Narrative Proposal Page 1

Narrative Proposal – Work Plan

PROJECT SUMMARY: Creating Sustainable School District Leaders (5 pts)

Organization & Partnerships. The Green Schools National Network (GSNN), a 501c3 located in

Madison, Wisconsin, is submitting this EPA Environmental Education Local Grants Program proposal

and will manage and oversee implementation of the project. GSNN will partner with the Wisconsin

Association of School Business Officials (WASBO); the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

(MCPASD); the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; the Wisconsin Green and Healthy

Schools Program; and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards in this project. Additional advisors

include Anisa Baldwin Metzger, The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council

(USGBC); and Tim Cole, Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

History of Receiving EE grants. GSNN’s “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” project is a new

effort, seeking first-time funding through the EPA EE Grant program. GSNN has never applied for or

received an EPA EE grant.

Goals & Objectives. The goal of this project is to increase the number of green, healthy, and sustainable

schools within Region 5. GSNN and our partners will engage 40 executive and mid-level school district

leaders in a 24 month effort to build sustainable school leaders. The objectives of this project include:

1. By August 2018, 40 executive and mid-level leaders will be able to describe articulate clearly the

multiple sustainability and EE practices implemented at their school district and how these

practices saves money, decreases the districts environmental footprint, improves student health and

well-being and increases college and career readiness and environmentally literate citizens.

2. By August 2018 5 school districts will have exemplary web-pages that showcase their sustainable

schools and EE practices.

3. By August 2018 5 school districts will have hosted a site seminar to showcase best practices

related to green, healthy, sustainable schools.

4. By August 2018, the WASBO will have developed a curriculum for a Sustainable Schools

Leadership Certification program that has been field tested and is ready for implementation with

their 800+ members.

5. By August 2018, 30 executive and mid-level leaders will share their knowledge of green, healthy,

sustainable schools and the impact that is has on their students and community at state and national

conferences.

Priorities. This project addresses the EPA Educational Priority of EE Capacity Building by helping

executive and mid-level school district leaders deepen their understanding of how sustainability can be

the driver of innovation in their schools districts.

The project will address four EPA Environmental Priorities: Climate Change and Improving Air

Quality, Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety, Making a Visible Difference in Communities and Protecting Water: A Precious, Limited Resource via establishing, documenting and monitoring

policies, practices, procedures, related to carbon footprint, indoor air quality, chemical safety, waste

management and sustainable purchasing and water resource management.

Local Relevance. The “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” will be centered in Middleton, WI,

yet include districts (sub-grantees) from elsewhere in WI, northern IL, or eastern MN. Education is a local

control concern, hence school districts have a wide berth when it comes to policies and practices that are

not defined by state statutes and codes. EE and sustainable operations policies and practices have not been

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mandated in the state of Wisconsin, therefore, EE and sustainable schools practices are a matter of choice.

In schools EE has most often been the purview of Curriculum and Instruction specialists in Social Studies

and Science Education, while sustainability purchasing and facilities operations and management are at the

whim of individual business officials, facilities managers, and other district level leaders. This initiative

with MCPASD is designed to pilot a program that will focus on executive and mid-level leaders and define

strategies and practices specifically for leaders to help them understand design a holistic approach for

developing healthy, sustainable schools that decrease costs, improve student health and well-being, and

improve student achievement and environmental literacy/stewardship.

Implementation/Delivery Method.

➢ Fall 2016: ○ Recruit and build a core team of four additional school districts through a competitive sub-

grant process.

○ Select a Working Group that will commence work with WASBO to create a

“Sustainability Leadership” certification program.

➢ Winter 2016: ○ Convene all School District partners in a two day Sustainability Leadership Summit.

The Summit will lay the foundation for identifying best management practices related to

green, healthy, sustainable schools.

○ Convene monthly meetings for the Working Group for the “Sustainability Leadership”

certification program.

➢ Spring – Summer 2017: ○ Convene monthly meetings with each School District Working Group to refine work plans.

○ Convene monthly meetings for the Working Group for the “Sustainability Leadership”

certification program.

○ Convene a two day working session for School District and Sustainability Leadership

Working Groups that will include sharing tools and resources and creating a plan for

content on district websites.

➢ 2017-2018 School Year: ○ Provide on-site and on-line support to all participating schools districts.

○ Plan and implement a site seminar with each District Working Group.

○ Provide continuing support to the Sustainability Leadership Working Group.

➢ Summer 2018: ○ Convene School District and Sustainability Leadership Working Groups for one final

meeting to review the deliverables for the project.

○ Finalize the Sustainability Leadership curriculum.

○ Upload all documents on the GSNN on-line resource library.

Audience. The “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” project will engage up to 40 executive and

mid-level leaders, i.e. Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, School Business Officers, School

Facilities Managers, and School Board Member from within EPA Region 5 and a professional

organization, the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials.

Costs. GSNN seeks a 2-year grant in the amount of $91,000.00 for the “Creating Sustainable School

District Leaders” project. The money will primarily support personnel cost for the project leadership,

travel for site visits and dissemination of learnings and contractual activities to aid evaluation and

dissemination. Five sub-grants totaling $22,750 will help defray costs of competitively chosen districts to

participate in project activities.

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DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION

What (10 points) Education Priorities. The “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” project will address the EPA

Educational Priority of EE Capacity Building by helping executive and mid-level school district leaders

deepen their understanding of how sustainability can be the driver of innovation in their schools, and by

creating a Sustainability Leadership certification program through WASBO. By working with District

Level leaders in decision making positions and helping them to articulate how green, healthy, sustainable

schools helps them save money, improve student health and well-being, and increase student achievement,

this grant will increase capacity for school districts across Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and eastern

Minnesota.

The “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” project will increase EE Capacity by focusing on four

EPA Environmental Priorities: 1. Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality: Documenting and monitoring

policies, practices, procedures, and education that demonstrate how the district is decreasing their

carbon footprint and improving air quality through sustainable facilities operations and

management.

2. Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety: Documenting and monitoring policies,

practices, procedures, and education related to green cleaning, integrated pest management,

classroom chemicals, and others as identified on the EPA Resources for Safe Chemical

Management for Schools website.

3. Making a Visible Difference in Communities: Documenting and monitoring policies, practices,

procedures, and education related to waste and materials management, sustainable purchasing, and

other local concerns.

4. Protecting Water: A Precious, Limited Resource: Documenting and monitoring policies,

practices, procedures, and education related to storm water runoff and EE programs related to

water quality, watershed management, and aquatic ecosystems on school property.

Goals & Vision. GSNN envisions a future where all children attend a green, healthy, sustainable school.

In practice, the MCPASD reflects what we hope all districts should aspire to; unfortunately, they have yet

to communicate this clearly to their community. In spite of limited policies and no clearly articulated

vision of sustainability, their leadership and commitment to ensuring that all of their students attend a green

school and graduate with the knowledge and skills to co-create a sustainable future make them a prime

candidate to be the first GSNN Catalyst School District in EPA Region 5. Therefore, this grant is designed

to empower MCPASD to be the co-leader and catalyst for this project.

GSNN proposes to work with MCPASD, WASBO, and other partners to engage 40 executive and mid-

level school district leaders within an approximately four hour drive of Middleton, Wisconsin, in a 24

month effort to build sustainable school leaders through engaging them in professional development and

project work that will result in the following deliverables:

1. Develop a Sustainable Schools Leadership Certification Program. GSNN will work with

WASBO to create a Sustainability Leadership Certification Program for executive and mid-level

school district leaders. This program will be modeled after the Executive Education for

Sustainability Leadership program at the Harvard School of Public Health. Aspects of this

leadership program make up the backbone of the “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders”

project that includes a Leadership Summit; on-site and virtual coaching; leadership cohort retreats;

and showcase site seminars. The certification will be the first of its kind for district level leaders.

2. Produce Five Exemplary District Web Pages that Highlight Sustainable Schools Practices

and EE Initiatives. Districts nation-wide are recognizing that parents desire to locate in

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communities that have healthy, sustainable schools that also incorporate EE into the curriculum.

GSNN and Wisconsin Green and Healthy Schools will work with the competitively identified

school district to create websites with information, including documents and videos, that

communicate their efforts related to each of the three U.S. Dept. of Education Green Ribbon pillars

and the GSNN GreenPrint™ Core Practices.

3. Conduct Five Regional Site Seminars. One day site seminars will be designed and

implemented for other district level leaders, staff, and teachers that showcase best practices for

one or more of the Green Ribbon pillars and the GSNN GreenPrint™ Core Practices. The

goal of each site seminar is to provide a cohesive, one day professional development

experience for participants through the demonstration of exemplary implementation of the

Green Print™ Core Practices for School Districts that decrease environmental footprint and

operating costs, improve student health and well-being, and increase student achievement and

environmental literacy.

4. Documentation and Dissemination of Replicable District Level Sustainable Schools and

EE Practices. Each district will identify practices they would like to document and

disseminate through the GSNN network and site seminars, and that address one or more of

these four EPA environmental priorities: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air

Quality; Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety; Making a Visible Difference in

Communities; or Protecting Water: A Precious, Limited Resource. Documentation will

include policies and a how-to manual.

This proposal will provide a roadmap for implementation, which is needed by (and to expand the number

of) school districts across the U.S. who embrace a green, healthy, sustainable schools vision. We are

excited about the opportunity to build EE capacity within the ranks of Superintendents, Assistant

Superintendents, School Business Officers, School Facilities Managers, and School Board Members. This

unique audience has the potential to expand the implementation of EE practices in formal education across

our region.

Why (10 points)

Thousands of schools and school districts are now part of the budding Green Schools Movement and are

working to reduce their environmental impact while they boost environmental learning. Over the past six

years, GSNN has sponsored a national conference to showcase these sustainability efforts and has drawn

attendees from 530 school districts and 8,830 schools. However, across the nation there are 132,183

schools in 13,588 school districts. If we are to ensure that EE is an integral part of all schools, it is

essential that district level leaders and decision makers understand how to communicate the impact of

healthy, sustainable schools and the role schools play in creating healthy, sustainable communities. This

project is designed to engage Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, School Business Officers, School

Facilities Managers, and School Board Members to develop new strategies for enacting high-impact

sustainability leadership that positions sustainability as a driver of organizational engagement, authenticity,

agility, innovation, and change capability. Because education is locally controlled, our best efforts will not

“trickle” down until we have exemplar districts that have been able to show that integrating EE and

sustainable practices can decrease costs, have a positive effect on the health and safety of students, and

have a positive impact on student achievement and college and career readiness.

School Districts Deepen the Work Needed to Transform K-12 Education Because there is a limited number of schools districts who have fully embraced sustainability as the driver

of innovation, literature that supports these practices is typically limited to anecdotal evidence and case

studies. Currently GSNN is engaged with The Center for Green Schools at USGBC and 67 other

organizations in a project called “Measuring our Impact.” Through this project we have analyzed over 80

different assessment tools related to green schools and identified 2600 separate items that are being used

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nationwide to define the three pillars (reducing environmental impact, improving the health and well-being

of students and staff, and increasing environmental and sustainability literacy) of a green school. What has

yet to be done in this project is the culling of best practices as defined by school districts themselves.

Over the past six years, GSNN has brought together schools and school districts from across the country to

share their work at the Green Schools National Conference and Expo. Each year, conference evaluations

have shown that school leaders have expressed a hunger for a community of practice – a group that shares

common passions and concern, and that works together to build capacity and generate new knowledge over

time. This project is designed to allow the school district leaders to learn from each other and develop new

strategies for enacting high-impact sustainability leadership. It is our expectation that the districts engaged

in this project and the policies and practices they define will align with the Measuring Our Impact project.

If Schools Districts are to create a culture of sustainability and prepare students for the 21st Century, they

need support to build their capacity and create a community of practice among peer school districts to

deepen their commitment.

