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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLN 11-22Report to Executive Committee Report Number: PLN 11-22 Date: March 7, 2022 From: Kyle Bentley Director, City Development & CBO Subject: Pickering Environmental Schools Grant - Results of the 2021 Funding - File: D-7000-007 Recommendation: 1. That Report PLN 11-22 of the Director, City Development & CBO, on the results of the Pickering Environmental Schools Grant, be received for information; and 2. That a copy of Report PLN 11-22 be forwarded to the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), inclusive of the Trustee for City of Pickering, Director of Education, Superintendent of Business, Finance and Facilities Services, and to the Durham District School Board (DDSB), inclusive of the Trustee for City of Pickering, Director of Education, EcoSchools Facilitator, System Lead and e-learning Administrator, and Administrative Assistant. Executive Summary: On October 21, 2019, Council approved the creation of a Pickering Environmental Schools Grant (Resolution #154/19). The purpose of the grant was to provide thousands of Pickering students the opportunity to implement activities that contribute to a healthy environment. The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) and the Durham District School Board (DDSB) each had access to up to $6,000.00 for their respective schools. The Ontario French Public School Board could apply for up to $1,000.00, which was reflective of there being only one school in Pickering. Staff worked with the three school boards to communicate the grant opportunity to their respective schools. Six schools applied and $8,230.66 in funding was allocated in 2021. Unfortunately, uptake of the 2021 grant opportunity was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a province-wide closure of schools until June, and gathering restrictions when in-person learning resumed in September. Many project ideas focus on engaging and gathering students together, and there was continued uncertainty as the pandemic evolved in 2021. Moving forward in 2022, pending budget approval and more stability with the pandemic, it’s expected more schools will be able to pursue their project ideas. Report PLN 11-22 March 7, 2022 Subject: Pickering Environmental Schools Grant Page 2 Attachments #1 and #2 are DCDSB and DDSB summaries, outlining the projects that were undertaken, including: • creating a pollinator garden; • planting salt resistant shrubs and trees to stabilize a slope and reduce soil erosion into the drainage ditch; • installing amour stones for use as outdoor classroom seating; • hosting six educational and interactive Scientists in School workshops to educate students about energy, owl pellets, and plants; • planting native, shade-tolerant trees, shrubs and perennials to create an ecologically diverse garden habitat; • placing nesting boxes, and window and hanging bird feeders near vegetated and garden areas; and • purchasing an indoor aeroponic growing tower for students to grow herbs, vegetables, and plants in the school. Pickering’s Environmental Schools Grant initiative provided equitable access for thousands of students to be engaged in fun, educational, and meaningful activities they otherwise would not have been able to pursue. Financial Implications: Not applicable to this report. Discussion: The parameters outlined in the Environmental Schools Grant Application Guidelines ensured that the funded activities/programs provided an environmental benefit to the Pickering community and its residents, had clear measurable benefits and results, and directly supported the City’s goals to continuously improve environmental sustainability. Three schools from both DCDSB and DDSB participated, while the Ontario French Public School Board school in Pickering was not able to take part this time. Participating schools recognized the City’s contribution in various ways including: • interpretive signage; • school television announcements; • eNewsletter, social media, and email; • weekly announcements; • pre-recorded voice message to school families; • presentation at parent council meeting; and • “thank you” signs in the garden beside the growing tower. Many schools have inquired about applying for funds in 2022. Pending budget approval in 2022, Pickering’s Environmental Grant program will be offered again to the above-noted school boards. Despite the challenges presented this past year, many schools were able to deliver meaningful projects through this program. The attached reports provide a brief overview and photographs of the work that was undertaken. Once again, the City of Pickering’s grant provided opportunities for Report PLN 11-22 March 7, 2022 Subject: Pickering Environmental Schools Grant Page 3 local students to expand their knowledge about environmental matters, and share their experience with family and friends. These efforts will help Pickering’s future decision-makers gain a sense of empowerment about the role they play in creating a more sustainable home, neighbourhood, and city. Attachments: 1. Durham Catholic District School Board Environmental Grant Final Report 2. Durham District School Board Environmental Grant Final Report Prepared By: Original Signed By Chantal Whitaker, BESc (Hons), CSR-P Manager, Sustainability & Strategic Environmental Initiatives Approved/Endorsed By: Original Signed By Kyle Bentley, P. Eng. Director, City Development & CBO Original Signed By Stan Karwowski Director, Finance & Treasurer CW :ld Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Original Signed By Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Attachment #1 to Report #PLN 11-22 Durham Catholic District School Board Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2021 Final School Project Reports Environmental School’s Grant Report Pollinator Garden at St. Monica Catholic School Pickering School Name: St. Monica Key contact person: Inga Spinoti ECO team lead How the Funds were used: The City of Pickering’s Environmental School grant has made