Leadership and Sustainability

This comes from Teacher-net's sustainable school section but I think it makes a really valuable point about leadership and sustainability.  

"Placing sustainability at the heart of school culture is a challenging but rewarding task, a task being taken on by forward-looking school leaders across the country

Ultimately, your leadership is a culture of change that will be judged 

as effective or ineffective not by who you are as a leader, 

but by what leadership you practice in others

Topic for Discussion: 

Five questions for school teachers:

1. How can your school embed in the care agenda - care for ourselves, care for others, and care for the environment - as a distinctive commitment?
2. How can your school involve all the school's stakeholders in decision-making about sustainable development - balancing short-term interests with longer-term goals while considering the needs of the environment, future generations, and other communities?
3.  How can your school develop individuals with the knowledge, values, skills, and self-confidence they need to make positive contributions to their family, their community, their job, the environment, and the wider world?
4. How can your school's curriculum best address sustainable development while contributing to each student's enjoyment of learning, and their need to keep learning sustainable behaviors over their lifetime?
5. What style of leadership and management does the school need to promote lasting school improvement through a joined-up approach that integrates best value, best practice, and sustainability?

2009 with SOSI

It is hard to believe that we are already full-swing into 2009.  Here at the Sustainable Oregon Schools Initiative we may not have many resolutions, but we do have big plans for the year.  You can expect 2009 to be a year of new topic area teams, wrapping up current ones, and moving forward with our Sustainability Management System pilot program.  

Personally, my resolutions are simple ones but I know that if I really accomplished these ideas (like producing more DIY crafts and making my own cleaning supplies, being more of a locavore, and driving my car less) I'd be on my way to reducing my carbon footprint.  I like the idea of "1 thing."  It is sponsored by the radio broadcasting company Entercom, but the concept behind it is that we can all do one small thing every day that together makes a big impact.  The general website is here and there is even a Portland-specific link.  While at the site, be sure to check out the link for schools.  

Topic for Discussion: 

What is your new year's resolution?  What is your resolution for your school/district?  

What makes a Sustainable School?

The Sustainable Oregon Schools Initiative (SOSI)’s mission is to help Oregon’s K-12 schools integrate sustainability principles system-wide and prepare our children to create and succeed in a sustainable future.

SOSI uses the definition of sustainability: "meeting the educational, environmental, social and economic needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Topic for Discussion: 
What is your vision for sustainability in school districts?