Green School Weekly Newsletter – 27 April 2012

” Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.”
Edward Everett

As I write this, I’m soaking up the sights and sounds (and smells) of the Gypsy Hoodoo Carnival wafting up from below. Just another extraordinary Friday afternoon at Green School! Thanks to the many people who made this event such a success.

There are plenty of updates in this weeks news, including a piece on Green energy, a special invitation from John Hardy, and online access to some of Alan Wagstaff’s presentations. And much, much more…

In this issue:

1. Green School Energy Update
2. Exploring The Magical Subak With John Hardy
3. Alan Wagstaff Seminar Dates, plus downloadable content now available
4. Encore performance of Grade 11’s 2012 End of Time Performance
5. Parent Education and Inspiration,  Tuesday, 1 May at 9:00 AM
6. “Brain Child” workshop for practical arts
7. Green School Water
8. Yoga Teachers at Green School
9. Green School Videos
10. New After school activity for Grades 4 and up
11. Links that Make Us Think
12. Join the Green SuperCamp this July!
13. Our own weekly news

Green School Energy Update

As most of you know, Green School took its first significant steps towards becoming energy self-sufficient last month with the roll-out of the solar project, which is now powering Heart of School and the adjacent administrative office structure. GS parent and Green Energy committee member David Facey sent us this update on all of our renewable energy efforts.

Green School aims to be off the electricity grid and to supply all its own power needs with sustainable energy generated on-campus. And it’s happening fast!

Why all the effort? Without these projects, Green School would be reliant on the national utility to supply its power. But this energy is produced largely by burning fossil fuels which are significant emitters of greenhouse gasses – major contributors to climate change. Continued reliance on these power sources is inconsistent with the Green School philosophy of minimizing its environmental footprint. It is also expensive and likely to get more so. Investing in our own supply of clean renewable energy we not only reduce our environmental footprint, we also save the school money, freeing up resources for education-related investments.

Like any complex project, the Energy Management Plan is made up of different elements.

Reducing Power Consumption
First we assessed how much power the school uses. We also did some research into how these consumption levels could be reduced and found a number of opportunities to be more efficient. Already several projects are in progress to reduce water pumping needs, to reduce energy used in cooking, to make lighting more efficient and to switch off electricity when the school is not operating. Future work will see the addition of energy management control systems which will automatically monitor and optimise energy usage. Our ultimate goal is to reduce the school’s use of electricity from 184 kWh per day to only 60 kWh per day.

Generating Power from the Sun
Green School has installed solar panels that will allow it to generate power from the Bali sun’s plentiful rays. This will supply most of the school’s electrical needs. The solar system is comprised of 108 solar panels with a total power output of around 55 kWh of electricity on a sunny day. The solar panels feed power into a bank of 72 batteries capable of storing 130 kWh of electricity (as much as Green School will consume over two days, once consumption levels are brought down).

Generating Power from the River
The basic infrastructure to harness the river’s power was built five years ago. The idea is to divert a portion of the river flow through a short tunnel and into what can best be described as a large concrete toilet bowl (more technically referred to as a vortex). Water accelerates around the bowl as a whirlpool, until going down the “drain” and returning to the river.  When the project is complete, a simple fish-friendly generator will be installed in the whirlpool, generating up to 88 kWh of electricity every day. This will  be  available for the school’s use and to charge its batteries.

Appreciation
In addition to the vision provided by John and Cynthia Hardy, these projects have come to life due to the generous funding, support and expertise provided by the France-based Akuo Energy, and with the help of contributions from Marc Pop, George Pegios, Ben and Blair Ripple and Mariana Arambasil. The entire Green School community would like to thank them all for allowing the realization of this dream.

Green School is proud to demonstrate leadership in its responsible production and usage of energy. By reducing how much electricity we need we learn valuable lessons about conservation. By being thoughtful about the way we produce the energy we do require, we  become aware of the power that exists around us and how to harness it. And by generating our own power right on campus we avoid the need to run wires across the landscape to deliver what we can make for ourselves “on site”. In all of this, our students gain awareness and insights that we hope they will remember every time they flick a light switch…not just now, but even after they leave Green School.

Green School is very excited by these projects. As they are completed, our goal of powering our own needs using clean, renewable power will be achieved. And that’s the power of Green School!

EXPLORING THE MAGICAL SUBAK WITH JOHN HARDY

TIME: Saturday May 5th at 7 AM. We should be done by 10:30.
LOCATION: Ibu Mangku’s chicken warung, which is just up the road from the Four Seasons on the Sayan Road in Ubud.
CONTACT: This is limited to 10 people. If interested please write to Risa (risa@greenschool.org) and Yuni (yuni@johnbali.com).

We have a wonderful opportunity for a private walk and tour with John Hardy to see the magnificent Subak water system here in Bali.

We will start at the genesis of the subak which covers Bongkasa and heads down the river. We will see how it all starts and heads off to 2km of tunnels. We will visit the genesis of rice in Bali, the springs that created marshes beside the river that turn into the rice paddies before the subak system.

We will have with us also the best rice farmer John knows, Pak Made. We will hopefully encounter harvesting, planting, and may see some ducks at work. If we can arrange it we’ll visit a cave which was part of the original subak system.

If interested please write to Risa (risa@greenschool.org) and cc Yuni (yuni@johnbali.com). We only have places for 10 people given the logistics so this will be on a first come first serve basis. We apologize if we cannot accommodate everyone. If enough interest we’ll do again.

Alan Wagstaff Seminar Dates, plus downloadable content now available

Pak Alan’s sessions continue this coming week on Tuesday, 1 May at 3:30 PM, 2nd floor, HOS, on the topic of ILPs, with a Thursday afternoon repeat.