it possible for our school to plant a pollinator garden that will help the environment and be an educational tool for our students. We created a space with many types of indigenous and drought resistant flowering plants to attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies to this garden. We have also made our garden bird friendly by adding two bird feeders and a bird bath. Purchased items include: Boxwood, Nannyberry, Purpleleaf sand cherry, cornflower, lupine, Cinderella Swamp Milkweed, lavender, sage, Threadleaf Tickseed. Two squirrel resistant birdfeeders and a bird bath. Mulch that will be putdown after the first spring maintenance to help prevent weeds. What it’s projected to look like when it starts blooming: Who was engaged? Two intermediate classes weeded and planted all the plants, and the ECO team was excited to create “Thank you city of Pickering” Posters that will go in the garden. The ECO team (40 students grade 4 and up) will maintain the garden (weeding and watering) in the spring. Environmental Benefit The benefit would be a new habitat garden for native pollinators in Pickering. We can help sustain and support the native bee population in Pickering. There is a lot to be done to protect bees, but our small garden is one action our students and families can commit to. We have at least a classroom that has committed to counting and recording the number of pollinators they see in the garden on a weekly basis. The garden supports the Life Systems strand in the science curriculum for all grades. It is located conveniently by the outdoor classrooms and already has been used by teachers as a springboard of conversation to talk about the environment. The garden spans roughly 100 square feet. Long-term maintenance plan The ECO team will create a maintenance schedule for watering and weeding the garden. We will also communicate to our families that volunteers will be welcome to sign up for helping to care for our garden. How City of Pickering will be recognized The ECO team has created colourful thank you posters that have been laminated and put on posts. They will be put in the garden until it starts to snow. Then the posters will be stored until the Spring and put out again. The principal informed parent council funds from the city and they were very excited about the project. When the garden blooms the principal and vice principal will Tweet out pictures of the garden using hashtags #cityofpickering #pollinatorgarden. Thank you, city of Pickering, for supporting our local environment, our eco initiatives and our students at St. Monica’s Catholic School! PICKERING ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT REPORT FATHER FENELON CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SLOPE PLANTING AND EROSION CONTROL NOV 24, 2021 Last year Father Fenelon Catholic Elementary School was excited to receive the first City of Pickering environmental grant. And with that funding the school EcoTeam was able to plant along the slope on the east side of the school. The school and board worked with the City of Pickering planning and sustainability teams to help with a planting project. This project was be mutually beneficial to the school for helping with some erosion control on the east side of the property as well as creating a natural habitat with some native species. This year Father Fenelon applied for the City of Pickering’s environmental grant, and was pleasantly surprise to receive the grant to continue with some of the erosion control and plantings on the west side of the school. The planting and stone work occurred at the beginning of November, so the growth of the plants and the filling out of the area will not be realized until the spring/summer of 2022. The funds provided by the City were allocated to the purchase of the plants, and part of the contractor work required to install the stones and the planting area. The City of Pickering will surely be acknowledged as our benefactors for this fantastic addition to our school. Below are pictures of the work completed. PICKERING ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT REPORT NOV 30, 2021 INDOOR GARDEN TOWER St. Wilfrid’s Eco Team (students that represent each grade from 3 to 8) were excited about the opportunity to have an indoor Tower Garden brought to the school. They had heard that St. Monica was successful in receiving the environmental grant from the City of Pickering last year, and saw how it engaged their staff and students. There was a sense that it could help provide better air quality inside the school, promote healthy eating and provide many learning opportunities about the plants and the environment for the students. When the school found out that we were successful with the grant application we proceeded to purchase the tower garden and get it installed and working in the school. As soon as we got the tower in foyer the ECO team planted the seeds in the Rockwool medium. The team tested the water’s pH and chose a variety of seeds to plant and made a map of the seeds. The seeds were transferred to the Tower Garden. Our principal, Mrs. Vickery, shared at a Parent Council meeting introducing the garden to the parent community. This is where the City of Pickering was acknowledged for granting our school the money to purchase the garden. Currently, our grade 4 class is taking pictures each day and working on a project to compare the growth week by week. We are excited to plant in our garden tower. Mr. Polanco’s grade 4 will be adopting the Tower Garden this year have planted seeds. We will be taking many pictures that we will share with the community via St. Wilfrid’s Twitter account (using #cityofpickering) and our online schooling platform Edsby. The City of Pickering will be acknowledged as our benefactors for this fantastic addition to our school. Signage will also be added to the base of the tower saying thank you to the City of Pickering for supporting our school and our ECO initiatives. Attachment #2 to Report #PLN 11-22 Durham District School Board Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2021 