The Sudbury Catholic District School Board recently launched the 2007-2008 Dearness Conservation Program and Challenge. The School Conservation Challenge was created by the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to increase the participation in the Dearness Conservation (DC) initiative that was introduced into all of the Board’s schools in 2001. Since the inception of the DC program, the Board has been able to achieve substantial utility savings by educating teachers, students and staff and providing them with the necessary resources through this program.

The Dearness Conservation Program is geared toward both secondary school and elementary schools. The program consists of an in-school presentation/workshop and seeks to incorporate all students in the school in its conservation efforts.

The DC in-school program launch consisted of two components:

Part 1: A viewing of the widely acclaimed environmental movie trailer, An Inconvenient Truth followed by a “Changes” and a “Choices” presentation which focused on the choices that students have to make with respect to the environment. Discussion also centred around the key aspects of the Board’s Conservation Challenge.

Part 2: A conservation trade show was held on energy efficient technologies. Students learned about energy and water saving technologies, how to perform technical audits, and how to run campaigns to involve all students and staff in energy, water and waste reduction.

Workshops are being presented in all secondary and elementary schools over the next two weeks, and all SCDSB Dearness Schools, Classes and Clubs are invited to participate in the “Conservation Challenge” which will run from October 30, 2007 to May 1, 2008.

The winner of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s 2007-2008 School Conservation Challenge will be awarded a Grand Prize of $500.00 (toward an approved greening/grounds improvement project) and the right to display the “SCDSB School Conservation Challenge Champions” banner for a year.

For more information on the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s DC Program and Challenge please contact, Mark Gervais, Energy Coordinator at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is hosting year two of its School Conservation Challenge and is inviting all SCDSB Dearness Schools, Classes and Clubs to participate. The “challenge” will run from October 30, 2007 to May 1, 2008.

The School Conservation Challenge was created by the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to increase the participation in the Dearness Conservation (DC) initiative that was introduced into all of the Board’s schools in 2001. Since the inception of the DC program, the Board has been able to achieve substantial utility savings by educating teachers, students and staff and providing them with the necessary resources through this program.

To help revitalize the program in 2006-2007, senior administration decided that a “Conservation Challenge” would be an excellent way to enhance the effectiveness of the program in addition to acknowledging the “Environmental Champions.” The selection of the School Conservation Champion involves a point system based on three categories; (i) an unannounced site visit by the SCDSB’s Facility Services Department during the school year (ii) an interview to be conducted with the principal from each participating school (iii) in late May, schools will be asked to submit reports dealing with Lifestyle Conservation Campaigns and other relevant materials such as videos/newsletters/announcements and presentations. Schools will be awarded points based on the above three categories.

The school that attains the most points will be deemed the winner of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s 2007-2008 School Conservation Challenge and will be awarded a Grand Prize of $500.00 (toward an approved greening/grounds improvement project) and the right to display the “SCDSB School Conservation Challenge Champions” banner for a year.

Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board supports the board’s new initiative with respect to the far reaching positive effects and implications this program will have on students and the environment. “The SCDSB School Conservation Challenge provides our students with an opportunity to integrate the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations into their lives in an authentic manner,” states McCullough. “This Conservation Challenge invites all students to become responsible citizens and stewards of creation by respecting the environment and using the earth’s resources wisely.”

For more information on the SCDSB School Conservation Challenge please contact, Mark Gervais, Energy Coordinator at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.