Alongside connecting with passionate folks within the green schools movement a couple of weeks ago at the Green Schools Conference, we were also introduced to the Green Schools National Network’s (GSNN) brand new look and extended mission. Both intended to drive forward deeper impact in whole-school and whole–district sustainability that shifts the paradigm needed to transform school culture so that students become changemakers, not just test-takers, who are prepared to live in and lead a sustainable future.
We strongly encourage you to visit the GSNN’s fresh new website and how that pertains to helping you create learning spaces and educate for a sustainable future.
One of GSNN main solutions for becoming a healthy, equitable, and sustainable school is their GreenPrint™ which offers a road map for holistic transformation based on four key systems:
Leadership – This system integrates sustainability into the vision and mission and creates policies and procedures to support that vision and mission.
Culture & Climate – This system shapes and influences behaviors and mindsets within the school community through programs, structures, and systems that support core beliefs about health, equity, and sustainability.
Facilities – This system is responsible for creating and operating indoor and outdoor learning environments that support the vision, mission and core beliefs of the community related to health, equity, and sustainability.
Curriculum & Instruction – This system reflects what is taught and how. It includes the design or adoption of sustainability curricula to ensure all students have equitable opportunities to learn and lead.
The Natural Pod team would also like to welcome Tim Baird to his new position within GSNN as well: ‘From Catalyst Leader to GSNN Staff Member: Dr. Timothy Baird Joins GSNN as its Interim Director of Partnerships’. This means Bridgitte Alomes, founder and CEO of Natural Pod, plus Michelle Carpenter, Chief Strategy officer of Natural Pod, will both be working even more closely with Tim as they are all on the Board for Green Schools National Network bringing their different skills sets to make a sustainable future possible. Welcome Tim!