On March 6, PAISBOA Sustainability Group met virtually to review the Sustainability School Survey results, now in its third year. The survey aims to document the sustainability practices and progress among PAISBOA schools, and enables individual schools to see where they fall in comparison to peer institutions. PAISBOA’s Ron Hill and Boyer Sudduth’s Mary Ann Boyer and intern, Fernando Leon Rueda, shared the survey findings.

Surrounded by 55 acres of lush green landscape, Dana Hall School is situated in the town of Wellesley, a suburb of Boston, MA. This independent boarding and day school for girls grades 5-12 is currently on an ambitious mission. Since July 2022, Dana Hall has been renovating their entire Upper School Building in a way that reflects their value for sustainability. Here is how this small school is tackling this big project.

Want to enhance your school through a funded environmental project? Here are six tips to get you started on your grant writing ventures!

Panelists at the PAISBOA Low Waste Virtual Meeting share their tips for reducing waste from changing behavior, to educating people about recycling right, to recycling electronic waste.

On March 8, the PAISBOA Sustainability Group hosted a virtual panel discussion: “Leading Change: Environmental Sustainability at Your School.” Panelists included Lisa Carbone Warren, Director of Finance & Operations at Moorestown Friends School (MFS), and Carolyn Hapeman, Dean of Finance & Operations at Westtown School and Mary Ann Boyer of Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants. 

On December 9, 2022, educators, policymakers, scientists, and family members across the nation met virtually via Zoom to discuss the intersection of sustainability and education at Women for a Healthy Environment’s 2022 Healthy Schools Summit. 

Moorestown Friends School has completed several green initiatives that both increase efficiency and save money. MFS’s Director of Physical Plant, Julius “Jul” Trimbach, offered some insight on how to transition a school into a more eco-friendly place.

Over 20 participants from 11 schools attended the PAISBOA Sustainability meeting at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy on October 27, 2022. The theme for the evening: “Getting Back to Where We Were Before Covid” related to environmental sustainability.

Is your campus tree-friendly? Do you have mature trees and a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees that could be part of your students’ education? Consider certifying your campus as an accredited arboretum.

What do environmental sustainability, electronic waste, and the criminal justice system have in common? Employment opportunities in sustainability-related fields, known as “green jobs,” can help formerly incarcerated individuals to reenter society and successfully build their careers. Since 2016, People Advancing Reintegration (PAR) Recycle Works, a non-profit organization based in North Philadelphia, provides valuable job training and practical skills to formerly incarcerated people.

Wondering what the Inflation Reduction Act which the US Senate passed on August 7, 2022 means for schools? There are 3 areas (air pollution, e-buses, and tax credits) where this Act positively impacts a school community.

Studies show that being outside in nature has the ability to calm and heal. Spending as little as 15 minutes in nature lowers cortisol stress levels and blood pressure. Nature helps foster our creativity and observation skills. With the increase of screen time, we often forget to unplug and head outside.