SFUSD Greening
Proposition A Bond
The Proposition A Bond Program is financed, in large part, by three local bonds passed by San Francisco voters in November 2003, 2006, and 2011. These are facilities bonds, intended to improve SFUSD school sites by bringing them into Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
Proposition A Greening Program
SFGSA was able to successfully advocate for schoolyard greening by securing a total of $12 million as a part of the Proposition A voter-approved school bonds. Specifically, all elementary schools and 10 middle and high schools in SFUSD have received or will receive $100,000 - 150,000 to green their schoolyards. The greening funds are managed within the SFUSD Bond Department and each school goes through a planning and construction process to complete their projects. Click here to read more about the bond greening program.
Master Planning
Articulating the design elements of a green schoolyard occurs during the master planning process. This process allows for creative and inclusive planning through workshops with teachers, parents, and students. As the green schoolyard is envisioned, the input from all parties ensures buy-in from the entire community. Buy-in at this level translates into sustainability, as the school community takes ownership of green schoolyard elements they help create.
Proposition A Management
The overall Proposition A Bond Program is managed by an integrated team consisting of SFUSD project management staff and Kwan Henmi-Parsons, a joint venture team that provides a wide range of program management services including design management of 24 architectural engineering firms and program reporting. The greening portion of the bond is managed by SFUSD staff Lori Shelton and Tamar Barlev. Local oversight of the Prop A Bond Program is provided by a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee that meets quarterly at 135 Van Ness Avenue.
SFGSA and the Bond Program
SFGSA works closely with the SFUSD Bond Green Schoolyard Program. We share offices with the bond staff at the SFUSD Facilities Department Building at 135 Van Ness Avenue. We support bond schools in their transformation process by helping them realize their programmatic goals. The bond funds planning, design, and construction of the outdoor spaces. However, the funds do not include greening maintenance or staff. SFGSA helps schools create their vision for a garden program, its integration into the teaching, as well as how to sustain the space over time. SFGSA also provides horticultural supplies, professional development for teachers, an advice hotline, and advocacy support.
SFUSD Sustainability
Campaign for Greener Schools
San Francisco Unified School District, with help from the SF Department of the Environment, has solidified its commitment to sustainability by hiring a Director of Sustainability, Nik Kaestner. SFUSD is now engaged in a Campaign to Green our Schools, which includes major efforts to increase tree plantings at SFUSD sites, install rainwater harvesting cisterns to reduce water use and stormwater runoff, improve energy efficiency, waste diversion, alternative transportation to school, and support green schoolyards. For more information email Nik at kaestnern AT sfusd DOT edu. The San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance works to support this campaign through our programs. Please see below for more details on specific projects.
Rainwater Harvesting - TAP THE SKY
During the summer of 2009, SFGSA helped bring four rainwater harvesting cisterns and gardens to four SFUSD schools through a partnership with the SF Public Utilities Commission. The PUC’s Urban Watershed Management Program, Miller Company Landscape Architects, SFGSA, and the Mayor’s Office of Community Challenge Grants came together to fund, design, organize, and build four new garden outdoor classrooms with attached rainwater cisterns. Rainwater harvesting has flourished in SFUSD through our Tap the Sky program, coodinated by Kat Sawyer, Nik Kaester, the PUC and the Mayor's Office.
Watershed Stewardship Curriculum
Along with the gardens and cisterns, SFGSA created a Watershed Stewardship Curriculum for schools with these systems. The curriculum is used to integrate the cisterns and gardens into the teaching at the schools. To obtain a copy of the Watershed Stewardship Curriculum, please click the link above.
Tree Plantings
SFUSD, Friends of the Urban Forest, and SFGSA have partnered to create the 2012 by 2012 campaign. Our goal is to plant 2012 trees in and around SFUSD school sites by 2012. We are on our way, but need your support!