “footprint.”

SERT would also like to thank the students from the Learning for Independence Program

along with their paraeducators, Mrs. Gloria Stewart and Mrs. Kim Kastens, who help to

collect the recycling at Montgomery Village Middle School.

SERT would like to thank everyone at MVMS for making a difference!

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a

photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH!


SERT Program: 240-314-1090




Recycling Rangers at Olney Elementary School Are Making Recycling Fun and Educational!

The Recycling Rangers from Olney Elementary School

How does Olney Elementary School (ES) integrate recycling into their day?

Ms. Heritage and her fourth grade class at Olney ES have developed a quick and efficient method for responsible recycling that gives instant feedback to other classrooms on how well they are doing while learning about the multiple benefits of recycling. Recycling Rangers are assigned a classroom to retrieve the paper recycle container. If there is contamination in the recycle container, the Recycle Ranger writes out a ticket indicating the type of contamination. If everything is perfect, the classroom gets an award ticket. They do this twice a week, and it only takes about 20 minutes!

On the day SERT was visiting Olney ES, only six tickets for contamination were passed out; and the contaminated materials were removed before reaching the recycling dumpster. The Recycling Rangers are busy creating a living bulletin board displaying data that reflects perfect recycling scores. This awareness activity inspires the school population to do a great job. After the recycling data is documented on the bulletin board it is added to a recycling performance matrix and distributed to all staff electronically avoiding paper waste too!

Ms. Heritage is teaching the students how they can be a positive force to help the environment, about the connections between human behavior and the environment, and math calculations and concepts.

If you would like to learn how you can set up a program similar to the Olney ES Recycle Rangers please contact the SERT Recycling office at [email protected]


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Captain James E. Daly, Jr Elementary School SERT Green Team

How many SERT Green Team students does it take to fill the stage at Captain James E. Daly, Jr. Elementary School?

There are sixty students on the SERT Green Team who work diligently with Mrs. Priscilla Borchardt, SERT leader and school counselor, to conserve resources and recycle properly – one of our largest teams. Mrs. Borchardt also communicates consistently with the SERT office to ask questions, bring new opportunities, and acquire resources to keep the green team actively engaged while fostering a culture of conservation in various ways:

Students and staff participated in Annual Walk-to-School day, on Wednesday, October 5,2011, with our new Superintendent, Dr. Starr, further reducing our carbon footprint onestep at a time.

Creating individual posters with a peer-to-peer message about energy conservation andrecycling.

Green team collection of school recycling: student recyclers don aprons with pockets, gofrom class to class and empty classroom recycling bins, and pull out non-recyclables(thus the pockets!). They leave messages for the class either telling them they are doing agood job, or they need to improve. They turn off lights in empty rooms.

Promoting ideas such as font changes to reduce the use of printer toner. Quarterly recycling team meetings include lessons in conservation of energy and

resources, issues with landfills, reuse of items, etc. Learning what new things can be recycled (such as juice boxes, foil juice pouches, and

working with lunch room aides and building service to implement the program). Annual field trip to the Montgomery County Recycling Center

Your schools team, no matter what size, makes a difference each and every day. SERT would like to thank the team at Captain James Daly Elementary School for their efforts to conserve resources and make wise choices.




Springbrook HS Science Teacher, Ms. Diane Niedzialkowski is installing floor lamps in computer labs at Springbrook HS

The Springbrook High School Green Team and Environmental Science class students, under the guidance of science teacher Ms. Diane Niedzialkowski, are working to make a difference to help preserve our environment. The students are in the process of adding energy‐efficient floor lamps, supplied by the SERT office, to all computer labs at Springbrook HS. The expectation is that when students are working in the labs they will use these 23 Watt lamps vs. overhead lighting. The floor lamps come with Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL)! Using the floor lamps to provide lighting for the computer labs, instead of using the overhead fluorescent lighting, will reduce the electricity used by ~ 85% ‐‐ imagine the benefits.

This strategy and use of technology saves a tremendous amount of energy and reduces the schools overall carbon footprint. Other benefits include reducing eye strain sometimes resulting from the glare from the overhead lights. This is a great example of sustainability in action: environmental, economical, and social benefits are all covered by this strategy.

