A good education is the bedrock of the American dream — and drives many people’s decisions about where to live. Growing populations demand more school capacity — either expanding existing schools or building new ones. Shifting populations also create capacity problems for schools that are losing or gaining students. Whether schools are urban, suburban or rural, they need the involvement of students, parents, and neighbors to remain a vital part of the community.
"Mom! I need a ride to School"
Often students’ lives are just as complex as their parents. Many students have after-school jobs or activities that require transportation. Students live further from school, and concerns about safety and tight schedules prevent many others from walking. As a result, they must depend on buses or rides to get around, and have less opportunity for exercise. At a handful of schools, students and parents are starting to change this through “Kids Walk-to-School,” a national program started by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that provides practical advice on how kids can walk to school safely. By getting parents outside walking with their kids, the program also fosters community involvement and helps reduce crime.
Parents at East Silver Spring Elementary School were concerned about safety for children who wanted to walk to school. They met with the Department of Transportation, county officials, PTA members and others to develop a plan to replace signs, add missing sidewalks and establish crosswalks. To celebrate their progress the school drew over 300 participants at Walk to School Day in October 2000. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk.htm.
A Great School Story
In St. Mary’s County, the renovation of Great Mills High School sparked community and student excitement that has contributed to higher student achievement and a strong bond between school and community. Anticipating growth due to the expansion of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, officials decided to renovate and enlarge the school instead of building a new one. Students, parents, and staff defined how Great Mills could become a cornerstone of the community by including a library, auditorium, stadium and athletic fields open to the public, and fiber optics to support future technology. Now complete, the school has helped to revitalize the neighborhood and support new residential development in this growth area.
Making School Greener
By getting involved in their schools and communities, students are putting their lessons to the test. Maryland’s Green School Awards Program recognizes schools for environmental achievements in the classroom, school grounds and the community. Since the program was established in 1999, 43 schools now fly the Green Schools flag. At North Harford High, for example, students wanted to reduce nutrient pollution reaching the Chesapeake Bay. There, the environmental studies classes created a wetland to help treat the school’s wastewater and serve as an outdoor classroom.
Students are also learning to give back. Maryland is the first state in the nation to require high school students to participate in service-learning activities as a condition of graduation. For example, eighth graders at Patapsco Middle School in Howard County have helped protect and restore a historic cemetery in Ellicott City. They learned about the history of their community, and gained valuable experience in testifying before county officials about the importance of historic preservation.
New schools are also getting a greener start. Recent guidelines by the Maryland State Department of Education provide tips to architects and builders about how to preserve natural areas. Yough Glades Elementary School in Garrett County, for example, was sited in a way that preserves forested areas and large trees and has a wetland with access to an outdoor study area.
Future Leaders: "Your Choice, Your Future"
In October 2000, Governor Glendening held his 2nd Youth Environmental Summit, focusing on Smart Growth issues. Nearly 600 high school students from across the State attended the conference to learn, discuss and debate options for managing growth. Among the day’s highlights were remarks by Governor Glendening and former Governor Harry Hughes, and real-life case studies presented by county planners.
Emily Olson, a junior at Hereford High School said, “The summit opened my eyes to what is really going on in Maryland. I always knew that driving everywhere polluted the air and that farms were being turned into developments, but I never really stopped to think about the impacts and long term effects.” As follow-up to the summit, teachers are receiving additional training and materials to teach growth issues in the classroom.
Schools aren’t just for kids. After classes finish for the day, parents and neighbors use the buildings and its facilities for recreation, sports, meetings and cultural activities. These community-centered schools spur parental and community involvement in education and community issues. By bringing together people of all ages, these community places nourish active discussion and involvement in community affairs.
Nationally, only 13 percent of all trips to school are made by walking or biking.
Investing in School
For parents, a good school often means high test scores and the most up-to-date facilities. In the past, most of Maryland’s school construction funds were spent building new schools in the growing suburban fringe — a response to the need for additional classroom space resulting from sprawl development. To counter this trend, Governor Glendening made a commitment to spend more of the State’s school construction dollars on renovating existing schools than on building new ones. This shift has provided major new resources to older schools in urban areas and older suburbs.
Because growth puts a burden on existing schools and roads, many local governments have passed “adequate public facilities ordinances.” These laws are designed to ensure that new growth can occur only where adequate facilities already exist, and have served to slow growth in some areas where schools and roads are already overburdened.
What You Can Do:
Students:
- Join a science, environmental or 4-H club at your school and get involved in a project to improve your community. See www.fourhcouncil.edu
- Keep a travel diary and see if there are ways your family can drive less. Are there other things you can do to make your lifestyle more environmentally and growth “smart”?
- Work with others to make your school a Green School. Application forms and information are at: www.maeoe.org
Parents and Neighbors:
- Get involved with your school’s PTA
- Volunteer your time for kids as a tutor or mentor at your local school. Contact the Baltimore Mentoring Partnership at 410.752.5016.
- Support environmental education through the Envirothon, www.mda.state.md.us/enviro/enviro1.html
- Donate computers, books or other materials to your school.
Involve your school in a community project, so kids learn to give back. Contact Communities in Schools at www.cisn.org or 410.694.9661 or the American Planning Association: www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity/
Need More Info?
Maryland State Department of Education: www.msde.state.md.us
U.S. Department of Education After-school Programs: www.afterschool.gov
Keeping Schools Open as Community Learning Centers: www.ed.gov/pubs/LearnCenters/
Creating Community Schools and Civic Places: www.livablecommunities.gov/
|
Back |
Table of Contents |
Next |
DNR