In our mission statement, we state that we are preparing our students to become responsible, contributing members of society. We realize that part of becoming a citizen in today’s interconnected world is knowing how your actions will affect others now and far into the future.
At North Hills, we make an effort to be sustainable and environmentally-friendly and seek to teach our students to do the same. Through our yearlong #NHGoesGreen campaign, we’ll be sharing the many ways North Hills “Goes Green” in our schools from the cafeterias to the water fountains to the classrooms.
Water Bottle Refilling Stations Added at Elementary Schools
- In honor of Earth Day, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony (with reused egg cartons as a ribbon) to officially announce the installation of water bottle refilling stations at McIntyre Elementary. Each water fountain in the building is now equipped with a station that makes using reusable water bottles easy and fun for our students and visitors. We hear our students are going home every day and informing their families how many water bottles the school has saved so far! The stations were possible due to a partnership between NHSD and the McIntyre Elementary PTSO who gave a generous donation of approximately $1,800 to help upgrade the fountains. Over the summer, water bottle refilling stations will be installed on two fountains at Highcliff Elementary with support from the Highcliff PTO and also on fountains at Ross Elementary and West View Elementary.
Alternative Growing Models with NHMS STEAM Club
- Every Monday, the middle school’s STEAM Club meets during the homeroom period at the end of the day. A main task of club members is planting and maintaining the building’s hydroponics and aquaponics systems. The systems allow our students to learn alternative methods for growing crops and flowers with a smaller, environmental impact. Throughout the year, students have cleaned the pebbles that go in to growing systems, cleaned the systems, watered each system and planted flowers. The flowers, which are currently sprouting, will be put into student-made flower pots and sold at Arts Alive in May with all proceeds benefiting a charitable cause. #NHGoesGreen
Improving our Energy Efficiency with ENERGY STAR
- We’re sure you’ve heard of ENERGY STAR! Some of you have probably used it to help select appliances for your home or business. Did you know that our schools each have their own ENERGY STAR rating to help us gauge and improve our energy efficiency? All of our buildings have ENERGY STAR ratings of 75 or higher noting them as top performers for energy efficiency.
Minimizing Waste Offering Meatless Monday Options Every Day
- Every Monday can be a Meatless Monday in NHSD cafeterias! For that matter, our students can be meatless any other day, too! By offering meatless options, we can help reduce our carbon footprint and save natural resources such as fossil fuels and fresh water. At the high school, students can choose a veggie wrap, cheese pizza, a garden salad with sunflower seeds and shredded cheddar, a PB&J sandwich or a yogurt parfait every day. Often, there is usually a meatless take on dishes such as a baked ziti with meat sauce or marinara. At the middle school and elementary schools, students can select from a yogurt and cheese snack pack, a PB&J sandwich, a garden salad and cheese pizza every day. Lunch always includes two fruits and two veggies such as apples, oranges, grapes, carrots, cucumbers and more. Please note, the pictures attached do not show complete lunches!
Minimizing Waste with Trayless Tuesdays
- As part of our #NHGoesGreen efforts, we are looking at ways to minimize the waste generated each day in our cafeterias. Every Tuesday is now Trayless Tuesday during breakfast! All breakfast items are served in boats made of recyclable paper rather than Styrofoam trays normally utilized for meals. Trayless Tuesdays have already been in place in our high school and middle school breakfast programs for a few weeks, and we are expanding the effort to our elementary buildings, too. Every Trayless Tuesday will use 500 less trays adding up to 100,000 less trays in the trash this school year alone! We know it’s a small step, but we believe a lot of small steps add up to big changes. Interested in the other ways #NHGoesGreen? See more information on our website.
Reduce Your Footprint with a Reusable Tumbler
- An interesting partnership between the high school business department and NHSD Food Services has helped make the high school’s coffee shop more sustainable by using fewer disposal cups resulting in less garbage! Another environmentally-friendly way #NHGoesGreen! Business Ownership students in Mike Palano’s class designed, promoted and sold reusable tumblers to their fellow students, teachers and family members. Each stainless steel, 15 ounce tumbler with red accents was $15. The first fill was free at the high school’s coffee shop and refills are only 75 cents, a 50 cent savings per cup. The tumblers utilize the “We Are North Hills” logo designed by high school art teacher Matt Simon and used throughout the district this year. Food Services Director Lindsay Radzvin worked with the students to approve their design and pricing structure.
Please Use Our Recycling Containers in Every Building!
- We’ve posted #NHGoesGreen signs in every NHSD building* in main entrances and also in high-traffic areas where glass and metal recyclables will be collected such as near gymnasiums and cafeterias. We encourage all students, employees and visitors to utilize these recycling containers rather than trash cans. In our classrooms and office spaces, a blue recyclable bin can be utilized for all paper. In our elementary buildings, our students have also created banners with simple ideas on how even our youngest learners can do their part to help to ensure #NHGoesGreen. *(At our high school, we are partnering with a student to do some recycling-related research and signs will be installed later this semester.)