New Jersey Schools Boards Association Conference
The annual New Jersey School Boards Association Conference in October is a highlight of the year for Sustainable Jersey for Schools staff. The Sustainable Jersey for Schools Certification Awards Ceremony, our booth on the exhibit floor, and our conference sessions are great opportunities to meet new Sustainable Jersey for Schools community members, reconnect with colleagues from certified schools, and share best practices, resources and success stories related to critical sustainability issues. Download presentations from Sustainable Jersey for Schools conference sessions since 2016 below.
2022 Sustainable Jersey NJSBA Presentations
Sustainable Jersey for Schools held ten sessions during NJSBA Workshop October 24-26. View the sessions presentations below. Sessions are listed in the order they took place.
Getting Help from Sustainable Jersey Technical Assistance
Monday, October 24, 10:00am - 10:50am
Sustainable Jersey's technical assistance (TA) program pairs school districts with hands-on support to help complete Sustainable Jersey energy actions, including the Energy Tracking and Management and the Energy Efficiency for Facilities actions. TA includes assistance navigating applications for energy efficiency incentives available from New Jersey's Clean Energy Program and utilities. This session will feature representatives from schools sharing their firsthand experiences with TA for energy projects.
Navigating the Sustainable Jersey Grants Program
Monday, October 24, 11:00am - 12:30pm
Do you want to create a culture of sustainability, but do not have the funding to do so? Look no further - the Sustainable Jersey Grants Program offers grants ranging from $2K to $10K annually that can be used to advance sustainability initiatives in public schools. This action lab will provide an overview of funding opportunities and how to apply, along with a workshop geared towards creating a successful grant proposal. Participants will be provided an information packet that can be shared with others interested in getting their project idea funded such as teachers, PTA's, and students.
How to Implement Community-Based Climate Change Education
Monday, October 24, 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Place-based approaches to education that emphasize the NJ specific effects of climate change, and the local actions that impact global trends are more likely to make a lasting impact with students. Explore opportunities for schools to use their buildings and grounds as learning laboratories and forge partnerships with their municipalities, colleges and universities, government agencies, and environmental organizations to expose students to a multifaceted view of climate change impacts and strategies for combating it at the local level.
Reducing Food Waste, Addressing Hunger, Saving Money
Monday, October 24, 3:10pm - 4:00pm
Daily food waste in school cafeterias is a visible and vexing problem that impacts climate change, food security, and budgets. Sustainable Jersey has partnered with Rutgers Cooperative Extension to study and test best practices for reducing school food waste in three public school districts. The presenters will share successes, challenges and lessons learned from food waste audits, education, and operation changes to food service and waste management in efforts to cut waste associated with school meals.
Energy Management: Best Practices to Cut Usage and Save Money
Tuesday, October 25, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Energy management is the conscious effort to reduce energy usage and costs through equipment upgrades, renewable energy projects, maintenance, occupant behavior, and other strategies. In this workshop successful energy management staff will facilitate discussion with participants about energy management best practices and strategies to save energy and money, while improving indoor air quality and making school facilities more comfortable. The workshop will also include an overview of funding options and incentive programs available to support energy management initiatives.
School Buildings and Grounds as Sustainability Learning Labs
Tuesday, October 25, 3:00pm - 3:50pm
School buildings and grounds provide opportunities to engage students, staff and the community in real-world learning about sustainable practices. Learn how the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program promotes this approach with examples from schools that include initiatives for energy conservation, waste management, and gardening for food and ecosystem services.
Digital Citizenship: Guidelines for Navigating the Digital World
Wednesday, October 26, 10:00am - 10:50am
Preparing your students for success as digital learners, leaders, and citizens is fundamental responsibility of public education in today’s world. This session will review the elements of a comprehensive digital citizenship plan – media balance & well-being; relationships & communication; privacy & security; cyberbullying, digital drama & hate speech; digital footprint & identity; and news & media literacy and representatives from Readington Township Public Schools and Essex County Schools of Technology will share their lessons learned in the development and implementation of comprehensive digital citizenship plans.
Free Resources for Implementation Climate Change Education
Wednesday, October 26, 11:00am - 11:50am
The goals of the NJ K-12 climate change education Student Learning Standards are to better equip students to combat the climate crisis, thrive in the green economy of the futre, and lead the state toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. This session will highlight implementation strategies and FREE resources focusing on professional learning, curriculum and lesson planning, community-based climate change education, and the role of boards of education to make those goals a reality.
Get Plugged in to Electric School Buses
Wednesday, October 26, 1:45pm - 2:35pm
This session will prepare school districts to make the transition to electric buses. Topics covered in this session include evaluating bus routes and existing fleet to determine which buses in the district fleet will be most cost-effective to replace with an electric bus, an overview of incentives available from state and federal sources for electric buses, and guidance on installing EV charging infrastructure needed for electric school buses.
Supporting Student Social Emotional Needs in Today's Schools
Wednesday, October 26, 1:45pm - 2:35pm
Participants will learn about social emotional stresses that students are facing in current times. With examples from New Jersey schools, they will learn about collecting data with tools such as surveys, focus groups, and program inventories to assess a school’s inclusiveness. They will also learn about engaging marginalized groups to address gaps uncovered by the assessment.
Previous Presentations
Click on the year to view a list of the sessions and download the presentations.