WOW moment: When installing the floor lamps one student working at a computer station was overheard saying “Wow, this is really cool. I love these new lights” ……….GO BLUE DEVILS!

If you and your SERT/Green Team are interested in installing floor lamps in your school

computer labs, please contact the SERT office for more information at 240‐314‐1090 or e‐mail

[email protected] .




Keep it Green; Protect your Blue

Recycling monitors at Bethesda Elementary School remind and assist.

Do the recycling bins in your cafeteria get contaminated with straws, spoons, and other non-recyclables at lunchtime? The staff and students at Bethesda Elementary School are trying to prevent contamination in their recycling bins by assigning “recycling monitors” at each bin. Monitors are trained on what can and cannot be placed in their bin and to act accordingly.

While at these stations, monitors kindly assist and remind their classmates, advising them where they need to dispose of their items (paper bin, commingled bin, or trash can). Not only do the monitors provide recycling guidance and education, they “get their hands dirty” and make sure their bins are “clean.” Sometimes classmates forget to take their straws out of their drinks or remove their spoons from the yogurt cups, so the monitors will take them out and place them in the trash can. The pictures above demonstrate different monitors removing different items from their respective bins.

With this monitoring process, staff and students at Bethesda Elementary School are providing an atmosphere of learning and leading. By promoting recycling awareness, students gain a sense of accomplishment by taking on this responsibility. This is where leadership begins!

By having their bins monitored, staff and students at Bethesda Elementary School increase their recycling rates each month. These monitors exemplify sustainable practices—implementing environmental, social, and economic strategies to address our increasing solid waste concerns. The SERT office would like to thank students and staff at Bethesda Elementary School for their consistent recycling efforts.

“You can’t hide that Lion pride!”

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share regarding your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you, too, can be featured in a future FLASH! E-mail: [email protected] SERT Program- 240-314-1090



Northwest High School is always looking for new ways to save energy!

The Administrative Team at Northwest High School helps make the difference (L-R) Mr. Tim Britton, Mr. James D’Andrea, Mr. Matt Niper, and Mr. John Robertson

The administration at Northwest High School actively leads and supports comprehensive energy conservation efforts throughout the school, starting with Ms.

E. Lancellotti (Lance) Dempsey, principal. Northwest High School leads the way in pro-active energy conservation strategies that SERT recommends to all schools—turn it off when not in use.

Mr. Michael W. Bednarcik, physical education resource

teacher at Northwest High School, turns off the lights in the main gym, as well as auxiliary gyms, when the students are using the outside fields or when there are

no scheduled classes. Mr. Bednarcik pointed out that it only requires a few minutes for the lights to come up to

full brightness; he merely turns on the lights five minutes before a class begins. This effort helps reduce the waste that keeps Northwest High School in the

running for SERT awards.

The average high school gym costs between $1,800 and $3,000 to power the standard gym lighting. Thanks to Mr. Bednarcik and the entire team at Northwest High School we are reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and our

operating costs.

Individual efforts make a difference—it can be you!

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share regarding your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and

paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E-mail: [email protected] or call the SERT

office at 240-314-1090.

Mr. Mike Bednarcik PE Resource Teacher




Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

Mr. Jatin Patel, building service manager at Kensington Parkwood Elementary School receiving repurposed recycling bins.

Reduce, reuse or recycle! In an effort to conserve resources, Montgomery County

Public Schools (MCPS) prefers to reuse before recycling to demonstrate our commitment to the environment and our students.

Did you know that MCPS crews go to salvage items from schools which are slotted for demolition before each modernization project so they can be reused? Items in

good working condition such as HVAC systems, backup generators, plumbing fixtures, electrical panels, circuit breakers, furniture, lamps, etc. are removed from school buildings prior to demolition to be reused in other MCPS schools.