How (15 Points)

GSNN, in partnership with our Catalyst School District MCPASD and other local partners, is positioned to

take on these linked challenges and create a community of practice among school districts in Wisconsin,

eastern Minnesota, and northern Illinois. This community of practice will:

● Create a space for dialogue between executive leaders from schools to explore new possibilities,

solve challenging problems, and create new mutually beneficial opportunities, all while they

create systems to document and monitor policies, practices, procedures, and education related to

green, healthy, sustainable schools as defined by the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon

School Program and the GSNN GreenPrint™.

● Stimulate learning by serving as a vehicle for authentic communication, mentoring, coaching, and

self-reflection throughout the project.

● Capture and diffuse existing knowledge to improve green, healthy, sustainable school practices by

providing a forum to identify solutions to common problems and a process to collect and evaluate

best practices.

● Introduce collaborative processes that will encourage the free flow of ideas and exchange of

information.

● Support each other as we organize around purposeful common topics that can breathe life into a

vision for creating green, healthy, sustainable school districts.

We propose seven connected activities that will build a community of practice while focusing on achieving

the goals of the “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” project.

Activity #1: Recruit and build a core team of four school districts and a WASBO Working Group. GSNN and its partners are poised to launch a competitive mini-grants process to identify participating

school districts in September of 2016. Upon project funding, the Project Advisory Team, composed of

project partners identified in our project summary, and described under “Who,” will review and finalize

mini-grant applications and help to disseminate them to potential applicants. By October 1, 2016, the

Region 5 Catalyst School District home page on the GSNN website will be “live” and ready to accept

school applications. The WASBO Working Group will draw from the volunteer leadership of that

organization prioritized by the interest and commitment to sustainability leadership.

Mini-grant applications will include:

● District demographics

● District's initiatives related to green, healthy, sustainable schools

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● Commitment to academic performance, college and career success, and environmental literacy

● Names and titles of Working Group members that include executive and mid-level leaders and

school board members

● A budget that includes travel and support for the Working Group to participate in all meetings and

an additional $1,500.00 or more in matching support

Our outreach strategy is intended to generate at least 25 district applicants for the four available mini-

grants. In mid-October, our Project Staff and Advisory Team will begin review of these applications using

a common review rubric, focused on the quality of responses to the application questions. By early

November, we will select and notify our four participating schools, and formalize participation and grant

agreements with each.

The projects embedded sub-grants will support district participation in all aspects of the project, including

travel and lodging for the “Sustainability Leadership” Summit, two summer retreats, two WASBO

meetings, and four face-to-face meetings to coincide with the site seminars. Schools will be trained on how

to document expenses against these sub-grants and their project match to meet EPA guidelines.

Activity #2: “Sustainability Leadership” Summit After the teams are identified, a date will be set for a two-day “Sustainability Leadership” Summit. This

summit will include the following content:

1. Introductions and Overview of the Project

2. Keynote: Anisa Baldwin-Metzger from The Center for Green Schools at USGBC

3. District Self-Assessments: GreenPrint™ for Green, Healthy Sustainable School Districts

4. Identification of Gaps in Practice

5. Development of Goals and Timeline for Project Deliverables

This summit will provide a foundation for all participating school districts so they understand the elements

of a green, healthy, sustainable school/school district and develop a plan for the deliverables for the

dissemination projects. The Sustainability Leadership Working Group will gather data from meetings and

conversations and begin to create an outline for their curriculum.

Activity #3: Project Design and Support A community of practice functions best with on-going support and opportunities to learn from each other.

Therefore, throughout the 2016-17 and the 2017-18 school year, the GSNN Coaching Support Team will

work with each district to keep them on track. Support will be provided to each district and to the WASBO

Working Group through:

● 3 face-to-face meetings;

● 2 meetings at the fall and spring WASBO conferences; and

● 2 on-line coaching meetings to be scheduled individually with each team.

These sessions will be designed to ensure that all project teams are staying on track with their work plan

and understand fully the product they will be presenting at the Summer Sustainability Leadership Retreat.

Activity #4: Summer Sustainability Leadership Retreat During the summer of 2017, School District Working Groups and the WASBO Working Group will gather

at the Conserve School in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin for a two day retreat to review progress, address

challenges, and review project timelines and deliverables. Support will be provided to teams through

working sessions, learning circles, peer review, and optional workshops. Time will also be spent meeting

with and learning from local regional experts about the resources available to them. Participants will walk

away from this session with a work plan for completion of their project deliverables and a clear

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understanding of what they will be required to submit to GSNN by August 15, 2018.

Activity #5: District Site Seminars Each District will host a site seminar during the 2017-18 school year. This site seminar will be designed to

bring School District Working Groups and the WASBO Working Group together with others interested in

green, healthy, sustainable school district practices. The goal of each site seminar is to provide a cohesive,

one day professional development experience for participants through the demonstration of exemplary

implementation of the GreenPrint™ Core Practices, while also addressing how these practices impact

environmental footprint, operating costs, health and well-being, and student achievement. Site seminars

are focused, purposeful, and intensive.

Activity #6: Presentation of Work During June 2018, School District Working Groups and the WASBO Working Group will meet for two

days to share their work and provide final critiques for the revision process. This face-to-face meeting will

serve both as a final reflection and a celebration of learning. At the end of this session, teams will either be

able to submit their final deliverables or develop a plan for submitting the final product by August 15, 2018

Activity #7: Dissemination and Final Evaluation Completed projects will be submitted to GSNN by August 15, 2018 for inclusion in the GSNN on-line

resource library for use by other network school districts and through existing vehicles including

conferences, education and news media, and other online hubs.

As the green schools movement has expanded, school leaders have expressed a desire for exemplars of

district curriculum maps and integrated curriculum modules for use in their schools. This “Creating

Sustainable School District Leaders” project will produce the following exemplars for this platform:

1. Up to four district web sites that provide a clear overview of healthy, sustainable school practices

and the impact on the students and community.