We’ve heard from many parents who have been unable to attend Alan’s sessions for various reasons but would like to be able to access the information he has been presenting. For those, and for anyone else who would like a refresher, we’ve now created a Dropbox section of the website where Alan’s files can be viewed and downloaded. Here is the link: http://alan-corner.greenschool.org

So far, you’ll find Powerpoints of Alan’s first and second sessions, on the shift from subject-centered to student-centered learning and successful strategies for early readers (95% Rule, TAP, PAT), with lots of supporting documentation for the latter. There is also a developmental checklist for six year-olds. We’re working on a better layout and will be adding new material as we receive it, but for now hopefully this is a good start. Thanks for sharing, Pak Alan!

Encore performance of Grade 11’s 2012 End of Time Performance, Saturday, 28 April at 7:00 PM

We’re still several hours away from the inaugural performance, but if the rehearsals that have been taking place all week are any indication, this is going to be a powerful multimedia show.

And good news, if were unable to attend on Friday, a repeat performance is being offered Saturday night. Hope to see you there!

Parent Education and Inspiration,  Tuesday, 1 May at 9:00 AM

Please join us this Tuesday for the next in the series of Parent Education and Inspiration talks:

Sustainable building
A look at sustainable building practices and the materials used
Presenter: Chris from Little Tree

“Brain Child” workshop for practical arts: Where thoughts take shape

Here’s an update from Pak Oded about a new workshop that has been created at one end of the gym, plus a request for donations:

Over the last few months Green School has built a new space. On the west side of the gym, squeezed in next to the road there is a new classroom devoted learning the practical arts. We have realized the importance of learning how to transform imaginary ideas into objects. Student now have a place where they can learn design, transform their design  to the material of choice, make tools, learn how to use them safely and have the patience to see a  project finished. We will work with different materials (Bamboo, wood, metal, stone, etc). We will bring in local guest artisans and mechanics as needed for special skills. We would like to build a blacksmithing station to learn how to forge and cast metals. At this time we have a few students from middle and high school who are learning to work with bamboo, making model houses, a raft and boxes. A group of 10th and 11th grade students are rebuilding an old motorbike.

We are in the process of equipping the workshop and we would like to ask parents to donate any tools that you have that are not in use at home. We need hand tools (hammers, chisels, screwdrivers, etc.) and mechanical tools (drills, ranches, saws, etc. We would love to see you come for a visit!

Oded Carmi

Green School Water

We’ve just completed an extensive (and rather expensive) renovation of our filtration system for Green School’s well water.

We’re happy that members of the community are sharing this resource, but given that there are costs associated with it, we’d like to humbly request that anyone doing so contribute IDR 10,000 per large bottle refill. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Yoga Teachers at Green School

You’re never too young to work on that Downward Facing Dog! On Friday, April 13, Pre-K Prep, 2A and 2B were visited by a group of children’s yoga teachers led by the Brazilian Beta Lisboa.  Students in Pre-K Prep enjoyed playing Yoga Duck Duck Goose and trying some new yoga poses.  They created a giant flower together with their bodies and sang.  Students from Grade 2 also engaged in new poses as they continued their study of yoga.

Ibu Russlee

Green School Videos

Kindergarten’s own Chenoa Thompson has gone viral in the blogosphere with her polar bear song. Click on the link to find out why!

And for anyone who missed Earth Day at Green School last week (by the way, in case you didn’t hear, we were named “2012 Greenest School on Earth”!), here’s a nice video of all of the events.

Thanks to Peter Wall for putting both of these together…

New After school activity for Grades 4 and up, Tuesday afternoons: Graphic Design and Blogging with Pak Noan and visiting designer Aran Baker

What is it?
Create your own blog or learn to use a variety of graphic design software…. or combine the two for maximum digital creative potential! The hour is dedicated to free format digital publishing.

When do I go?
Tuesday after school. (15:30 – 16:30) in the Computer lab

What do we blog or design?
Comics, commentary, short stories, poetry, journals, travel guide, photos, pretty much any media you would like!

What skills do I need to join?
None whatsoever…. anybody is welcome, and can blog in any language about anything, or create designs for the pure joy of it.

Why should I go?
It is fun (seriously, no format, no word limits, and no purpose makes writing amazing), it is challenging (not like uuuuuhhh challenging, but ahhhh! challenging), it can change the world (and already has to a certain degree), and it can help you make better projects and presentations.

Links that Make Us Think

A GS parent and recovering sugar addict who has asked to remain anonymous sent along the following link. Don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Join the Green SuperCamp this July!

From our friends at Green SuperCamp:

Following the success of our Camps in 2011, we will be holding the next Junior and Senior Green SuperCamp this July. Green SuperCamp is a unique partnership between Green School and  SuperCamp (the world leader in Summer Enrichment camps for students). The Junior Camp is open for students from 11 to 13 years old and the Senior Camp is open for students from 14 to 17 years old. It will be taking place from 7th July to 13th July and from 16th July to  22nd July respectively.

It’s an exciting initiative that brings transformational results in both life and learning skills for the students who attend, preparing teens for the future. Many students will be flying in from around the world for this event. There will also be a ‘Parent Camp’ for parents of the students attending to understand how to make the most of the leadership and accelerated learning skills that are at the core of Green SuperCamp.
You can find out more about Green SuperCamp by visiting www.greensupercamp.com
Email info@greensupercamp.com and Quote ‘Green School’ for a special Green School rate!

Our own weekly news

To submit your own news updates for inclusion, please send it to communications@greenschool.org by 12 noon each Wednesday.We cannot always guarantee inclusion and we may have to delay for a week at times.

Visit the Green School Website: http://www.greenschool.org

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