The SERT office collects all reusable recycling bins from these schools and

redistributes them to schools which are in need of additional recycling infrastructure. During the month of December 2011, the SERT office collected reusable recycling bins from Beverly Farms Elementary School, Glenallan

Elementary School, and Weller Road Elementary School which were being relocated to holding centers due to modernization projects. Clarksburg High School (HS),

Thomas Edison HS of Technology, Wheaton HS, Kensington Parkwood Elementary School (ES), Meadow Hall ES, Judith A. Resnik ES, and Viers Mill ES were among

the recipients of the repurposed recycling bins to add to their existing infrastructure. Saving resources by reusing…

Please contact the SERT office at 240-314-1090 or place an order in MAXIMO if your school is in need of recycling bins.





Is Your Homecoming Float Recyclable? It is hard to believe that summer is over; school has begun and the homecoming season will be upon us. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) high schools will welcome alumni, friends, and family back to their alma mater to celebrate the past, present, and future. Schools will be planning multiple programs, decorating schools, building props on stage, and may be even building floats for the parades. As you plan for the events, remember to recycle. There are many opportunities to recycle during, before, and after homecoming events. Adequate recycling bins to recycle paper and bottles/cans should be placed in area used during the celebrations. If necessary, use recycling bins from other areas of the school temporarily at the event areas. Decorating paper and cardboard used for the homecoming can be recycled with the normal paper recyclables in school. Drywall, wood, and other construction material used for building props can also be recycled by requesting special pick up service through the SERT office. Please ensure that the exterior recycling bins around the school and recycling bins in the stadium are empty and ready for the event. If necessary, you may schedule extra recycling pick-up service for your school in anticipation of the increased recycling by contacting the SERT office by calling 240-314-1090. Enjoy the homecoming season! Please feel free to contact the SERT office by calling 240-314-1090 if you have any questions or need any assistance with your recycling needs.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E-mail: [email protected] or contact the SERT Program at 240-314-1090

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Task Lighting 23 watts

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Task Lighting Saves!

_____________________________________

Do you want to help save energy and reduce our carbon-footprint?

Try using a task lamp that properly illuminates a work surface providing the perfect amount of light for desk related tasks. SERT encourages teachers to use task lamps when possible to reduce our carbon footprint, costs, and consumption. Opportunities exist during planning periods, before and after school, and when using projectors/Promethean boards for task related needs.

Let's compare the savings: On the left is a photo of Ms. Hudson's classroom using an average of 1,500 watts per hour to light her classroom. For the two hours that students are not in the classroom, the lights use 3 kWh (kilo-watt-hours) a day; 540 kWh annually of unnecessary energy use and incurs $75 in energy costs. By using a task lamp during non-teaching hours, each classroom could save up to $73 annually and reduce our carbon footprint by .37 metric tons of CO2.

On the right is a photo of Ms. Hudson using a task lamp with a 23 Watt compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) costing less than $2.00 per year to use. If a school with 30 classrooms used task lamps for 2 hours a day for an academic year, the energy savings would be $2,200 with a carbon reduction of 1.10 metric tons of CO2.

Please feel free to use our watts calculator on-line to measure energy use of other electrical appliances and fixtures in your classroom.

http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/docs/wattscalculator.xlsx

What about 6,000 classrooms? Act locally—think globally

For task lamp ordering information please visit: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/TaskLampFlyer.pdf

http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/docs/wattscalculator.xlsx

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/TaskLampFlyer.pdf



User-Friendly Recycling Data!

NewRecyclingDataFormat!

By popular demand SERT has beenworking to improve recycling data for the schools based onpoundsnotpercentages.TheSERTofficeisexcitedtopresenttoyouthenewandsimple“PoundsperPerson(PPP)RecyclingReport.”

Thisisasimplereportthattakesintoconsiderationtheactualweightofpaperandbottlesandcansrecycledatyourschoolandthestudent/staffpopulation.Estimatesarenotinvolved.

PPP=(MonthlyWeightofPaper+Bottles&Cans)/(Totalnumbersofstudents+staff)

Itisverysimple,morepaperandbottles&cansrecycled,thehigherthePPPwillbeforyourschool.Duringthe2011‐2012schoolyear,elementaryschoolsrecycledatanaverageof4.34PPP;middleschools recycledat anaverageof4.20PPP;andhigh schools recycledat anaverageof3.42PPP.Thesebaselinesareshownasaredlineonyourschool’srecyclingchart.