2. Up to four exemplars of district policies and practices with supporting “how-to” steps so that

other districts have a road map for replication.

3. Up to four exemplary site seminar plans that can be used by districts to showcase their best

practices related to green, healthy, sustainable schools.

4. A “Sustainability Leadership” curriculum for School Business Officials that can be replicated by

state School Business Official associations.

In addition to the GSNN online platform, we will encourage these districts to share their work at a variety

of professional meetings, including statewide and national executive leadership association meetings and

the Green Schools Conference and Expo.

Who (10 points)

Between September 2016 and August 2018 GSNN, WASBO, and MCPASD will create a network of four

additional school districts that are committed to Telling Their Story related to green, healthy, and

sustainable schools. The explicit focus on executive level leaders of school districts in Wisconsin, eastern

Minnesota, and northern Illinois will expand the resources and tools for other executive level leaders in

EPA Region 5 and beyond to understand that green, healthy, sustainable school practices will allow their

district to save money while decreasing their environmental footprint, improve the health and safety of

students, and improve student achievement and environmental and sustainability literacy.

These districts will be recruited through direct outreach to all school districts in Wisconsin, eastern

Minnesota, and northern Illinois. Up to six executive and mid-level district leaders and school board

members will comprise each team. It would be our intent to select a diverse group of districts: rural,

Narrative Proposal Page 8

urban, suburban, and tribal.

As the 2015 Green Ribbon School District from the state of Wisconsin, MCPASD is home to 6981 students

and 553 teachers. Among the more than ten schools there are two high schools; two middle schools; six

elementary schools; several pre-K/early childhood sites. While the Green Ribbon status of MCPASD

reflects a commitment to EE and sustainability, the district has not invested time and energy in taking the

research completed for the Green Ribbon applications and translating the data into a compelling story for

the community.

Through work with MCPASD and the four school districts selected through the sub-grant application

process, and the WASBO Sustainability Leadership Certification program, this project has the potential to

directly impact 28,000 students.

PROJECT EVALUATION (12 Points) To test and demonstrate the value of the “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” project as a model

for increasing EE Capacity, GSNN will work with executive and mid-level school district leaders to help

them understand how to tell the story about the role of green, healthy, sustainable schools in their

community. GSNN proposes an evaluation strategy that includes activities led by our project team and

independent evaluator, Kevin Little of Informing Ecological Design, LLC.

Internal Evaluation GSNN will take the lead on the following evaluation activities:

Completion of project deliverables (outputs). The Project Director will monitor and track progress

toward all of the outputs described in this proposal and the attached logic model, including districts

selected (demographics, team composition, etc.), capacity-building plans completed and implemented, site

visits (agendas, participants), and “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” document dissemination

(content and vehicle).

Process documentation & continuous improvement (outputs/short-term outcomes). The Project

Director will lead activities to document the “Creating Sustainable School District Leaders” process. This

process documentation will include 1) two interim updates and one final report on projects by each

participating school district, and 2) short reflective reports on each institute and meetings prepared by

project staff. These process documentation products will be hosted on the “Creating Sustainable School

District Leaders” webpage housed on the GSNN website, discussed during regular advisory calls among

project partners, and used to support continuous program improvement.

Documentation/dissemination activities (short- and medium-term outcomes). To evaluate the reach of

our dissemination efforts, GSNN will track the number of page views, click throughs and visit time on the

GSNN website. We will also monitor and document the reach of the project through an online recording

system for participating leaders, where we will be able to report when they host site visits and tours of their

schools/districts; and share their work via professional conferences and meetings.

External Evaluation (short- and medium-term outcomes) GSNN will partner with Kevin Little of

Informing Ecological Design, LLC to conduct an independent evaluation of the “Creating Sustainable

School District Leaders” project. The format of this evaluation will include interviews with one member

from each team to determine short- and medium-term outcomes and actions that may not be captured

through the creation of deliverables. The short-term narrative will allow the Project Director to make mid-

course corrections that address the needs of project participants. The medium-term narrative will provide a

deeper understanding of the efficacy of Sustainability Leadership training and coaching support to achieve

the aims of EE Capacity Building through the articulation of green, healthy, sustainable school practices.

Budget Narrative Page 1

Budget Narrative

Line Item EPA Funds Non-EPA Funds Total

Personnel

GSNN Project Director: 3 x Two day Leadership Cohort Meetings; 4 x two-day site seminars; 10 days project management; 6 days on-line coaching = 30 days @ $750/day EPA reimburses 67% of the cost

$ 15,000.00 $ 7,500.00 $ 22,500.00

GSNN District Coaches: 10 days WASBO Curriculum Support; 30 days District Support = 40 days @ 750.00 per day EPA reimburses 67% of the cost

$ 20,000.00 $ 10,000.00 $ 30,000.00

MCPASD Project Coordinator, 1.75 hours per week @ $25.00 per hour X 48 weeks per year X 2 years EPA reimburses 76% of the cost

$ 3,200.00 $ 1,000.00 $ 4,200.00

GSNN Web and Content Writing Support 1.75 hours per week @ $25.00 per hour X 48 weeks per year X 2 years EPA reimburses 60% of the cost

$ 2,500.00 $ 1,700.00 $ 4,200.00

MCPASD Project Leader: 3 x Two day Leadership Cohort Meetings; 4 x two-day site seminars; 4 days on-site support ; 6 days at Professional Meetings; 2 days on-line coaching = 23 days @ 500.00 per day EPA reimburses 39% of the cost

$ 5,000.00

$ 8,000.00

$ 13,000.00

Total Personnel $ 45,700.00 $ 28,200.00 $ 73,900.00

Fringe Benefits

GSNN Fringe $ - $ - $ -

MCPASD Fringe $ - $ - $ -

Total Fringe $ - $ - $ -

Travel $ - $ - $ -

GSNN Project Director, a GSNN coaches & an Evaluator Travel - for 2 trips to WASBO Meetings @ $500.00 per trip. (2 nights lodging per trip, mileage and meals) We will hold a cohort gathering; present the project, and update the WASBO Board of Directors.

$ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00

Sustainability Leadership Summit in MIddleton, WI. One night lodging/meal will be provided for up to 24 commuters @ $100.00 each

$ 2,400.00 $ 2,400.00

2 x Two day Summer Leadership Cohort Retreats at Conserve School. Lodging for 40 participants @50.00 per night

$ 4,000.00 $ 4,000.00

Budget Narrative Page 2

Keynote Travel (airfare from DCA) for Anisa Baldwin Metzger - Sustainability Leadership Summit

$ 500.00 $ 500.00

Total Travel $ 9,900.00 $ - $ 9,900.00

Equipment

n/a $ - $ - $ -

Supplies

Instructional supplies for Institutes $ 600.00 $ - $ 600.00

GSNN Dissemination Website Fees, Online Meeting Software $ 2,500.00 $ 2,500.00

Total Supplies $ 600.00 $ 2,500.00 $ 3,100.00

Contractual

Dissemination - Videographer $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00

Green & Healthy Wisconsin Director: To support travel to Leadership Institute, Summer Institutes, and on-line support for the creation of websites and Leadership Curriculum.

$ 4,000.00 $ 4,000.00

Keynote - Sustainability Leadership Institute $ 500.00 $ 500.00

Project Evaluator - reimbursement $ 4,550.00 $ 4,550.00

Total Contractual $ 12,050.00 $ - $ 12,050.00

Other

Sub-grants - 5 at $4550 each. Each competitively selected district and WASBO will be asked to document a total of $4550 in costs towards travel, lodging, per diems, potential stipends for their participation in the institutes and seminars, including an additional $1500 in matching funds for their contribution to the project.

$ 22,750.00 $ 7,500.00 $ 30,250.00

Total Other $ 22,750.00 $ 7,500.00 $ 30,250.00

Indirect Costs

Total Indirect $ - $ - $ -

Income

Total Income $ - $ - $ -

TOTAL BUDGET $ 91,000.00 $ 38,200.00 $ 129,200.00

Percentage of Total 70% 30% 100%

Appendices Page 1

APPENDICES

Project Timeline (5 pts)

The need for the project has emerged from state and national level conversations over the past six years

among leaders in the green schools movement. Analysis of evaluation data from the Green Schools

National Conference and interviews with members of the U.S. Coalition for Green Schools, comprised of

eleven national professional education associations, have shown that executive level and mid-level school

district leaders learn best when learning from their peers about green, healthy, sustainable schools. This

perception has also been confirmed through an analysis of membership data of national and state

associations representing school superintendents, school business officials, and curriculum and instruction

leaders. The largest membership numbers for these associations actually exist in the state chapters, not at

the national level. These data suggest that a focus on EE Capacity Building to increase the number of

green, healthy, sustainable schools should address the needs of local school district leaders in partnership

with a local chapter of a national association.

GSNN has determined that piloting our first Catalyst School District program would allow us to expand

on the “Growing Green, Healthy, and Sustainable Schools in Wisconsin” project funded by EPA (RFA #

EPA-HQ-OCHP-01-2012). The infrastructure created through this program, now called Green and

Healthy Schools Wisconsin, will provide focus for the Wisconsin Sustainable Schools Coalition, an

outgrowth of the earlier project. This Coalition includes the Wisconsin Association of School Boards

(WASB); the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO); the Wisconsin Association

of School District Administrators (WASDA); and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network (WGSN), all

organizations that continue to explore how best to educate their membership on green, healthy,

sustainable school practices. The recommendation to partner with Middleton-Cross Plains Area School

District emerged at the Sustainable Schools Coalition meeting on March 15, 2016.

The following seven step plan has been designed to create a cohort of School Board members and

Executive and Mid-level School Leaders to raise public awareness and build capacity that will impact

school district leaders across our region. It is our long-term goal that as we educate school district leaders

about the benefits of green, healthy, sustainable schools, they will become advocates for bipartisan green

schools policies at the state and local level, and leaders in convening stakeholders across the three pillars

of a green school (environmental impact, human health, and sustainability literacy).

Step Timeline

Activity #1: Recruit and build a core team of four school districts

and WASBO Working Group

August 2016 – October

2016

1) Recruit and build a core team of four school districts a) Create an online application and scoring rubric for sub-grants.

b) Develop an application dissemination plan with WI, IL, and MN state associations for

school business officials, school district administrators, and school board associations.

c) Create a sub-grant review board with members from all three states and each of the state

professional associations listed above that will complete an online review of sub-grants

applicants followed by a virtual meeting to make final selections.

d) Notify winners of sub-grants.

2) Recruit and build the WASBO Working Group a) Develop an application and scoring rubric that will be disseminated to WASBO

Appendices Page 2

professional members (n=846).

b) Complete an online review of applicants followed by a virtual meeting with WASBO

leaders to make final selections.

c) Notify winners of selection.

d) Notify those not selected of decisions and identify additional opportunities for learning

they can participate in.

Activity #2 “Sustainability Leadership” Summit September 2016 –

November 2016

1) Select and confirm location within Middleton-Cross Plains Area.

2) Create summit schedule and confirm speakers.

3) Create a flyer and invitation.

4) Send RSVP invitations to all sub-grantees, the Sustainability Coalition, Project Partners, and

Leverage Partners.

5) Create summit evaluation.

6) Implement summit.

7) Send evaluations.

8) Analyze evaluation data and report to Project Advisory Committee.

Activity #3: On-going Project Design and Support with District

Working Groups

October 2016 – August

2018

1) Assign one GSNN coach to each School District Working Group and to the WASBO Working

Group

2) First on-site meeting with School District Working Group will take place within one week of

selection. At this meeting, GSNN Coach will provide overview of project and goals.

3) During year one, GSNN District Coaches will meet in person or on-line monthly with each

team. Two of the face-to-face meetings will occur at WASBO meetings in the Fall and Spring.

4) In year two, four of these meetings will take place at the site seminars planned by each of the

Working Groups. WASBO meetings will be optional in year two for District Working Groups.

