sustainable schools project

A program of Shelburne Farms

schooling for a

sustainable future

SSP is a dynamic model for school improvement and civic engagement.

Our goal is to help schools educate citizens who are engaged in building sustainable communities.

The SSP Vision

By introducing sustainability as a connecting theme, SSP helps:

discover • students’ potential as citizens and learners;

renew• teachers’ vitality and coherence in their curriculum;

create • opportunities for community engagement;

inspire • communities to improve the quality of life for everyone.

Sustainable Schools Project

curriculum connections

community partnerships

collaborationcampus

ecology & culture

SSP

sustainability provides

a focus...connection...

opportunities...

SSP works locally to develop practices that we can share internationally.

sustainability

We help teachers find ways to use sustainability as a lens to frame the topics and skills they need to teach.

As a theme, sustainability focuses on the future, connects different disciplines, and encourages students to apply their learning through real work in the school and community.

\se-sta-ne-bi-le-te\ noun: improving the quality of life for all within the capacity of the earth to provide that life for current and future generations.

e e e

connectingcurriculum, campus,

and community

Students work together to build a community within the school and investigate the communities around them.

In a sustainable school, the campus and community are extensions of the classroom. Every aspect of school and community life—the way decisions are made, the way energy is used, the origins of the community’s food—is an opportunity to teach. Students are challenged to apply what they learn by improving the well-being of their own school and community.

education for sustainable communities

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o by

And

y D

ubac

k

cultivatingresponsible, informed

citizens, engaged in

building sustainable

communities

Students check for Quality of Life features in their communities as part of the Healthy Neighborhoods / Healthy Kids project,

SSP’s innovative Education For Sustainability curriculum model.

civic engagement & service learningThe Sustainable Schools Project works with schools to cultivate responsible, informed citizens, engaged in building sustainable communities. We believe that civic engagement and a service learning experience are important components of a 21st century education.

With sustainability integrated into their curricula, students learn and apply their understanding in ways that build their ability to make a difference. Their actions result in improvements in the quality of life for themselves, their schools, and their communities.

Phot

o by

And

y D

ubac

k

working to develop a

21st century education

At an EFS Institute at Shelburne Farms, an educator builds connections between the big ideas of sustainability,

her curriculum, campus, and community.

get involvedHelp us develop a 21st century education for students!

We work with individual teachers, teams of teachers, or entire schools.

Our Website: find units of study, lesson plans, teaching materials, and evaluation tools at www.sustainableschoolsproject.org

Professional Development: explore a variety of summer institutes, workshops, year-long programs, and customized programs for your school at www.shelburnefarms.org

Consulting: check out our menu of services on our website!

The Network: find out how you can tap into resources in your own community or across the globe. Call or email us for more information: 802-985-8686 or ssp@shelburnefarms.org

Sustainable Schools Project Shelburne Farms 1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, Vermont 05482 802.985.8686

We are profoundly thankful for the dedicated partners and generous supporters of

The Sustainable Schools Project, including:

ssp@shelburnefarms.org

www.sustainableschoolsproject.org

www.shelburnefarms.org

A.D. Henderson Foundation

Bay and Paul Foundations

Jan and David Blittersdorf Foundation

Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust

Starbucks Foundation

The Nathan Cummings Foundation

The Redducs Foundation

Turrell Fund

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Vermont Community Foundation

Special thanks to Fred Bay and the Burlington School District whose commitment to education for

sustainability makes this project possible.

Photography by Andy Duback (www.andyduback.com ) and Shelburne Farms staff.

A program of Shelburne Farms.