Student Driven Practices: 2.6 Responsible Transportation
In the Fall of 2017, another bike was added to the school building. As you can see, it did not take long to fill the rack!
Responsible Transportation: Additional Bike Racking
At Severna Park Middle School, students are encouraged to walk or bike to school if possible. Many students are more than happy to comply and ride their bike to school daily in the autumn and spring months. Unfortunately before 2018 there were not enough racks to hold all of the bikes at the school. Two students informed our principal of the situation. They liked riding their bikes to school, but did not like having to leave them propped up against another bike or lying on the ground. She asked the boys to put it in writing to her and she would see what she could do. The boys did just that. At any particular day during this time, observers will see 4 bike racks filled to the brim with bikes of all shapes and sizes. On one particularly beautiful spring day in 2018, over 40 bikes were counted at the bike racks on the SPMS school grounds. What an awesome reminder that students are getting the message that fossil fuels can be replaced by renewable resources and eco-friendly transportation!
Student Letter to Ms. Hansen
At Severna Park Middle School, students are encouraged to walk or bike to school if possible. Many students are more than happy to comply and ride their bike to school daily in the autumn and spring months. Unfortunately before 2018 there were not enough racks to hold all of the bikes at the school. Two students informed our principal of the situation. They liked riding their bikes to school, but did not like having to leave them propped up against another bike or lying on the ground. She asked the boys to put it in writing to her and she would see what she could do. The boys did just that. At any particular day during this time, observers will see 4 bike racks filled to the brim with bikes of all shapes and sizes. On one particularly beautiful spring day in 2018, over 40 bikes were counted at the bike racks on the SPMS school grounds. What an awesome reminder that students are getting the message that fossil fuels can be replaced by renewable resources and eco-friendly transportation!
Student Letter to Ms. Hansen
The two students responsible for helping get a new bike rack, now eighth graders. October 2018
The girls' informational brochure was the cornerstone of education about auto emissions.
Responsible Transportation: No Idling Zone
Girl Scout Troop 1104 began considering their Silver Award in the fall of 2013. They talked to school administrators about potential service learning projects they could undertake. The school requested they focus on something within the Green School program. The girls met with SPMS Green School committee members, including the Principal. Through this on-going dialogue and exploring SPMS and its needs, several of the girls settled on addressing needed improvements to transportation.
During their 6th and 7th grade years, they explored the topic, researching, talking with staff, and observing the practices at the time. Idling quickly became their focus, with the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating this habit at SPMS.
The students established a booth at the SPMS Earth Day Festival and surveyed the community, provided education to students and adult attendees, and began marketing their campaign.
Over the course of the year, they continued their endeavor, researching, working with the SPMS green school committee to continue the discourse, developed and implemented a fundraising campaign.
In February of 2016, these SPMS 8th graders, established SPMS as a no-idling zone, with the installation of signs in both car loops and multiple parking areas. They even met with all of our bus drivers, and went door to door to explain the impact of idling to all the parents in our carpool loop. See their educational brochure above. They also conducted a professional development session with all SPMS staff to educate and enlist them in helping to make improvements toward further responsible transportation practices at SPMS.
Girl Scout Troop 1104 began considering their Silver Award in the fall of 2013. They talked to school administrators about potential service learning projects they could undertake. The school requested they focus on something within the Green School program. The girls met with SPMS Green School committee members, including the Principal. Through this on-going dialogue and exploring SPMS and its needs, several of the girls settled on addressing needed improvements to transportation.
During their 6th and 7th grade years, they explored the topic, researching, talking with staff, and observing the practices at the time. Idling quickly became their focus, with the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating this habit at SPMS.
The students established a booth at the SPMS Earth Day Festival and surveyed the community, provided education to students and adult attendees, and began marketing their campaign.
Over the course of the year, they continued their endeavor, researching, working with the SPMS green school committee to continue the discourse, developed and implemented a fundraising campaign.
In February of 2016, these SPMS 8th graders, established SPMS as a no-idling zone, with the installation of signs in both car loops and multiple parking areas. They even met with all of our bus drivers, and went door to door to explain the impact of idling to all the parents in our carpool loop. See their educational brochure above. They also conducted a professional development session with all SPMS staff to educate and enlist them in helping to make improvements toward further responsible transportation practices at SPMS.
2016: The Girl Scouts installed signage reminding drivers of the important impact of "idling" while waiting for their students in the carpool loop.
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