5) Project Design and Support meetings are designed to develop and refine the work plan,

implement the work plan, and monitor progress for the work plan. GSNN coaches will report to

Project Director and Project Advisory Committee.

6) If and when barriers are identified, the GSNN team and Project Advisory Group will work

toward solutions.

Activity #4: Summer Sustainability Leadership Retreat June 2017

1) District Working Groups will gather at the Conserve School in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin for a

two day retreat to review progress, address challenges, and review project timelines and

deliverables. Support will be provided to teams through working sessions, learning circles, peer

review, and optional workshops. Time will also be spent meeting with and learning from local

regional experts about the resources available to them.

2) Participants will walk away from this session with a work plan for completion of their project

deliverables and a clear understanding of what they will be required to submit to GSNN by

August 15, 2018.

3) Evaluator will be available during this time for interviews with participants.

Activity #5: District Site Seminars September 2017 – May

Appendices Page 3

2018

1) Each quarter one School District Working Group will host a one-day site seminar.

2) All Working Groups will participate. In addition, each group will develop an invitation list of

local district leaders and policy makers to participate.

3) Site seminars will be designed as a one day professional development experience for

participants through the demonstration of exemplary implementation of the GreenPrint™ Core

Practices, while also addressing how these practices impact environmental footprint, operating

costs, health and well-being, and student achievement. Site seminars will focus on the policies

and practices that the Working Group is refining for dissemination and will serve as an

opportunity to field test and refine messaging for their audience.

4) A ½ day reflection and cohort meeting will follow each Site seminar. This cohort meeting will

allow for reflection and celebration of the work being done by the Working Groups.

Activity #6: Presentation of Work June 2018

1. In June 2018, District Working Groups will gather at the Conserve School in Land O’ Lakes,

Wisconsin for two days to share their work and provide final critiques for the revision process.

This face-to-face meeting will serve both as a final reflection and a celebration of learning. At

the end of this session, teams will either be able to submit their final deliverables or develop a

plan for submitting the final product by August 15, 2018.

2. Stakeholders (i.e. Project Advisory Team, State Superintendent of Schools) will be invited to

participate in the portion of the meeting where Working Groups will present their work.

Activity #7: Dissemination and Evaluation June 2018 – August 2018

1) Completed projects will be submitted to GSNN by August 15, 2018 for inclusion in the GSNN

on-line resource library for use by other network school districts and existing vehicles including

conferences, education and news media, and other online hubs.

2) Evaluator will complete final interviews and surveys of participants.

Appendices Page 4

Performance Measures – Logic Model

Resources/

Inputs

Activities Outputs Outcomes

Short-term (August 2017) Medium-term (August 2018) Long-term

Funding

Coaching and

Leadership

from Green,

Healthy,

Sustainable

Schools state

and national

experts

Funding

support for

Local Project

Leader

Funding for

travel for

experts and

local team

members to

attend

Sustainability

Summit and

Leadership

Cohort

Meetings

Funding for

Sustainability

Leadership

Summit and

Development of

Program Team

and Creation of

Application for

Telling Our

Stories Districts

Recruit and

build a core

team of four

school districts

and the

Wisconsin

Association of

School Business

Officials.

“Sustainability

Leadership”

Summit

Year round

Project Design

and Support

Summer

Sustainability

Leadership

Retreat

A network of 40

Superintendents,

Assistant

Superintendents,

School Business

Officers, School

Facilities

Managers, and

School Board

Members who have

the knowledge and

skills to describe

how the principles

of sustainability

leadership can be

the driver of

innovation to create

a green, healthy

21st century school

district; articulate

clearly the multiple

sustainability and

EE practices

implemented by my

school district help

us save money,

decrease our

environmental

footprint, improve

student health and

well-being, and

increase college

and career reading

of our students

By August 2017, 100% of

School Districts Working

Groups will have a draft

outline for their website; and

date and plan outlined for their

site seminar; and a drafts of

documents that will be

disseminated for a wider

audience.

By August 2017, the WASBO

Working Group will have the

2ND draft of their

Sustainability Leadership

Curriculum ready for review

by Sustainability Leadership

Experts.

By August 2017, 85% of

school district leaders will be

able to discuss the next steps

to complete their deliverable

but also have ideas about how

they will improve the

sustainability and EE practices

they are currently engaged in.

By August 201785% of school

districts see themselves as a

leader and collaborator in the

green schools movement.

By August 2018, 40 executive

and mid-level leaders will be

able to describe articulate

clearly the multiple

sustainability and EE practices

implemented at their school

district and how these

practices saves money,

decreases the districts

environmental footprint,

improves student health and

well-being and increases

college and career readiness

and environmentally literate

citizens.

By August 2018 5 school

districts will have exemplary

web-pages that showcase their

sustainable schools and EE

practices.

By August 2018 5 school

districts will have hosted a site

seminar to showcase best

practices related to green,

healthy, sustainable schools.

By August 2018, the WASBO

will have developed a

curriculum for a Sustainable

25% (n=220) of WASBO

members have completed the

Sustainability Leadership

Curriculum.

50% of WASBO members who

have completed the Sustainability

Leadership Curriculum use what

they learn to increase decisions

that decrease environmental

impact; improve student health

and well-being, and increase

environmental literacy and civic

engagement.

25% of School Superintendents,

Assistant Superintendents, School

Business Officers, School

Facilities Managers, and School

Board Members in Wisconsin,

Northern Illinois, and eastern

Minnesota have attended a

presentation or site seminar to

learn about green, healthy,

sustainable schools.

50% of School Superintendents,

Assistant Superintendents, School

Business Officers, School

Facilities Managers, and School

Board Members in Wisconsin,

Appendices Page 5

two summer

Sustainability

Leaders Cohort

Retreats

Mini-grants for

four School

Districts to

attend meetings

and participate

in all aspects of

the project.

