‘Green team’ trailblazers and sustainable schools: How these Boise schools were recognized for their environmental efforts 

Graphic by Naomi Brown

Boise schools are going green — and it’s paying off. As of Aug. 16, 2024, 15 Boise schools are now considered 50001 Ready. Being 50001 Ready is defined as a global standard that EnMS (Energy Management Systems) strive to meet. To qualify, institutions must self-monitor their improvements in energy efficiency and overall performance. On the Boise School District website, the steps to receiving this recognition include “tracking electricity, natural gas, and water usage data by school, and [making sure] all schools participate in energy-saving challenges during autumn and spring breaks.”

50001 Ready should not be confused with the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 50001 certificate. Acquiring verification from a third party is necessary to receive the ISO designation. 

“We began seeking DOE (Department of Energy) 50001 recognition in 2019 with a handful of sites,” said Alison Ward, the sustainability supervisor for the Boise School District. “In 2023 we gained recognition for 12 of our schools, and this year we are pleased to add three additional schools so that all of our secondary schools are now DOE 50001 Ready recognized.”

Ward described the 25-step process to re-attestation in which schools have to “submit new data, proof of practice, update all the communications, who are the principals at each of the schools, who are the facility managers and [other] staff changes.”

In her two years as Sustainability Supervisor for the Boise School District, Ward helped to establish The Green Team — a program that encourages student involvement in environmental preservation efforts. 

“… One of the things we did with that [sustainability supervisor position] is we created a Green Team leadership position at every school,” Ward said. “There’s a staff member who’s the Green Team lead at each school, including our facilities sites, our operations team. There’s now a way for this kind of work to move from the district level to the school level.”

Although Hawthorne Elementary has not currently received the 50001 Ready designation, Misha Smith, sixth-grade teacher and Green Team leader for her district said that she has been involved in creating environmental opportunities prior to the establishment of The Green Team. 

“I led my own Green Team that was not district-sanctioned for years because I’m passionate about the environment and getting my students into doing action projects,” Smith said. “It’s always been just my sixth grade class doing green team activities — last year was the first year where I was able to include fifth-graders … we’ll be able to build off of projects we started last year, and also just build off that enthusiasm that was fostered last year.”

The Green Team leadership role is a stipend position that allows staff not only to have an “active voice” within the club setting but “staff wise as well,” Smith said. 

From garden cleanups to recycling relays, Smith explained that The Green Team is about promoting student interest and involvement in environmental affairs. 

“The key is, if we develop that passion and love and protection for the environment, then these kids are going to grow up understanding what they can do to make a difference, and then be sharing that information with people that they know.”

Richard W. Stover, Administrator for Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR) shared in an email to The Arbiter what the future of energy conservation looks like in Idaho.

“It is the state of Idaho’s policy to enable a broad range of cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation measures,” Stover said. “Energy demand is projected to increase significantly over the next 10-20 years. Accordingly, efforts by public entities that align with Idaho policy goals and objectives, lower costs and result in tax savings to Idaho citizens are important.”

While the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources is not involved in the 50001 Ready designation currently, Stover shared plans for future programs.

“OEMR has not participated in 50001 Ready but administers several other programs with the goal of increasing energy efficiency and conservation,” Stover said. “With respect to K-12 facilities specifically, OEMR will soon launch a funding program benefiting Idaho’s K-12 facilities needing demonstrable energy improvement investments. More details will be forthcoming on that program soon.”

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