The Annual Recycling Award will be based on your school’s average PPP for the school yearcompared to the baseline average PPP by level. All schools that achieve a minimum of a 20%increase over baseline PPP or higher compared to your school’s level will receive the AnnualRecycling Award which is normally delivered during the months of October, November orDecember.

Example: Assuming an elementary school achieves an annual average of 5.30PPP. The annualelementaryschoolbaselineforschoolyear2011‐2012was4.34PPP. Inthisexample,thisschoolachieved 22% increase over the baseline of 4.34 PPP for elementary schools, therefore will beeligible to receive the Annual School Recycling Award. Below is the link to SERT Recyclingwebpage, PPP report by level is available under the section “Recycling Resources.”http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/recycle.shtm

TheSERTofficeappreciatesyourcommitmenttoconserveandisheretoprovideyouwithsupport.PleasecontacttheSERTofficeifyouhaveanyquestionsorneedassistancebycalling240‐314‐1090ore‐mail:[email protected]



Diamond Elementary School reuses paper…

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! It’s all happening at Diamond Elementary School. The Student Government Association (SGA) at Diamond Elementary School keeps recycling on the minds of students and staff when planning events. During the month of January, the SGA sponsored an event called “The Snowman Challenge.” Ms. Robin Strauss, counselor and green team leader, invited Mr. John Meyer, SERT recycling technician, to visit the school during the event. According to Mr. Meyer, the contents of paper recycling bins from the school were emptied on the floor and the students picked out paper for the project. The students were pleased to see that the paper recycling bins were contamination free, making it easier to pick out paper for their project. Each class created a snowman for the school’s Winter Wonderland Collage made entirely by reusing paper from the recycling bins.

This project reinforced the importance of conservation and demonstrated how each of our actions can help to preserve the earth’s natural resources, while at the same time, reducing the cost of purchasing new paper.

This event was a huge success. The SGA’s objective of making it fun and earth friendly is evidenced by the picture above with members of the SGA standing proudly in front of the school’s Winter Wonderland Collage.




More Bright Ideas from Maintenance

The Randolph maintenance depot electric shop has had many “bright” ideas over the years and they continue the tradition with yet another.

The Randolph maintenance depot is initiating replacement installations of energy‐efficient lighting throughout their schools where applicable. Led by Mr. Maurice Wade, the electric shop area supervisor, his staff are busy replacing high intensity discharge (HID) lamps and ballasts with 120 volt 32 watt fluorescent ceiling fixtures from school buildings that are being dismantled for renovation. Yes, they are reusing!

By identifying these opportunities at their schools and reusing fixtures rather than sending them to the scrap yard, the

Randolph maintenance depot electric shop staff is saving valuable resources (time, money, and the environment) as well as reducing maintenance costs for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Once a school’s replacement is complete, it is as simple as snapping in a regular 32 watt fluorescent light tube. The benefit of reusing these lamps is saved resources that can be placed back into the classroom.

It is a win‐win situation for everyone.

The School Energy and Recycling Team (SERT) office would like to thank the Randolph maintenance depot for their initiative and another “bright” idea.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH! E‐mail: [email protected] SERT Program: 240‐314‐1090

Demonstrating their commitment to students one lamp at a time.



Keepin’ it Green at Paint Branch High School

Paint Branch High School is our newest high school awaiting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification. LEED is a rating system for buildings that measures energy and environmental performance.

When a LEED‐certified building is delivered, the occupants engage in energy and environmentally‐aware behavior that enhances the efficiency of the building.

One of the many green features of this building is outdoors—the parking lot features designated preferred parking spaces for carpoolers and hybrid vehicle drivers demonstrating Montgomery County Public Schools’ commitment to keeping our environment clean and reducing carbon

emissions. By incentivizing these parking spaces, we are promoting the use of alternative fuel vehicles and carpooling while reducing pollution and our carbon footprint. This is a feature everyone can strive to use. These special benefits make a difference when engaging occupants into environmentally‐aware behavior.

