At Magothy Cooperative Preschool each family participates on one committee to help create the uniquely enriched community that it is. Parents can select their position on a first come, first serve basis. The Green Team has positions such as the Earth Week Coordinator, Recycling and Compost Manager, Garden Caretaker, Green School Application Renewal Coordinators, Pet Caretakers, Nature Trail Maintenance, and Garden Celebration Days Coordinators. Parents that lead these committees are passionate about the environment and work with the staff to carry out these responsibilities with the goal of living up to the school’s Green School status.
Our school's logo and mission statement continue to reflect the school’s focus on the environment. To view, please check out the link to our website above!
Our school's logo and mission statement continue to reflect the school’s focus on the environment. To view, please check out the link to our website above!
New parents are first introduced to our Green commitment during “Co-op 101” classes held each summer. Then, throughout the school year, we communicate news about our Green School initiatives, Green tips, and ongoing projects through E-newsletters, posting on our online communication platform, and discussions during General Membership Meetings and Executive Board Meetings. Our staff is involved in all of these arenas and continues to incorporate new ideas, student interest, and parent suggestions into our Greener curriculum.
Our Outdoor Classroom contains rain barrels, rain gardens, raised sloping garden beds, stepping stone paths in the gardens, and reinforced mulch areas to decrease erosion from foot traffic. As we maintain our gardens, our parents and volunteers in our cooperative community continue to learn about the importance of native plants, rain gardens, organic gardening, and many other environmental landscaping issues. In Spring 2017 our community planted a butterfly garden that became a certified Monarch Waystation. In Fall 2018 our Outdoor Classroom garden became Bay-Wise certified.
Students compost their food waste in our outdoor compost bins or in our indoor vermicomposting bin.
At parent meetings, we educate on the benefits and how-tos of composting and recycling. Information on these issues was communicated through E-newsletters, postings on our online communication platform, and instruction during Community Gardening days. Optional parent education events are offered throughout the year, such as Reducing Chemical Usage, Microplastics, and Waste-free Packaging Tips.
Students compost their food waste in our outdoor compost bins or in our indoor vermicomposting bin.
At parent meetings, we educate on the benefits and how-tos of composting and recycling. Information on these issues was communicated through E-newsletters, postings on our online communication platform, and instruction during Community Gardening days. Optional parent education events are offered throughout the year, such as Reducing Chemical Usage, Microplastics, and Waste-free Packaging Tips.
Reduction of Chemical Use
We practice reduction of indoor chemical use as far as is permitted by the county school system and the Office of Childcare. We have chosen the least chemically complex of all our cleaning options, using a diluted bleach solution at a safe distance from the children. We use a more neutral chemical cleaning solution in our Swiffer Wetjet instead of the company's chemical cleaner. We vacuum our rooms every day to remove particulates. In purchasing for our school, we attempt to remain stocked with environmentally healthy products.
Reduction of Paper & Plastic Waste: We use an online communication platform instead of handouts to reduce paper. We promote the purchase of recycled paper products for our school and reduce the need for paper products by using sponges and laundering cleaning cloths and towels instead of paper towels. Students bring cloth tote bags for reuse throughout the school year, promoting cloth instead of plastic. We buy art items in bulk and refill small containers of glue, paint, etc. from larger ones. We utilize recycled paper and other recyled objects for art projects whenever possible. Our bulletin board backings are made out of fabric instead of fragile paper. We collect and save decorative paper for accents on our bulletin boards. We reuse all our holiday and seasonal decorations. We print paper on both sides and encourage use of both sides by our students. With each new school year, it is the goal of the Green Committee to add another item for recycling collection. Current collections include glue sticks, markers, and crayons.
We practice reduction of indoor chemical use as far as is permitted by the county school system and the Office of Childcare. We have chosen the least chemically complex of all our cleaning options, using a diluted bleach solution at a safe distance from the children. We use a more neutral chemical cleaning solution in our Swiffer Wetjet instead of the company's chemical cleaner. We vacuum our rooms every day to remove particulates. In purchasing for our school, we attempt to remain stocked with environmentally healthy products.
Reduction of Paper & Plastic Waste: We use an online communication platform instead of handouts to reduce paper. We promote the purchase of recycled paper products for our school and reduce the need for paper products by using sponges and laundering cleaning cloths and towels instead of paper towels. Students bring cloth tote bags for reuse throughout the school year, promoting cloth instead of plastic. We buy art items in bulk and refill small containers of glue, paint, etc. from larger ones. We utilize recycled paper and other recyled objects for art projects whenever possible. Our bulletin board backings are made out of fabric instead of fragile paper. We collect and save decorative paper for accents on our bulletin boards. We reuse all our holiday and seasonal decorations. We print paper on both sides and encourage use of both sides by our students. With each new school year, it is the goal of the Green Committee to add another item for recycling collection. Current collections include glue sticks, markers, and crayons.
We also extend our environmental education to the summer season with our nature based camps, 'Nature Art' and 'Nature Exploration.' These camps are taught by our staff and open to our membership and the surrounding community, ages 2-8.
In the e-newsletter to the membership, we include a section of Green information. In Winter 2019 our Green Tip articles addressed the dangers of Microplastics, Sustainable Swaps to Single-Use Items, and Green Cleaning products. Our newsletter provides the membership with useful Green Tips that are realistic for families to introduce into their personal lives. Since our school is environmentally-focused, families that may not be very environmentally savvy end up learning along the way with their children. Our environmental education at school is reinforced at home!
