Sustainability at PPS

Young people continue to be leaders in the climate movement. Just as students were instrumental in pushing PPS to pass the Climate Crisis Response Policy, youth climate organizers from around the country gathered in Washington. D.C. last month in support of the Green New Deal for Schools campaign.

“The Green New Deal for Public Schools Act puts young people and public education at the center of the nation’s response to the intersecting crises of climate change, systemic racism, and economic inequality”- (Senator Markey).

And of course, Portland students showed up! Check out this article by KGW8, “Portland student organizers get behind ‘Green New Deal for Schools’ campaign”, to read more about the campaign and thoughts from the PPS Climate Justice Department.

To acknowledge that action, this month's newsletter dives into one way that PPS is working to deliver on each of the five demands from the Green New Deal for Schools: Safe and clean buildings; Quality, healthy lunches; Pathways to green jobs; Climate disaster plans; Climate curriculum.

Let's also acknowledge, we have a long way to go! In each of these five categories, we have some successes to point to, but we also have work ahead of us to reach our goals. Due to the leadership and vision of students, teachers, and an amazing community, PPS is on the right track.

Another PPS school has begun the modernization process! The 2020 School Improvement Bond made the dream of modernizing Jefferson High a reality and the plan is underway.

This is the first major PPS project to be designed and constructed following the adoption of the CCRP. According to the Jefferson Comprehensive Planning Report, the building design will touch on all ten of the goals associated with the CCRP, including being fully electric and designed to foster climate learning and a healthy physical environment. Check out the Jefferson Modernization Bond website for more information and to follow along with the progress!

PPS serves healthy, local, and often free meals to our students. Over 61% of our students this year receive free or reduced costs for food. And one-third of the food we serve comes from local farmers and producers! Last school year, PPS served nearly 3 million lunches, and over 1.3 million breakfasts. And did you know, all students receive unlimited fresh fruits and vegetables with their lunches -- that's right, as much as they want!

PPS is also committed to advocating at the state level for universal free meals for all public schools in Oregon.

This year, PPS is proud to have expanded our partnerships with local organizations that help teach our students about growing, harvesting, cooking, and eating healthy meals.

The PPS Energy and Climate Justice teams, along with our Career Readiness staff, continue to work with schools and partners to highlight pathways toward green jobs for our students.

Last year, we hosted a middle school climate fairs at two schools through an amazing partnership with SAGE, and this year we've added a third school, Harriet Tubman. We also sponsored a district-wide high school climate summit last Spring featuring climate organizations and professionals from around Portland who showed up to talk about their work and ways for students to gain experience in those fields. And we are currently working with PPS Career and Technical Education staff to build on the success of climate related CTEs at McDaniel and Alliance.

We also work to connect students to resume building experiences through Oregon Green Schools' student voices panel series, the Climate Crisis Response Committee and Climate Justice Youth Advisory, plus opportunities for newsletter features, community clean up days, and more.

Portland Public Schools is teaming up with Multnomah County and the EPA to explore how to make our schools more Climate Resilient. Through an EPA technical assistance grant, our team evaluated opportunities and barriers for using schools as clean air and cooling shelters during periods of smoke and extreme heat. The resulting report helps not only PPS but other schools around the country plan how they can upgrade facilities to better protect staff and students from climate extremes.

To learn more, check out this fantastic article by Multnomah Co. detailing the process and findings.

PPS will continue to plan and implement measures to keep our communities safe from climate disasters as we learn more and build capacity into our school campuses.

PPS is passionate about fostering student engagement and ensuring that graduates are empowered as leaders to assist in the just transition to a sustainable city and restorative society. These values are realized by a climate justice elective offered at multiple high schools and numerous climate justice related clubs available across the district.

We are also working on an innovative new approach to creating meaningful pathways to climate action for all of our students. Read more about that effort below, in the section on "Climate Engagement Pathways @ PPS."

Outside of the classroom, the Climate Justice Youth Advisory (CJYA) is one of the ways PPS students work closely with the Climate Justice Department on providing input in the goal setting process. CJYA members can help plan the PPS Spring Climate Summit and can help build leadership pathways for students across the district. If you’re a PPS student (middle school or high school) interested in sharing your voice for climate justice, fill out this interest form! And if you have any questions, please email climatejustice@pps.net.

Last month, PPS teamed up with Oregon Green Schools to host a student voices panel for a session at the Oregon School Board Association's annual convention.

Five incredible students from across the state, including 2 climate activists from PPS, joined together to speak to the question:

How can school leaders foster meaningful channels for student interaction, gain insights from student viewpoints, and encourage student leadership in district decision-making? How can school district leaders create meaningful pathways toward student engagement on climate issues and toward responding to students in ways that make them feel seen/heard/supported?

Check out a recording of the entire conversation here or click play on the video below!

Portland Public Schools is a longstanding participant in the Energy Trust of Oregon's Strategic Energy Management program. Through the program, PPS, along with dozens of other Oregon businesses and organizations, work to save energy through efficiency upgrades, smart energy management, and behavior change.