Another exciting feature is the green rooftop. During the summer months, the temperature of a conventional flat rooftop can soar up to 140°F – hot enough to fry an egg. By contrast, a green roof is much cooler and reduces the demand for air conditioning. Green rooftops are also environmentally beneficial as they are a pervious surface and absorb rainwater that would otherwise become stormwater runoff. The green roof is accessible by students and staff through an Art classroom, and is used as an outdoor classroom extension, providing an opportunity to experience the benefits of a green rooftop.

The school also is equipped with a geoexchange heating and cooling system. Geoexchange systems heat and cool the school by pumping water through a closed loop system into the earth. Basically, this system uses the constant temperature of the earth as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink during the summer – versus outside air. Each classroom has the ability to adjust their classroom temperatures with individual controls providing a variance of 3‐4 degrees.

Some other green features include: low emissivity treated windows, motion/occupancy‐sensory lighting, recycled content playground equipment, rain gardens, white reflective (albedo) rooftop, low‐flow water fixtures, and light‐emitting diode (LED) exterior lighting.

To keep the building green and efficient, we rely on our students and staff to be environmental stewards. The exceptional Green Team at Paint Branch High School conducts various activities around the school to promote energy conservation and increase recycling awareness. The team collects recyclables twice every week. The students participate in making energy and recycling posters. The energy “Police” conduct routine inspections to ensure that computers and lights are turned off when class is not in session. The team also runs 30‐second Public Service Announcements in the morning to further reinforce the importance of conservation.

In support of the LEED application, the Green Team is busy engaging the building users, students, staff, and community members into

environmentally‐aware behavior. Way to go Green Team!




Communicating Conservation

The School Energy & Recycling Team (SERT) Program communicates

conservation opportunities and strategies through various media. As Bill

Gates states, “…any tool that enhances communication has profound

effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they

can achieve…” Do you want to learn more about how your school can

reduce its carbon footprint and achieve energy and recycling awards? Please communicate with SERT

via:

Telephone: 204-314-1090


Twitter: @MCPSSERT

Website: SERT www.greenschoolsfocus.org

Join our Mailing List:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/maillistform.html

Outreach Opportunities: Invite us to your classroomhttp://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/SERTRequestForm.pdf

Information can increase knowledge and action but communication is the exchange of information that

can inform and inspire. Let’s work together to communicate the importance of conservation through our

future leaders—the students: Strategies shared by other schools include:

Morning announcements are an effective way to communicate information to staff and students.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/announcements.pdf

School newsletters spread the message throughout the school and into the homes.

Shout-Outs through the Bulletin recognize staff members of their successful conservation

accomplishments.

SERT bulletin boards promote and increase awareness.

E-mails help to remind and encourage staff to join and participate in school conservation

initiatives.

Write a SERT Flash about your school and submit to [email protected].

We look forward to serving you. The more we conserve…the more we protect

our world and future.

Do you have a “SERT Flash” you would like to share about your SERT efforts? Please submit a photograph and

paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future FLASH!




http://www.greenschoolsfocus.org/

http://www.greenschoolsfocus.org/



http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/SERTRequestForm.pdf

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/SERTRequestForm.pdf





SERT FLASH School Energy and Recycling Team

O lney Elementary School 4th graders are committed to raising

awareness about recycling. This Fall, fourth grade teacher, Carrie

Heritage, with the support of her administration, building service

staff, parents and students held a design contest for a recycling logo to appear

on tee-shirts. Over half of Olney Elementary School fourth grade students

participated. The whole student body voted for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.

The first place winner’s design will appear on the 2013-14 Olney Elementary

School Recycle Ranger tee-shirts. SERT celebrates efforts such as this contest

to promote natural resource conservation and sustainability.

Jan ua ry , 20 14

Olney Elementary School

Olney ES Recycling Tee Shirt Contest

MCPS SERT Program

Dept. of Facilities Management

45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

Student Voting

Entry Bulletin Board

Winner

SERT Flash Indoor Recess Again?

Turn a Challenge into an Opportunity

After many long winter days of indoor recess, are you looking for a new activity for

your students? Why not participate in the SERT Watt's Up Poster Contest?

The theme for the poster contest this year is “Conservation: Energy, Water and Recycling.”

