King County Green Schools Program honors 77 schools for conservation

Seventy-seven schools in 12 school districts across King County earned recognition this spring from the County’s Green Schools Program for their successful conservation efforts.

“Each school involved its whole school community – students, teachers and administrators – in reducing garbage, increasing recycling and improving other conservation practices,” said Dale Alekel, Green Schools Program manager.

The program began in 2002-03 with three schools. In 2009-10, 100 schools participated, and in 2010-11, eight school districts and 121 schools received assistance. The program has three levels, each of which engages students and staff in learning about sustainability and conserving natural resources.

Twenty-six schools completed Level One of the program by initiating or improving recycling programs and focusing on waste reduction strategies such as decreasing paper use, while another 27 schools completed Level Two by engaging in energy conservation practices such as turning off lights in unoccupied rooms. Twenty-four schools completed Level Three by learning about and engaging in water conservation practices.

Eleven of King County’s 18 school districts have participated or are now participating in the program. This spring, the Bellevue School District became the first school district to be recognized as a Level Two Green School District by completing energy conservation criteria. The Mercer Island School District was recognized in April as a Level One Green School District.

The award-winning King County Green Schools Program provides hands-on assistance, recycling containers and stickers, and the support schools need to engage students and staff in conservation activities. Simple steps, such as recycling and setting aside food scraps for collection, add up to big benefits. Alekel said many participating schools and districts report cuts in operating expenses after maintaining successful waste reduction and recycling programs and reducing energy and water use.

In addition to providing schools with the hands-on help they need, the program offers a website, www.kingcounty.gov/GreenSchools, with helpful tools and resources. King County also provides an elementary school assembly program, classroom workshops and support for student green teams. Schools and school districts interested in the Green Schools Program may contact Alekel at dale.alekel@kingcounty.gov.

The City of Bellevue provided recycling assistance, recycling containers, and recycling signs to schools in the Bellevue School District. In addition, the City provided tools related to water conservation to the fifteen Bellevue School District schools that completed Level Three of the program in 2010-11. The City of Issaquah partnered with King County to help schools in the Issaquah School District to collect compostable materials.

The 26 schools that completed Level One of the King County Green Schools Program are:

• Federal Way Public Schools: Rainier View Elementary School; Star Lake Elementary School; Twin Lakes Elementary School
• Highline School District: Aviation High School; Shorewood Elementary School
• Issaquah School District: Apollo Elementary School; Cougar Ridge Elementary School; Issaquah High School; Issaquah Valley Elementary School; Pacific Cascade Middle School; Sunny Hills Elementary School; Sunset Elementary School
• Kent School District: Crestwood Elementary School; Emerald Park Elementary School; Meridian Elementary School; Pine Tree Elementary School; Soos Creek Elementary School
• Mercer Island School District: Mercer Island High School
• Northshore School District: Canyon Creek Elementary School; Inglemoor High School; Woodinville High School
• Renton School District: Lakeridge Elementary School; McKnight Middle School
• Private schools: Academy Schools (Tukwila); Chestnut Hill Academy (Bellevue); Eastside Preparatory School (Kirkland)

The 27 schools that completed Level Two are:

• Bellevue School District: Ardmore Elementary School; Bennett Elementary School; Clyde Hill Elementary School; Eastgate Elementary School; Enatai Elementary School; International School; Phantom Lake Elementary School; Spiritridge Elementary School; Stevenson Elementary School; Tillicum Middle School; Woodridge Elementary School
• Federal Way Public Schools: Green Gables Elementary School; Nautilus K-8 School
• Issaquah School District: Creekside Elementary School; Newcastle Elementary School
• Kent School District: Kent-Meridian High School; Springbrook Elementary School
• Lake Washington School District: Carl Sandburg Elementary/Discovery Community School; Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary School
• Mercer Island School District: Island Park Elementary School; Islander Middle School; Lakeridge Elementary School
• Northshore School District: Arrowhead Elementary School
• Riverview School District: Carnation Elementary School
• Snoqualmie Valley School District: Two Rivers School
• Tahoma School District: Lake Wilderness Elementary School; Shadow Lake Elementary School

The 24 schools that completed Level Three are:

• Bellevue School District: Bellevue High School; Cherry Crest Elementary School; Chinook Middle School; Highland Middle School; Interlake High School; Lake Hills Elementary School; Medina Elementary School; Newport Heights Elementary School; Newport High School; Odle Middle School; Puesta del Sol Elementary School; Sammamish High School; Sherwood Forest Elementary School; Somerset Elementary School; Tyee Middle School.
• Federal Way Public Schools: Camelot Elementary School
• Highline School District: North Hill Elementary School
• Issaquah School District: Issaquah Middle School; Liberty High School
• Kent School District: Lake Youngs Elementary School; Martin Sortun Elementary School
• Tahoma School District: Glacier Park Elementary School; Tahoma Junior High School
• Private school: The Overlake School (Redmond)

Related information

King County Green Schools

King County Solid Waste