24 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 6, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com EDUCATION Glenburnie School goes green Partnerships help Oakville elementary school lead the way in green curriculum Glenburnie School recently launched Project Green, a curriculum initiative that teaches students about conservation and protecting wetlands through partnerships with the Town of Oakville, Conservation Halton, and Ducks Unlimited Canada. The Project Green partnership will provide Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8 students with hands-on lessons and experiences about the environment. Glenburnie students will adopt a trail and storm water management pond through Joshua Creek Marsh with the Town of Oakville's Adopt-ATrail program, become a Marsh School with Ducks Unlimited Canada, and learn about the effects of run-off through Conservation Halton. Glenburnie School's principal, Jim Complak, hopes that his students will take the lessons learned through these partnerships with them throughout their high school and adult lives. "It is always a goal of educators to provide unique pathways for their students," says Complak. "This pathway, paved of green, will provide our students with the opportunity to not only gain valuable training and insights into the environment, but also show our students that in order to achieve significant change in the world today, the community at large must work together as a team." Director of Environmental Policy for the Town of Oakville, Cindy Toth, says "by including the Bayshire Stormwater Management Pond in its environmental initiatives, Glenburnie has created a curriculum that will provide its students with an enriched learning experience in environmental stewardship right in their own community." "We are delighted to see this all-school, hands-on approach," says Merebeth Switzer, National Education Coordinator, Ducks Unlimited Canada. "Ducks Unlimited Canada's experience has shown us how important it is to give students the opportunity to take action. We also know that our efforts to protect wetlands and deal with the environmental challenges only move ahead when we work together. Partnerships like these are essential to creating a healthy world for all of us." "Conservation Halton encourages students, as future stewards of the environment, to take an active role in school and at home to help protect the local environment and conserve our natural resources," says Ken Phillips, CAO, Conservation Halton. Glenburnie School grade three class performs a song during launch of Project Green, curriculum initiative that teaches students about conservation and protecting wetlands through parterships with the Town of Oakville, Conservation Halton and Ducks Unlimited Canada. Photo by Michael Ivanin Other Project Green initiatives include: · A full plastic and paper recycling program with Halton Waste Management and Abitibi Paper · A commitment to become a York University certified EcoSchool, by the spring of 2008 · Pay It Forward projects prepared by Grade 8 students to raise awareness in the community about environmental concerns, including; Yellow Fish program, battery recycling, and composting · Fundraising and construction of a school greenhouse. The greenhouse will be a year-round facility for biological and environmental experiments by students in all grade levels · The development of a `marsh school', a Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8 science curriculum, created by the teachers of Glenburnie School, based on the Ontario Curriculum expectations. · Working with Conservation Halton as part of their "Greening Schools Program" and "Streams of Dreams". For more information on Glenburnie School's Project Green visit www.glenburnieschool.com/projectgreenschool. Where Struggling Students Succeed! Grade 1 to Grade 8 · · · · eed to succ n how my so taught ow Accepting Se September 2008 08 For Students With: · · · · · · · · · y. cadem ALC A y Parent you T Thank r TALC Academ - Forme BUSING AVAILABLE 2008 is our 10th Anniversary We provide Intensive Academic Intervention so that your child can succeed! call 905-319-7011 or visit www.talcacademy.com