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Health & Fitness

Educating Students on Creating a More Sustainable Environment

Here's the theme: Reading, writing, 'rithmetic ... reduce, reuse & recycle!

Good Shepherd Lutheran School is eagerly tackling one of the country’s biggest initiatives: sustainable living. The school has adopted policies to help reduce waste and recycle all over our campuses.

School Administrator Debbie Hanks said she is pleased with the steps Good Shepherd is taking.

“As an educator and parent, I feel it is extremely important to teach solid recycling habits at an early age," she says. “Making certain that children not only appreciate our environment, but also have a keen awareness on how they can make a difference is invaluable — I feel that Good Shepherd is really hitting this head-on.”

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In addition to recycling bins in classrooms, offices, public space, etc., composting and promotion of carpools, the school is adopting additional forms of environmental consciousness. At the school’s ice cream social held in early October, the school refrained from using water bottles and instead opted for large water jugs where attendees used cups rather than using plastic bottles. Additionally, fifth grade students in Mrs. Scheidt’s class are taking this movement one step further and focusing the class’ community service project on reducing the use of plastics and generating environmental awareness. “The class has done some amazing things. One student created a wallet made entirely of plastic bags and another made a trick-or-treat jack o’ lantern out of a plastic milk jug, “ said Hanks. “It’s really terrific to see the students getting excited and interested in sustainable living.”

About Good Shepherd Lutheran School: Founded in 1976 as a ministry of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran School provides a comprehensive preschool-through-eighth-grade education serving the children of families in Marin and Sonoma counties. Based on biblical principles and centered on Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd Lutheran School is a faith community that believes the best education takes place within the context of relationships, and where the uniqueness of every child is valued. Small classes emphasize one of the core values of GSLS, and teachers integrate a Christian worldview into the curriculum thereby creating foundations of faith, integrity, leadership, service to others and academic excellence.

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GSLS is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association and the California Association of Private School Organizations, and is accredited by the National Association of Education for Young Children (NAEYC) and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). 

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