Posters selected for printing will include the student or staff member’s name and

school/office. This year, participants will have the option to create posters in different

languages. Students and staff could explore and demonstrate the importance of conservation

in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Vietnamese, and Amharic. Winning entries will

be exhibited in a gallery showing at the Rockville Library this summer.

The Watt’s Up poster contest is open to all MCPS staff or students in grades K–12. The theme

of each entry should encourage others to conserve energy and water and to recycle

responsibly.

The due date is extended to Friday, April 4th. More information is available here.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/pdf/wu.pdf


“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your

children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.” Ancient Kenyan Proverb

Marc h 2014

SERT

Earth Day Is Every Day

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

E arth day is April 22, and it was founded by Senator Gaylor Nelson

in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well

as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water,

and soil pollution. Earth Day aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for

the earth’s environment. People usually celebrate Earth Day with outdoor

performances, and acts of service to promote the wealth of our planet, Earth.

The ways of observing Earth Day include planting trees, picking up roadside

trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, and using

recyclable container for snacks and lunches. Earth Day is now celebrated

every year by more than a billion people in 180 nations around the world.


May 2014

Bells Mill ES

Bells Mill ES hosts their Third Annual Bin Decorating Contest

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

I f you have ever walked the hallways of Bells

Mill Elementary School, you would instantly

realize that they take recycling very seriously.

There are posters, bins, and labels throughout the

building. Although recycling is an everyday routine

for the Bells Mill Bears, they get extremely excited

for the recycling contest that has taken place on Earth Day the past three years.

On Earth Day, April 22nd, every class designed and decorated their classroom

recycling bins with recycled or reused materials. Each bin has a theme: some are

decorated as minions from the movie “Despicable Me”

while others are dressed up as a bear family .

Once the bins are designed and created, each class puts

their bin in the hallway. Each class is allowed to take a

tour of the school and admire the great artwork by their

peers and classmates. A vote is taken and the winner is

announced by the end of the day!

When asked how this contest aligns with Curriculum 2.0, SERT Team Leader and 2nd

Grade Teacher, Lindsay Wilkes says, “This contest is

completely student driven. They collect their materials

throughout the month to use toward creating their bin. They

problem solve and collaborate as they work together to plan

and create! Often this takes trial and error – and a lot of

creativity!” Unique and creative ideas like this help raise

awareness on resource conservation and is one of the many

reasons why Bells Mill ES became a 2014 Maryland Green

School. Great job Bears!


J une 2014

SERT

Election Day Recycling Upcoming election: Tuesday, June 24, 2014

2014 Primary Election

MCPS

School Energy & Recycling Team


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

T ip to increase recycling:

Set up minimum of four centralized stations in the election room (see

picture below)

Set up minimum of two centralized stations in the hallway (see picture below).

leading to election room

Temporarily relocate recycling bins from classrooms or other areas of school to

make up centralized recycling stations.

Increase the number of stations if you are in a large school or have exceptionally

large voter turnout.

Empty recycling centralized stations once every hour or sooner if needed.

Empty recycling centralized stations once every hour or sooner if needed.

Please contact Richard Benjamin, recycling manager or John Meyer,

recycling technician by calling the SERT office at 240-314-1090 or e-mail

[email protected] with any questions or if you need assistance with set up.

*This message is intended only for MCPS school/facilities that have been selected as election polling site.



Octo be r 2 01 4

Francis Scott Key Middle School

Francis Scott Key Middle School

SERT Team In Action!

MCPS



45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

[email protected]

T he School Energy & Recycling Team (SERT) team at Francis Scott Key

Middle School (FSK MS) is excited to begin the fifth year of its classroom

energy conservation, recycling auditing and monitoring program. The

student members of the FSK MS SERT team monitor the school's energy use and

recycling by circulating throughout the building once or twice a week, checking on

unoccupied rooms to make sure their classroom lights are turned off and other

electrical equipment is shut down. They also check for recycling contamination,

and at the same time they collect the paper, bottles and cans from the classrooms

for recycling. The SERT team students record their findings on a classroom audit

sheet that is mounted by each classroom’s door. By doing so, the students are

giving direct observed feedback to the classroom students and staff when they find

resource conservation measures that are and are not in place.

