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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUS 01-25Report to Executive Committee Report Number: SUS 01-25 Date: March 3, 2025 From: Kyle Bentley Director, City Development & CBO Subject: Pickering Environmental Schools Grant - Results of the 2024 Funding - File: D-7000-007 Recommendation: 1. That Report SUS 01-25, regarding the Pickering Environmental Schools Grant, be received for information. Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to present an overview of the student activities enabled by the City’s 2024 Environmental Schools Grant program. 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 Pickering students with 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 $10,000.00 for their respective schools. The Viamonde School Board (VSB) could apply for up to $1,000.00, which was reflective of there being only one joint elementary and secondary school site in Pickering. Staff worked with the three school boards to communicate the grant opportunity to their respective schools. Seven schools applied and a total of $21,000.00 in funding was allocated in 2024. The DCDSB, the DDSB, and the VSB each provided a report outlining the projects that were undertaken (see Attachments 1, 2, and 3). Clearly, the Pickering’s Environmental Schools Grant initiative provided equitable access for hundreds of students to be engaged in fun, educational, and meaningful activities they otherwise would not have been able to pursue. Relationship to the Pickering Strategic Plan: The recommendations in this report respond to the Pickering Strategic Plan Priorities of Lead & Advocate for Environmental Stewardship, Innovation & Resiliency; and Strengthen Existing & Build New Partnerships. Financial Implications: Not applicable to this report. The cost of this program is funded from the casino reserve within the approved 2024 Budget. Discussion: The parameters outlined in the Environmental Schools Grant Application Guidelines ensured that the funded activities/programs achieved the following: SUS 01-25 March 3, 2025 Subject: Pickering Environmental Schools Grant Page 2 • provided an environmental benefit to the Pickering community and its residents • had clear measurable benefits and results • directly supported the City’s goals to continuously improve environmental sustainability A total of seven schools from DCDSB, DDSB and the VSB participated in the 2024 program, and they recognized the City’s contribution in various ways including: • eNewsletter • school website and social media • classroom communications • school assembly • Parent Council meetings • outdoor signage • school yearbook Through the 2024 City of Pickering Environmental Schools Grant, students achieved the following initiatives: • created butterfly garden boxes with native plants to attract pollinators • installed outdoor community garden beds to grow flowers and fresh food, which can be used by the school community and educate students on the importance of growing local food • purchased trees to create a calming and cooling area for students • purchased materials to build an outdoor learning environment (e.g., solar panels, garden beds, landscaping fabric, wood, etc.) • participated in the Seed Growing education workshop presented by We Grow Food to learn about growing seeds, before participating in an experiment where they made their own self watering container and planted sprouts to grow • developed educational and interactive workshops by Eco Ambassadors to understand the impacts of climate change • installed bird feeders and baths to attract pollinators and support outdoor learning • purchased vegetable garden materials, such as seeds and soil, to enhance garden and outdoor learning space Many schools have inquired about applying for funds in 2025. Due to rising material costs to complete projects and increased interest in applying for the grant, the approved 2025 Budget contains increased funds. The Pickering’s Environmental Grant program will now offer the DCDSB and the DDSB access to up to $15,000.00 (each) for their respective schools, and $1,500.00 for the VSB. The attached reports provide a brief overview and photographs of the work that was completed. Through the Environmental Schools Grant, many schools were able to deliver meaningful projects that they may have otherwise not been able to undertake. The City of Pickering’s grant provided opportunities for 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 environmental stewardship and living sustainably in their neighbourhood and the City. SUS 01-25 March 3, 2025 Subject: Pickering Environmental Schools Grant Page 3 Attachments: 1.Durham Catholic District School Board 2024 Environmental Grant Final Report 2.Durham District School Board 2024 Environmental Grant Final Report 3.Viamonde School Board 2024 Environmental Grant Final Report Prepared By: Original Signed By Melanie Edmond, HBSc. Coordinator, Sustainability 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, MBA, CPA, CMA Director, Finance & Treasurer ME:ld Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Original Signed By Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Attachment 1 to Report SUS 01-25 Durham Catholic District School Board Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2024 Final Report Durham Catholic District School Board Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2024 Final Report Father Fénelon Catholic School: Father Fénelon Catholic School partnered with We Grow Food to repurpose a greenspace at the school. Through this engagement, students had the opportunity to develop two raised vegetable garden beds to grow fresh food for their use. Mini workshops were provided for four classes on making wicking pots and signage for the raised gardens. Each workshop offered educational knowledge about planting, the plant cycle, harvesting, and stewardship. A total of 88 students and 5 teachers participated in the event. The Eco team and our partner will return in spring 2025 to plant vegetables and discuss stewardship and plant care procedures. We will also receive community support from school families for tending the gardens and harvesting in summer 2025. The school acknowledged the City of Pickering’s contribution through photos and messaging communicated to parents and