Schools Adopt ‘Go Green’ Theme for Environment: All Principals Getting Laptops to Cut Down on Paper Use

By Joy Campbell, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Aug. 4–Visitors will still see red and gray colors when they enter Hornet territory in Hancock County, but the district plans to “Go Green” this year.

Teachers and administrators see the adoption of a districtwide theme as a chance to lead an important global issue.

“It’s a great time for us to spend time truly teaching our kids what this means,” said Gina Biever, principal at Hancock County Middle School. “It’s not just reduce, reuse and recycle, and it’s not just about paper. I think you’ll see more of a year of education, which will result in even more meaningful activities.”

The Hancock Country central office kicked off the focus to reduce global warming with a Friday luncheon at the high school for all teachers and administrators.

Assistant Superintendent Ann Evans, who proposed the “Go Green” initiative, said the number of school districts that are choosing to make their properties and practices environmentally friendly is growing.

The board and central office plan to do their part, she said.

“We’re getting each principal a laptop computer and will be pushing information to them through that method, and hopefully we’ll be able to provide board members with a laptop, too,” Evans said. “This will cut down on paper.”

Some districts are realizing financial savings that can be invested in improved educational services for students, she said.

Superintendent Scott Lewis said the theme is a way for the district to do its part to save the Earth.

“It starts somewhere; we need to educate our children who will be here when we’re long gone,” Lewis said.

The district already has several “green” projects, such as the sunlit classrooms at the newest school, North Hancock Elementary, efficient heating and cooling systems, energy-friendly light bulbs and recycling paper and ink cartridges.

Melissa Wallace, who teaches ninth-grade science at the high school, said incorporating learning opportunities about the environment will not be difficult since the high school uses an integrated approach to teaching the sciences. All science teachers connect all of the disciplines with a “big picture” look at the environment.

“Using integration and inquiry, we’ll be changing students’ misconceptions,” Wallace said. “We’ll have a lot of application.”

Wallace said environmental lessons are all about stewardship, which is not new.

Students at the high school already conduct some water and soil testing, and there are examples of recycling.

This year the high school is implementing a mandatory community service project for students, and “Go Green” activities may qualify for that requirement.

Kim Kruse, fourth-grade teacher at Hancock South Elementary, said the districtwide theme will create opportunities for teachers in different content areas working together.

“My primary emphasis has been science, and I know that working on global issues is important,” Kruse said. “We can integrate Earth, physical and even chemical sciences with this.”

Todd Biever sees the new focus as an opportunity to model good stewardship — cut down on paper use, turn the lights out and computer monitor off — and talk to students about these practices.

“Issues like the melting of the polar icecaps — they will hear a lot about this in their lifetimes,” said Biever, who teaches fourth grade at North Hancock Elementary School.

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