The SERT program would like to thank Mrs. Yolanda Stanislaus, principal; Ms.

Abby Hendrix, science resource teacher; and Mr. Yusuf Umar, building service

manager for their support and promoting outstanding resource conservation

among the students and staff.

Do you like to share your conservation efforts? Please submit a photograph and

paragraph about your team and you too can be featured in a future SERT FLASH!


W inter is a time filled with lights for celebrations of all kinds. Lights

are used as decorations inside and outside of our homes,

schools, and stores. But how much electricity are these lights

using? The Department of Energy estimates that holiday lights account for 2.22

terawatt-hours (TWh), which is approximately the energy consumed by 200,000

homes all year long. One TWh is equivalent to 1,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours

(kWh), which is the standard measurement used on SERT’s data charts. These

data charts track electricity consumed by our schools. Click here to see how

much electricity your school is using.

Please consider replacing any incandescent bulbs with LED lights. LED lights

are much more energy-efficient, using a fraction of the electricity needed for

incandescent bulbs. Plus, LED lights last longer and don’t get warm after they

have been lit. “Go green” for the holidays and plan now to save next year!

Dec em b er 2 01 4

SERT

SERT and ECO Green Lighting for the Holidays

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/data.aspx


E nvironmental stewardship is not a new initiative at Ashburton Elementary

School. Successfully certified as a MD Green School in 2010, and successfully

recertified in 2014, the Green Team at Ashburton Elementary School

constantly finds different ways to improve their sustainability efforts year after year.

The focus for this year’s Green Team is to reduce the contamination in their centralized

recycling stations. To help build awareness of this problem, the Green Team collects

weekly data on the number of recyclables and contaminates in the recycling bins

throughout the school. Students analyze the data and post graphs by each bin to show

how many recyclables and contaminates were found in specific bins. The Green Team

found that some bins were more likely to be contaminated than others, so increased

signage and awareness were brought to these locations.

By posting the graphs weekly, each student and staff member

at Ashburton Elementary

School is given an update on their progress as a school,

bin by bin. SERT would like to say “thank you” to the

Green Team at Ashburton Elementary School for

being great recyclers and environmental stewards. Jan ua ry , 20 15

Ashburton Elementary School

Keeping it Green by Keeping it Clean – Ashburton Green Team Strives for Perfection

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax


M CPS uses over 235 million kWh

of electricity to light its 8100+

classrooms, operate its

45,000+ computers, and heat and cool its

203 schools. We buy our electricity from

renewable and non-renewable sources.

When we reduce electricity usage, we reduce

the operating expenses. We also save natural

resources and reduce pollution.

Contact [email protected] to learn how you

can make a difference.

Feb ru a ry , 2 01 5

SERT

Conserving Electricity at MCPS is Extremely Important!

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

* Supply averages vary slightly depending on energy market** Based on data from eia.gov *** Usage data may vary depend on weather and other

circumstances

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) purchases its electricity from different sources.

32% 29% 22% 11% 4% 2%

*

MCPS used over

235 Million

Kilo-Watt-Hours (kWh)

of Electricity in 2014

20,000 MD homes

would use in a year**

On average MCPS uses its electricity

in the following ways***

** * * *

T he SERT program is excited to begin another school year of natural resource

conservation at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). This year our

theme is “SERT in Our Schools.” We are showcasing your school’s efforts to

conserve energy, water and recycle...

The mission of the SERT program is to provide support to MCPS Schools to significantly

reduce energy and natural resource consumption and increase recycling participation

systemwide through:

Sustainability training and education

Incentives, recognition, and awards

Accessible energy and recycling data

Customized energy and environmental conservation programs and learning

opportunities

Conservation operations and procedures

It is our vision to be a global

model of sustainability by

actively engaging in innovative

energy and environmental

programs.

Each year MCPS spends tens

of millions of dollars to light

and heat the schools and

facilities, dispose solid waste,

and to provide water and

sewer services. MCPS has

reduced greenhouse gas

emissions by over 70,000

metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) through a variety of programs and

initiatives. This represents a 28 percent reduction in the MCPS carbon footprint since

2003. With your continued conservation efforts, we can continue this momentum.

Did You Know?