Final School Project Reports Environmental Schools Grant Final Report School: Glengrove Public School, Pickering Key Contact Person: Jennifer Monkhouse jennifer.monkhouse@ddsb.ca Descriptions of Project Idea: Our school always benefits from the engaging workshops delivered through Scientists in School. The virtual format proved to be successful last year, and loved being able to host more. The students in our school live in a densely populated area, with little access to the outdoors, and some with few means to explore the world beyond their neighbourhood. Bringing the natural world to them in this format is engaging and provides an authentic link to the curriculum. We are a small school with limited funds, and appreciate support to host the following Scientist in School workshops: Our World of Energy (Grade 1): Two classes Get the Dirt on Plants! (Grade 3): Two classes Hooo's in the Owl Pellet? (Grades 4-6): Two classes Environmental benefits: Students understood and appreciated the natural world around them. I have seen firsthand how the Owl Pellet workshop creates memories that last years! Energy and water conservation is a very important concept for all people to begin to understand and practice. Who is undertaking the project and who will be engaged: Our World of Energy (Grade 1): Two classes Get the Dirt on Plants! (Grade 3): Two classes Hoo's in the Owl Pellet? (Grades 4-6): Two classes Total Project Cost: 6 x $230 = $1380 1 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Dunbarton High School Final Report City of Pickering Environmental Initiative Grant Fall 2021 2 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Dunbarton High School Final Report City of Pickering Environmental Initiative Grant - Fall 2021 How were the grant funds used? Dunbarton was awarded $1, 460.00 from the City of Pickering, as requested in our original grant application. With these funds the school’s Environment Council was able to purchase 4 native trees from Uxbridge Tree Nursery at a cost of $994.40. Additional native plants and shrubs, $510.76. An informative biodiversity sign was provided by a local sign company for $710.77. The total cost for our fall initiatives was $2, 215.93. The cost of our fall project exceeded the grant amount provided by the City of Pickering. The remainder was covered by an additional grant provided by WWF Canada. Who was engaged/involved in fulfilling the grant? To fulfil the grant given to us by the City of Pickering, many groups of people were able to get involved to help realize our goals. With the initiatives that the Environment Council organized, many DHS students came together to create a more naturalized and diverse campus by following the steps outlined in Dunbarton’s Naturalization Plan. This mostly included members of Dunbarton’s large Environmental Council. However, many other students outside of the council were eager to help as well. Approximately 60 students were directly involved. There were also many staff members and members of our admin team who were more than willing to be a part of our fall activities. Overall, the entire school community benefited from our initiatives. We partnered with a number of community groups which helped to enrich our projects. These included Native Plants Nursery in Claremont, Uxbridge Tree Nursery, and the City of Pickering Parks and Recreation who handled mulch delivery. Toronto Region Conservation Authority helped us with the equipment loan, and Signarama assisted us with the informative courtyard sign. 3 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Figure 1: Dunbarton’s informational courtyard sign What was the environmental benefit? We have introduced new native plant species onto our campus, which has ultimately increased the biodiversity present in our community. Additionally, the introduction of native species has benefited our school and our community’s environment as a whole. Native plant species provide food, shelter, and support for the native animals on our campus and in our immediate community. The addition of the native plants attracts pollinators as well. Moreover, planting and growing new plants on our school campus has benefited students as well. Students in and around Dunbarton have learned about the importance of biodiversity and how it is present in our own communities. Four native trees were able to be planted as well. These trees help clean the air, provide shade, act as a food source, etc. Through grades 9-11 science and geography lessons, feeder school workshops, social media posts, local initiatives, and workshops, our community has learned more about the native plants, trees, and pollinator species prevalent in Pickering and the importance of native trees. Overall, Dunbarton High School’s environment, student body, and community have benefited from our use of this grant through being able to increase the biodiversity in our community and inform people about the importance of doing so. 4 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Qualitative/quantitative metrics: The science and geography classes at Dunbarton are involved in a legacy project called the DHS BioBlitz. It is an ongoing initiative that allows students to collect valuable field data on its 177 trees, 8 pollinator gardens, several species of birds and insects and monitors their changes and progress from year to year. Students use ArcGIS software, Survey 123 apps, and GPS units to collect field data. With the help of EcoSpark, an environmental education NGO, students are able to create data dashboards and story maps that highlight and present their findings and results of their data analysis. From this, students are able to identify significant environmental changes in their community. In addition, since the courtyard has been revitalized, it has seen a significant rise in overall use throughout the day, especially during the lunch hour. The courtyard has been promoted as a source of nature and peace (after a challenging school year) in an effort to improve overall mental health. How was the City of