Mini-grant to

WASBO to

create a

Sustainability

Leadership

curriculum for

Executive

Level Leaders

and Business

Officials

District Site

Seminars

Presentation of

Work

Published

documents are

disseminated

through GSNN,

WI Green and

Healthy

Schools, and

other state and

national

conferences.

while creating

engaged and

environmentally

literate citizens;

lead change at the

school district by

creating a vision of

sustainability that

impacts policy,

practice, and

outcomes; and

work with state

agencies to

implement

effective

sustainability

leadership training.

5 School Districts

in Region 5 who

are ready to

showcase best

practices related to

green, healthy, and

sustainable schools

to their peers.

A School

Sustainability

Leadership

Curriculum that can

be replicated by

other states in

Region 5 and

beyond

Schools Leadership

Certification program.

By August 2018, 30 executive

and mid-level leaders will

share their knowledge of

green, healthy, sustainable

schools and the impact that is

has on their students and

community at state and

national conferences.

Northern Illinois, and eastern

Minnesota who have attended a

presentation use what they learn to

increase decisions that decrease

environmental impact; improve

student health and well-being, and

increase environmental literacy

and civic engagement.

Appendices Page 6

PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY & PAST PERFORMANCE (5 pts)

GSNN was first incorporated as the Green Charter School Network in 2008. That same year, the Green

Charter School Network hosted the first Green Charter School Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

Approximately 150 people from 16 states attended. In 2009, the Board of Directors voted to host the first

annual Green Schools National Conference. To support the shift in focus from green charter schools, the

Board of Directors voted in October 2010 to change the name to the Green Schools National Network, or

GSNN. GSNN continued to produce the Green Schools National Conference, from coast to coast in the

intervening years, drawing over 6000 attendees from all 50 states and over 500 school districts.

Over the past two years, GSNN has positioned itself as the expert in coaching schools and school districts

in creating a culture of sustainability. The Catalyst School and Catalyst School District initiatives are

designed to develop partnerships with schools and school districts who are ready to fully embrace the

practices of a green, healthy, sustainable school outlined in the GreenPrint™ and demonstrate how green

schools impact student achievement, graduate students who are college and career ready, AND who have

the knowledge and skills needed to be mindful citizens ready to create a sustainable world. Through this

network of partnership schools and districts, we will groom and inspire the next wave of school leaders.

This grant will allow us to launch the Catalyst School District Initiative in Region 5.

Creating a network of committed leaders and providing opportunities for ongoing professional

development will be our highest priorities. Teachers and leaders in our partner districts and schools will

engage in action, research, reflection, and on-going implementation review as we seek to chart a course

for all schools across the nation. We will focus on high levels of engagement with selected schools that

will build trust, stimulate more discerning communication among professionals, foster greater self-

confidence in taking risks and adapting to change, and develop other capacities essential to professional

growth and leadership.

Jennifer Seydel, Ph.D., GSNN Executive Director and Project Director Jennifer Seydel brings 40 years of experience as an educator (from K to graduate level) to her role as

Executive Director for the GSNN. Prior to her work with the GSNN, Dr. Seydel has been the Director of

the S.A.G.E. Project at Springfield College, in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she designed a graduate

degree in Education and Counseling. The graduates from this program have gone on to become leaders,

administrators, and change agents in many urban school districts across the country. Through this project,

Jennifer managed over $2,000,000.00 in federal grants from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention and the Corporation for National Service. From there she became a Curriculum Specialist and

School/District Coach for Expeditionary Learning, a nonprofit education reform organization specializing

in professional development designed to close the achievement gap through embedded literacy instruction

and project-based learning.

In her work with Expeditionary Learning, Jennifer provided school coaching, leadership development, and

curriculum design support to schools in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Rhodes Island,

Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Minnesota. She is the lead author on one of the first integrated curriculum

modules that combines the Common Core State Standards in ELA with the Next Generation Science

Standards. Water is Life: The Earth’s Hydrosphere and its Influence on Life can be downloaded at

achievethecore.org

Jennifer has a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Iowa, an M.S. in Environmental

Education from Lesley College, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Antioch Graduate School of

New England. She has published numerous articles on green, healthy, sustainable schools and writes a

regular blog for GSNN. She is co-founder of the Green Schools National Conference and is co-chair of the

Program Committee for the Green Schools Conference and Expo.

Appendices Page 7

Numbers 4 Nonprofits, Financial Management

GSNN works with Numbers 4 Nonprofits (N4N) to provide the network financial management. N4N has

been helping nonprofit organizations succeed in Dane County since 2006. The N4N team currently brings

outside perspective to over 60 nonprofits primarily in Dane County, Wisconsin. Through accounting

services, cash management, budgeting & projections, annual audit prep, board reporting, and internal

control recommendations, N4N is well-prepared to manage all aspects of an organization’s financial

operations.

The staff at N4N has a broad background in working with nonprofits of varying sizes, missions, and

budgets and is equipped to support clients’ organizational and financial growth. Kollath CPA and N4N

have 33 employees, with almost half doing work with nonprofits, including 7 exclusively focused on

nonprofits and their needs. N4N’s reputation and staff is second to none, and N4N’s work is highly

regarded in the nonprofit community by both clients and colleagues alike.

Kevin Little, Ph.D., Informing Ecological Design, LLC - Project Evaluators

Kevin is a statistician who applies information design and analysis methods to solve practical problems.

He has applied his analytic skills and experience to promote sustainable buildings and communities and

has worked to improve performance in healthcare applications.

He formed his company, Informing Ecological Design, LLC, in 1997. Informing Ecological Design

tackles projects that help the industrial economy evolve into an economy that integrates with the rest of

Nature’s systems. He is a Partner in Rapid Improvement Associates, LLC, which specializes in the use

of collaborative learning methods to solve environmental problems. He developed and now helps market

and support a collaborative web application called Energy Stewards™ (www.energystewards.net) that

promotes energy conservation within targeted communities.

Starting in 2001, Kevin has served as an Improvement Advisor with the Institute for Healthcare

Improvement (www.ihi.org), the nation’s premier organization dedicated to improvement of healthcare

through the use of data. Since 2011, Kevin has designed measurement systems and provided data advice

and analysis to Practice GreenHealth (https://practicegreenhealth.org), including the Healthier Hospitals

Initiative (http://healthierhospitals.org/).

