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ASLP as an Eco School

As a school community we all agree that there is a need to pay better attention to our environment and to protect and preserve our environmental resources. Reducing carbon footprints, using green power, saving energy and recycling, are all issues that many communities face in their daily lives. Committing personally and as a whole community to greater environmental consciousness is one of the most important things that we can do as parents, as educators and as a school.

Why should we become an Eco-school?

La evidencia está a nuestro alrededor. With the carbon footprint of so many schools in Europe and the United States already tipping 9m tons CO2 a year, many campaigns to become Eco-Schools are already underway all over the world.

As educators, it is our responsibility to influence our students during a vital formative period of their lives, in order to create a culture of respect, responsibility and understanding of the importance of conservation in an unstable world, which is rapidly using up resources.

Creating a whole school Eco-policy is not only beneficial for enhancing overall sense of community and environmental awareness, but also for bringing together the students, administrators, educators, caretaking staff and the surrounding community.

The American School of Las Palmas wants to take important steps towards this goal and make a commitment to our students and to the environment by educating our staff, students and parents and by helping to enhance awareness of these issues:

• Energy Conservation
• Waste Minimization
• Ecological Literacy

How do we become an ECO-school?

Through school-based action teams of students, administrators, educators and community volunteers, the main goal is the effective “green” management of the school grounds, facilities and the curriculum.

The Zero Waste Challenge

How do we become an ECO-school?

Zero waste is a philosophy, already being carried out in communities throughout the U.S. and Europe. The idea is to encourage waste management and waste prevention so that no trash is sent to landfills and incinerators. The American School of Las Palmas would like to invite you to take part in our Zero waste challenge. Our main objectives are:

1. Reduce the amount of waste the school produces.
2. Reduce waste disposal costs.
3. Protect the environment from pollution
4. Teach our students about resource value, waste minimization and recycling.

How do we do this? Step by step …

Elementary School, Our main goal is to reduce waste to an absolute minimum by encouraging parents, teachers and students to avoid bringing in snacks with packaging. Elementary students have already been informed of this strategy by their teachers and have conducted an audit in order to see for themselves how much waste the Elementary students are producing with snack packaging, and how the waste (and the school’s carbon footprint) can be reduced if students were to follow this policy for at least one day a week. We promote Zero Waste at the school and students should only bring snacks and beverages in reusable containers. Parents can help by providing refillable water bottles and containers for your child’s snack. These should preferably be BPA free (non-toxic) as they are the best quality plastics for food.

The Eco- Action Teams and the Eco- Council

Pre-school and Elementary school will have Eco-action teams made up of students and teachers who will meet regularly to come up with ideas and projects to promote environmental awareness, and energy and waste reduction.

In Middle and Upper school there will be an Eco-Council with members elected to represent each grade. All these teams together will form a whole school Eco-Council along with other members of the wider school community.

Involving the community

We would like to thank all parents who have already contributed so generously in recent years by donating bins for recycling. We have observed a positive change in attitudes from students who show interest in learning more about the environmental issues our world is facing. They feel motivated and inspired to be part of a whole community project that is designed not only to educate but to be an example to other schools on the island.

We invite parents who wish to contribute to future projects by sharing ideas, volunteering time or helping to provide resources, to please contact us in writing via the ECO-COUNCIL e-mail: eco-council@aslp.org.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US CREATE A SCHOOL COMMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT!

This prestigious anti-bullying program, developed by the Finnish Ministry of Education, has demonstrated effectiveness in rigorous scientific studies. This program aims to prevent bullying and effectively tackle the root of the issue which unfortunately are so common in schools. Our students are an active part of the program and learn how to manage their emotions based on respect and tolerance in order to promote understanding and social sensitivity.

The MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Growth Assessment allows us to evaluate student progress, three times a year, in the areas of reading and mathematics from Kindergarten to Second Grade. Starting in Third Grade, we also assess language usage. This tool provides us with real-time, accurate information about each student, thus supporting teachers and students in their common goal: to learn at their highest level.

MAP Growth is not a standardized evaluation experience; it is personalized and flexible. The program identifies and adapts to the level of academic difficulty that the student is able to manage, regardless of the course. This type of assessment challenges the highest performing students without overwhelming those whose skills are below grade level. In addition, each student can take the time they need to finish the test, it can be completed in more than one sitting or even on different days. Likewise, MAP Growth includes a series of accommodations for students with specific educational and/or academic needs. The MAP Growth Assessment is used for grades Kindergarten through 10th grade at ASLP. Families receive a student growth report after each administration and students set SMART goals with their teachers. These goals are then monitored throughout the year with students able to chart their own progress and reflect on their goals.

At ASLP, we have developed a Balanced Literacy Approach in the classroom to promote complete English literacy development among students, K-5th grade. This balanced approach will help students learn to read and become lifelong learners.

What is the Balanced Literacy Approach?

Balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and language exploration. It aims to strike a balance between both whole language and phonics when learning to read. The strongest elements of each are incorporated into a literacy program that aims to guide students toward proficient and lifelong reading. A typical balanced literacy framework consists of five components including read aloud, guided reading, shared reading, independent reading, and word study. Our teachers are trained in Balanced Literacy and set up their classrooms to support these structures.

All 5th to 10th grade ASLP students are part of the iPad program and will use their iPads as a tool for, of, and as learning.

We have integrated iPads into the learning process to promote proficient users, independent learners, critical thinkers, and creative individuals and partners. By the end of Middle School, students will demonstrate proficient conceptual understanding, capacity and competence in the use of this digital tool and its primary resources:

• Visual Thinking.
• Mental Mapping.
• Gamification.
• Flipped Classroom dynamics.
• Audiovisual Creation.

ASLP partners with Banana Computer to offer families a complete iPad package. Families purchase an iPad directly from Banana Computer and it is configured for our school’s program. Students are then responsible for bringing their iPad to school, using it appropriately in the classroom and on campus as well as making sure that it is kept in good working order.