Pickering recognized? The Environment Council designed an informative courtyard sign to recognize what the City of Pickering has done for our school, in addition to informing individuals about the value of biodiversity and native vegetation (see figure 1). Additionally, the school hall TV announcements and the semi-annual DHS newsletter provided extra media outlets for the environmental initiatives and those involved. As well, the DHS Enviro Council provided Instagram posts on our school’s social media that also gave the City of Pickering recognition along with images of our campus naturalization progress. All invoices/receipts for purchases used with funds from the City of Pickering grant have been submitted with this report. Enviro Photographs (see below) 5 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Figure 2: Dunbarton Environment Council tree planters 6 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Figure 3: Dunbarton students Oriana Rueckert & Tara Esbati planting native plants. 7 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Figure 4: Enhancing the esthetic and environmental value of the courtyard. 8 Dunbarton Environmental Initiative Final Report – 2021 Figure 5: Dunbarton Environment Council members planting native trees. Application for City of Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2021 Completion Report School: Gandatsetiagon Public School 1868 Parkside Drive Pickering, Ontario L1V 3R2 Key Contact: Erin Bothwell botherin9007@ddsb.ca Description of Project: The project will involve putting up window bird feeders on the windows of the four kindergarten classrooms located at the front of the school above the garden. We will add two more hanging feeders near the pergola in an area surrounded by trees and shrubs. This area is visible from the library windows for all students to enjoy. Additionally, two nesting boxes to provide shelter for local birds will be set up in the area outside the library. Allocation of Funds Funds were used to purchase four window feeders for each of the four kindergarten classrooms located at the front of the school. We also purchased a large feeder, seed, and three birdhouses that have been located in the pergola area outside the library. TOTAL FUNDS SPENT: 377.82 + 163.62 = $541.44 Engagement The four kindergarten classes were involved in mixing seed to place in the feeders and refilling the feeders as needed. Students were involved in looking for trees suitable to place the birdhouses. All four classes gathered together to hang the houses with the educators. The birdhouses and large feeder are visible from the library windows to allow for whole school engagement. Also, all classes are welcome to use the pergola area for outdoor lessons which further increased whole school interest. Environmental Benefit The educators and students have worked together to transform our pergola area into a bird friendly environment by providing shelter with the birdhouses. The birdhouses are suitable for smaller birds such as chickadees and nuthatches. The large feeder and seed has provided a food source for local birds as well. Curriculum Links: Overall Expectation 29 (Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the natural world and the need to care for and respect the environment. Learning Goals: The students have met their learning goals as follows: Students will be able to: ● Identify local birds and their habitats ● Participate in environmentally friendly experiences in the schoolyard ● Talk about their experiences and record their observations through drawing, photographs, and writing. Long-term Maintenance: This project will continue into spring to provide a consistent source of food for the birds over the winter months. The feeders will be checked daily by the teams and refilled as needed with the help of the students. The nesting boxes will be cleaned out after each season by the lead teacher. Recognition to the City of Pickering We used signs, email, newsletters and weekly voice messages to inform the wider school community about the grant received from the City of Pickering. Signs Signs were posted on the windows of the kindergarten classrooms and the library windows describing the project. SAMPLE: This bird feeder and seed has been paid for with funds from the Environmental Schools Grant. Our youngest learners are excited to feed our local birds! Thank you to the City of Pickering for funding this project at Gandatsetiagon. Class Email Update Kindergarten classes sent home information to parents to explain our inquiry and project. Weekly Phone Update Each week, our Vice Principal sends a pre recorded voice message to update families about important information and upcoming dates. Mr. Samuels mentioned the project during the voicemail on December 10th and gave thanks to the City. School wide Newsletter A newsletter describing the project in detail, with accompanying photographs was shared with the greater school community via email, racing 1561 email addresses on Monday, 13 December. Our Project in Photos Looking for a good spot to hang the birdhouses. Mixing Seed Hanging window feeder on Kindergarten window. Using binoculars to look for birds. All four FDK classes gathered to hang the birdhouses! We spotted a hawk on one of our walks to search for birds. A bird nest knocked down in the wind. We hope it moves into our cozy new houses! Hanging the large feeder by the pergola area. A cardinal! Student Work Bulletin Board: Predicting who will live in our birdhouses. “My Bird Book” - Recording our observations. Thank you so much for the opportunity to complete this project. I am amazed at how many birds our students can now identify. We will continue to look after our feathered friends throughout the winter months and look forward to welcoming them back for years to come. Students Messages: I learned that birds have scales on their legs to help them keep warm. Eagles fly so high. We saw a red-shouldered hawk. My favourite was the bluejay. I learned chickadees hide their food in a tree. I learned what a goldfinch looked like.