Programmatic Partners and Staff

Tim Cole (School District Coach, Advisor - GSNN) Tim Cole is the Sustainability Officer for Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Tim was instrumental in the

promotion and development of the first LEED certified elementary School in Virginia — Hermitage

Elementary– as well as the first K-12 LEED Platinum Transportation and Maintenance Facility in the

country. Under Tim’s leadership, Virginia Beach City Public Schools has constructed over 1.6 million

square feet of LEED building space and was selected as the “Best Green School District” in the United

States by the USGBC in 2012. Tim is an ex-Navy SEAL and holds a Bachelors of Architecture from

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Erin Green (School District Coach, Advisor - GSNN) Ms. Green has spent the last 35 years performing business management functions, most recently for the

Greendale School District in suburban Milwaukee. Her interests include safety, worksite ergonomics,

worksite health promotion programs, workforce generational differences, globalization of education, as

well as transformation of K-12 schools into the realm of sustainability.

She is a past president of WSSCA (Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators), a Past President of ASBO

(Association of School Business Officials International), and frequent speaker and writer for trade and

association journals. In 2005, Ms. Green received the “School Business Manager of the Year” award from

Wisconsin WASBO and the “School Safety Coordinator of the Year” from the Wisconsin School Safety

Coordinators Association. She is the Treasurer for GSNN and an educational consultant for Performance

Services Inc. Ms. Green has an MBA degree from UW-Madison, an undergraduate degree from UW-

Appendices Page 8

Madison in Psychology, and School Business coursework from UW-Whitewater. She is a licensed SFO

with the State of Wisconsin and ASBO International. She can be reached at: erin.green1776@gmail.com.

Al Stenstrup (School District Coach, Advisor - GSNN) Allen Stenstrup is the former Director of Education Programs for Project Learning Tree. In this position he

developed new education materials and programs, like PLT GreenSchools, for a national audience. He how

provides consulting services for education organizations and leads education travel workshops.

A former middle school science teacher, Al has more than 40 years of experience in the field of education.

He has conducted Professional Development workshops across the country and the world on global

environmental issues, He has directed the development of Educator Modules on Environmental Risk,

Forests of the World, Early Childhood, and Forest Issues. He has been an instructor in several universities

teaching Science Methods to preservice educators.

Al currently serves as president of the Green Schools National Network. His book Diminishing Resources

– Forests (2010) highlights the planet’s changing forests and what people are doing to manage this critical

resource. He is known for his interactive workshops that engage the learner in many ways. In 2010, he

received the national award Outstanding Service to Environmental Education at the Global Level from the

North American Association for Environmental Education for his work in 20 countries across the world.

Victoria Rydberg (School District Coach, Advisor - Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin) Victoria has been supporting educators across Wisconsin as the Environmental Education Consultant in the

Department of Public Instruction since 2010. She is a staff member of the WCEE with an office in Madison

that allows her to work closely with other subject area specialists. Prior to working with the DPI, Victoria

taught 7th and 8th grade at an environmental charter school she helped open in 2002. She has an A.A.S. in

graphic design from Western Technical College in La Crosse, a B.S. in education from Winona State

University, and an M.S. in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Victoria enjoys gardening, hunting, fishing, kayaking, and teaching herself to cook.

Lori K. Ames (School District Working Group Chair, Advisor - MCPASD) Lori Ames, is the Director of Business Services for Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. Prior to

coming to the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, Lori worked for the State of Wisconsin

Department of Public Instruction as a School Finance Consultant and Federal Fiscal Monitoring

Consultant, and served as the Director of Business Services in the Platteville School District. Lori has

served in School District business for over 25 years. She holds a MSED in School Business Management

and a BBA in Personnel Management. She is a current member of the Wisconsin Association of School

Business Officials where she was awarded the 2012 Friend of WASBO Award for her years of service to

WASBO and the Children of the State of Wisconsin. Lori also served on the 2015-16 WASBO Board of

Directors.

Debra Weitzel (MCPASD Project Coordinator - MCPASD) Debra Weitzel is a retired environmental science and chemistry teacher of 33 years in the Middleton Cross

Plains Area School District (MCPASD). She currently is the part-time Sustainability Coordinator for

MCPASD. Debra received the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award in 2007 and was a co-

awardee with the Friends of Pheasant Branch for the Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Fuji Environmental

Excellence Award, also in 2007. She served on the committee that produced Wisconsin’s Plan to Advance

Education for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability in PK-12 Schools. She serves environmental

educators on the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board and Wisconsin Sustainable Schools Coalition.

Deb holds a B.S. in science education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a M.S. in

Environmental Education from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and a M.S. in Professional

Development from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Appendices Page 9

Anisa Baldwin Metzger (Project Advisor - The Center for Green Schools at USGBC) Anisa is School District Sustainability Manager for the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. She oversees

the Green Schools Fellowship program and provides resources, tools, and research to a growing number of

sustainability staff at school districts across the country. With a background in architecture, she began her

work with USGBC as a staff member placed in New Orleans at the Recovery School District after

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She holds a B.S. from Washington University in St. Louis and a M.Arch.

from University of Washington in Seattle.

Appendices Page 10

Creating Sustainable School Leaders

Region 5 EPA Environmental Education Local Grants Program 2016

Green Schools National Network – Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Letters of Support

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Signature: Lori Ames, Director of Business Services

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Signature: George Mavroulis, Deputy Superintendent

Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials

Signature: Woody Wiedenhoeft, Executive Director

Wisconsin Association of School Boards

Signature: John Ashley, Executive Director

Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin

Signature: Victoria Rydberg, Administrative Team Leader

Informing Ecological Design, LLC

Signature: Kevin Little, Principal

The Center for Green Schools at the USGBC

Signature: Anisa Baldwin-Metzger, School District Sustainability Manager

Appendices Page 11

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