communities via school tools (EDSBY), the newsletter, and our monthly school assembly. St. Mary Catholic School: St. Mary Catholic School used the funds to build an outdoor classroom and gardens. We purchased solar panels and a power source to self-power the outdoor classroom, allowing students to connect their laptops and projectors. We also provided 32 folding chairs to enhance outdoor learning. The space is available to the larger school community, which consists of 1,300 students, and teachers can sign up to use the space. The Outdoor Ed team planted 12 trees and 12 shrubs. Fifty (50) students, all from grade 9, are part of the team, and its size is growing year over year. St. Mary’s acknowledged the City of Pickering through the school EDBY page, Parent Council meeting, Instagram, and the school yearbook. St. Monica Catholic School: St. Monica Catholic school removed overgrown shrubs and prepared soil bed for new veggie garden. Our eco club and our primary and junior classes will plant and maintain a garden in the spring that includes native plants from our area. Renovated the outdoor classroom area. The ECO team will 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. For 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. The principal informed parent council about the funds from the City of Pickering, and they were very excited about the project. When the garden blooms the principal and vice principal will Tweet 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! After Before New Outdoor Classroom Attachment 2 to Report SUS 01-25 1 Durham District School Board Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2024 Final Report 2 City of Pickering Environmental Grant Final Report 2024 As of the end of 2024, the following schools have completed their environmental grant projects in partnership with the City of Pickering. Elizabeth B. Phin Public School: This environmental project was the building of "Butterfly Garden"; boxes made of cedar that were filled with healthy soil and then planted, by our students with native plants. We were able to create two boxes. One was planted with seedlings from Native Plants in Claremont. Our Grade Two students planted this box. The other box was planted with seeds. Our Kindergarten Students planted this box. With careful watering and care, we were able to compare the growth and success of the plants in both boxes - creating a "research project" for our students while offering butterflies and other insects a safe haven on their travels. Both boxes flourished and we look forward to them re-growing after the forthcoming winter. In the box with the seedlings, multiple numbers of around 15 different plants were planted. The "map" of these plants was designed by one of the gardeners from the nursery - Native Plants in Claremont. This gardener went out of her way to ensure that the box would have plants that would attract butterflies and other insects and would be filled with native species that were water tolerant and would grow into an eye-pleasing design that would last for many years. The second box was planted with seeds. There were about ten different species of plants that were planted. This box, created by our kindergarten students, was a little more “wild". We were very pleased when boxes grew to provide the shelter that our flyer friends needed. The City of Pickering was recognized through the school newsletter, internal announcements, and an outdoor sign recognizing the City’s contribution. 3 4 Biidaasige Mandamin Public School: We used the funds to purchase trees for our backyard to create a calming and cooling area for our students as well as a way for them to connect to nature. We planted two mature trees which students can play near at recess, and which will provide shade for them during the warming months. We also planted them near existing trees in order to create a Tree Walk inspired by our name sake. This would be a way to encourage our students to learn about and appreciate nature. The City of Pickering was recognized through our school newsletter as well as our social media channels and at our next School Community Council meeting. 5 Gandatsetiagon Public School: The funds were used to book two educational workshops put on by the organization, We Grow Food. During these workshops, students learned Science vocabulary (ex, saturation, photosynthesis, capillaries...) and the process of how a wicking pot/self-watering pot works, while making one themselves. Two workshops were conducted for a Grade 1 class and a Grade 4 class. 45 wicking pots were made, with a choice of sunflower seeds and/or peas, which will grow into sprouts. This sparked a lot of interest in students joining garden club in the Spring, and excitement about potentially expanding our garden with the help of community members. To recognize the City of Pickering, a note was sent home to families indicating that there was no cost to this workshop due to funding by the City of Pickering. Students were also verbally reminded on days leading up to this workshop that the City funded our workshops. 1 Attachment 3 to Report SUS 01-25 Viamonde School Board École secondaire Ronald Marion Pickering Environmental Schools Grant 2024 Final Report 2 École secondaire Ronald Marion In partnership with a local francophone organization called Eco Ambassadeurs, we have offered a workshop to all of our grade 7 and 8 students about climate change. These workshops were offered on November 13th and 25th. Half of the workshop was spent outdoors in the local forest, looking for concrete consequences of climate change with links to the geography and science curriculum. A more advanced version of the workshop was offered to a group of our grade 11-12 Environment SHSM students, with discussions about the post-secondary pathways in the Environmental domain. The workshop was delivered to 5 grade 7-8 classes (125 students) and one group of grade 11-12 students (15 students) over two days in November. The students had the chance to review their understanding of climate change, and then apply them through a concrete activity in the local forest (measuring the age of trees, and their absorption of CO2), all while appreciating the biodiversity present right by their school. The City of Pickering was recognized through school communications to the students and parents. 3