News Roundup – Sakai earns green plaudits/Land plans under review/Library offers Computer 101

Published 3:00 pm Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Sakai earns green plaudits

For the second consecutive year, Sakai Intermediate School has been named one of the country’s top “green” schools by The Green Guide, a national consumer awareness newsletter.

The school was chosen based on its environmental education program and for incorporating environmentally-sensitive building materials, paint, furniture and carpeting.

“We were told it’s uncommon to make the top ten two years in a row,” said Sakai Principal Jo Vander Stoep. “We’re very excited.”

Schools are judged on a range of criteria, including green building and construction, food, recycling and environmental curriculum. Sakai was the only Washington state school that made the list.

Students at the school have long monitored the health of the natural salmon stream behind the school. In addition to that, students work with the Bainbridge Island Land Trust in a nature mapping program that records bird activity in the area. Data collected by the students is shared with researchers at the University of Washington.

“Our winners are at the forefront of change,” said Paul McRandle, Research Editor of the Green Guide and co-author of the report. “We love these schools for creating healthier learning environments and healthier students, and because they are teaching a generation to understand how their actions affect their world.”

Vander Stoep said teachers and parents have worked together to create just such and environment at Sakai.

“We tend to have environmentally conscious kids,” she said. “A lot of work is done in the lower grades as well as in the families to keep kids interested in the environment.”

Meanwhile, in other green news, the school district recently received a $290,000 grant from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The money will help fund green roofs, rain gardens, natural day lighting, natural ventilation and reduction in impervious surfaces at the high school, which will be renovated next year.

Land plans under review

Mayor Darlene Kordonowy convened a special 90-day task force to develop strategies for stewarding the island’s public lands.

“Over the past several years, the community has achieved many successes toward its goal of preserving and protecting the Island’s greenscapes, recreational and agricultural lands, and natural systems,” said Kordonowy in a written statement. “Now that we have acquired these assets, our task is to determine how best to manage them for the benefit and enjoyment of the community.”

The task force will work in cooperation with the city and the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District.

Over 250 acres of forested areas, wildlife habitat, agricultural lands, trails and passive parks were acquired following the passage of an $8 million Open Space Bond Fund in 2001.

Additional properties were acquired over the years through purchase and donation. Some have been transferred to the park district, while others remain in the city’s ownership.

The task force, which held its initial meeting last week, will determine short- and long-term land management strategies. Task force members include representatives from the City Council, the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District, the city’s Open Space Commission, the Bainbridge Island Land Trust and other island residents.

Future meetings dates and times are available through the mayor’s office.

Library offers Computer 101

Click!, Kitsap Regional Library’s free computer training program, is available at all nine libraries.

More than 150 people have availed themselves of the group and individual sessions in the program’s first six months. The classes are taught by over 40 volunteers in all nine Kitsap libraries.

The goal of each class is to help non-computer users develop basic skills. Starting this month, the Library is adding a third course to the Click! curriculum, Internet 201.

Courses include:

• Computer Basics – First-time computer users learn how to work with a mouse and keyboard; how to log on and off the library computers; the basics of the internet browser; and how to use KitCat, the library’s online catalog

• Internet 101 – Students in this class learn how to navigate the Web and KRL’s electronic library resources; effective ways to get quality, credible information on the internet; and internet security and printing information. The class is designed for novice computer users who have attended a computer basics course or who have basic mouse and keyboarding skills.

• Internet 201 – Designed for those who have some experience with the internet browser, Web site addresses and search engines, this class explores browser and keyboard shortcuts, strategies for web navigation and searching strategies; and safety tips for online shopping.

To sign up for a Click! class or to volunteer to teach courses, call the Bainbridge Library at 842-4162 or see www.KRL.org.