This year, we've earned $6,000 in energy savings incentives that can be reinvested into PPS energy & sustainability projects.

If you're interested in learning more about how your school community can save energy, check out this fun school energy audit, or email us at sustainability@pps.net to schedule a class visit.

This Spring, in collaboration with the PPS Innovation Studio, we will be creating a collaborative design process with community partners, teachers, and students. The process will help us create a sustainable culture of community engagement that gives students and school staff meaningful pathways to take action on climate projects.

The design process will emulate the methods used to design the PPS Center for Black Student Excellence. We'll be relying on and paying partners who have close community ties and a history of climate justice action and engagement. Through their relationships and expertise, we'll conduct design workshops with students and staff to find creative and substantive ways for them to engage with PPS climate work.

Do you know of a community based organization doing amazing work in climate justice action and education? Email your recommendations to climatejustice@pps.net.

The Climate Crisis Response Committee (CCRC) advises the PPS Board of Education on implementation of the Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice, and Sustainable Practices Policy. The CCRC meets regularly to provide insight and feedback to central office staff around goal setting, public engagement, and more.

All meetings are open to the public and members of the public are welcome to submit a request for public comment by emailing Kat Davis (kadavis@pps.net).

This year, we have two PPS student representatives joining the CCRC! We are excited for them to bring to this committee their experiences with deep community engagement, and fierce commitment to change rooted in climate activism as well as social justice.

Learn more and find meeting dates and agendas by checking out the CCRC webpage.

School Sustainability Champions (SSCs) are PPS staff members with an interest in promoting sustainability and climate justice at their schools and connecting with other teachers and staff across the district to share ideas, resources, challenges, and success stories.

SSCs serve as the grassroots implementers of many of the PPS climate action work, and as the connection points between schools and the PPS Sustainability Team.

Share this opportunity with a PPS teacher, administrator, or staff member that you think would be a good fit. We hope to have members from all schools in the district. Here is the signup form or email Ari Ettinger at aettinger@pps.net.

Portland Public Schools is thrilled to have partnered with FoodCorps this year to serve students across multiple schools with garden educators, many for the first time.

FoodCorps joins Growing Gardens and Grow Portland in providing outstanding food and garden education to PPS students. With the addition of FoodCorps, 17 PPS schools now have a partner in outdoor learning!

FoodCorps host sites this year are the Nutrition Services Department in the central office, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Jason Lee Elementary, and Woodlawn Elementary.

PPS Safe Routes to School programming is in full swing this school year! We'd like to give a special shoutout to the 43 schools that participated in the October 4th International Walk & Roll to School Day, and those that participated in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Tuesday, November 14th!

Ongoing opportunities for site participation include “No Idling” campaigns, School Streets, and pedestrian safety training.

PPS Safe Routes to School is a collaborative partnership between Portland Public Schools, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), Metro, and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). For more information on how you or your school can participate in SRTS events, check out the Safe Routes to School website pps.net/saferoutes.

In other SRTS news, Metro is distributing 25 Safe Routes to School $500 micro-grants to individual schools and nonprofit school parent teacher organizations in the Portland metropolitan area.

Metro will award micro-grants on a rolling basis. Applicants may submit their application at any time throughout the grant cycle (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024). Metro will prioritize applications that support:

• Walking school buses or bike buses.

• Traffic safety activities, e.g., crossing guard programs, park-and-walk programs, etc.

• Activities that aim to reduce carbon emissions, e.g., no-idling campaigns

Learn more and apply online today at pps.net/saferoutes

A big part of climate resiliency is about building community networks of support. Many community centers and shelters are taking winter donations, including warm clothing, for members of our community in need as temperatures continue to fall in Portland. Info211 has created a helpful list of organizations across Multnomah County currently requesting donations. You can see that list and find out how to donate warm clothing to one or more of these organizations here.

There is also a PPS/PTA Clothing Center at Marshall High School Campus, Room C-56: "We are open for students to receive clothing on Monday and Thursday school days from 10am-1pm, September through April. Note that students must have a referral from their school Principal or Secretary in order to receive clothing from the Center. Referred students may come to the Center once before winter break, and once after winter break of the same school year. Donations accepted! A huge thank you to the PTA clothing center for putting this on.

The Zinn Education Project recently introduced a comprehensive timeline to the climate crisis to add to an already incredible collection of "Teach Climate Justice" resources available on their website.

As they state, "Young people deserve tools that help them understand who shaped the warming world they inherited and how to meet the crises in front of them."

In need of any variety of justice-oriented climate lessons? Visit the Zinn Education Project to find what you are looking for.

Join Portland Parks and Rec. for a LOOONNGGGG list of Winter Volunteer Days running all December, January, and February.

A great thing to do with friends, family, or a school group! Choose volunteer opportunities from plantings to wildfire risk reduction to trail maintenance to habitat restoration.

Check out their website for more information.