Last year MCPS schools and facilities avoided over $2 million dollars in electricity costs,

which in turn greatly reduced our carbon dioxide emissions.

Did You Know?

Last year MCPS recycled over 3,359 tons of paper, which avoided over 57,000 trees

from being cut down.

Contact [email protected] with your conservation strategies so we can “Flash” your

school!

Octo be r 2 01 5

SERT

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/SustainabilityPosterFinal(2).pdf

Nov ember 2015

MCPS



45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

[email protected]

F all is the one of the prettiest times of the year in Montgomery County. Every year, our friendly neighborhood shade trees re-

mind us that Mother Nature has a mind of her own as the leaves

begin to flutter down and cover the ground like a crunchy snowstorm.

Remember, yard waste is one of the four mandatory recycling items in

Montgomery County. Please remember to recycle the yard waste generated

at the school or at your residence. All yard waste collected at the school

must be placed in a designated area, or in paper bags, or in clear plastic

bags. Complete a MAXIMO work order requesting for a special pick-up.

Contact [email protected] with your conservation strategies so we can Flash you!

Dec em b er 2 01 5

MCPS



45 W. Gude Drive

Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

[email protected]

Looking for a ways to save energy at

your school, without even being there?

Try completing SERT’s “SHUT

DOWN Checklist” any time there is an

extended weekend or school break.

Having overhead lighting, and electri-

cal devices on for an extended period

of time can waste natural resources,

money, and may damage equipment

prematurely.

If your school already completes this

checklist for long weekends, SERT

encourages you to do it every weekend

to maximize your school’s energy sav-

ings opportunities.

Does your schools have relocatable

classrooms? Did you know the relo-

catable classrooms consume more en-

ergy to heat or cool the space? Please

be sure that the temperature is set at the recommended set points (70 °F in winter

& 76 °F in summer). Any deviation from the recommended set points must be

reported to the building service manager. Complete the checklist for each of your

relocatable classrooms.

In an effort to reduce paper consumption, please locate the “Save Form” button

on the bottom of the checklist and save the file electronically. Once saved, please

send the file(s) to [email protected].

Each school completes this building audit differently. Feel free to e-mail general

questions to [email protected] or ask your administrator if your school already

has this process in place. Not only can these shutdowns help to reduce your

school’s carbon footprint, it can showcase another example of your school’s com-

mitment to environmental stewardship.

Contact [email protected] with your conservation strategies so we can “Flash”

your school!

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/forms.aspx






February , 2016

MCPS SERT Program


45 W. Gude Drive Suite 4000

Rockville, MD 20850

240-314-1090

301-279-3005, fax

For additional information on the SERT Watt’s Up Poster contest click here

Contact [email protected] with your conservation strategies so we can

“Flash” your school!

No Outdoor Recess? No Problem

Work on Your SERT Watt’s Up Poster

* * * * * *

Cold winter days can mean days of indoor recess. Why not turn this challenge

into an opportunity for your students and staff to enter the 2016 SERT Watt’s

Up Poster Contest? This year’s theme is “SERT In Our Schools.” The due

date is April 15, 2016.

The SERT Watts Up? Poster Contest offers an opportunity for all MCPS stu-

dents and staff members to showcase their school’s sustainability efforts.

Illustrate how your school makes wise decisions with its energy use, recy-

cling, and water conservation. Please note that submissions may be hand-

drawn or produced through digital art (Photoshop, InDesign, etc.).

Energy may be the single most important environmental issue of our time.

All environmental issues are related to energy – air and water quality,

global climate change, waste management, and transportation.

Share how your school recycles. Each of us can make a great impact on

the earth by recycling. Recycling saves energy and precious raw materi-

als. Recycling paper, glass, aluminum, plastic, and many other items can

make a real difference.

This is a wonderful opportunity to use your visual art talents to communicate

your ideas on how your school uses less energy and increases recycling to

make MCPS a greener place to learn.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/SERT_WU.pdf


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