Article Update: September 28, 2023
BSD’s sustainability work was featured in the Washington State School Directors’ Association’s (WSSDA) quarterly publication in an article titled How student excitement can energize a school board policy: Working together towards sustainability – A community in action. The article outlines the engagement of students throughout the School Board’s development of Policy 6811 Sustainability and highlights the shared commitment to ensure that BSD’s learning community will prioritize environmental sustainability for years to come.
Original Article: April 25, 2023
Bellevue School District among the First in Washington State to Institute Sustainability Policy
Four pillars of sustainability work toward an ecologically sustainable school district, community, and world
BELLEVUE, Wash. — In a unanimous vote Thursday, April 20, school board directors of the Bellevue School District (BSD) passed Policy 6811, being among the first of sustainability policies for a school district in Washington state. The four-pillar policy establishes practices to increase individual and collective understanding of how to work toward an ecologically sustainable school district and empower current and future BSD students.
The four Pillars of Sustainability are District Facilities/Goods and Services, Safety, Collective Understanding, and Student Voice. Within each pillar is guidance on how to keep the community safe, ensure resources are in place to support participation, and advance an ecologically sustainable campus environment. The district policy will further advance by amplifying individual and collective connections and instruction in math, science, language arts, social studies, and other content areas.
One of the primary goals of the policy and four pillars is to elevate student voice by developing student expertise and supporting student-driven sustainability activities and proposals that tie to community service and increase our community’s knowledge and awareness.
To implement the four Pillars of Sustainability, the superintendent will develop a procedure to accompany this policy, including but not limited to a three-year action plan beginning in the 2023-24 school year, along with a schedule for reducing negative impacts and a timeline for integrating sustainability into the curriculum. Also, the superintendent will create an advisory group to provide feedback and recommendations on the district’s action plan.
The Bellevue School District, with over 18,000 students and 28 schools, is a diverse and dynamic district in East King County, Washington. Its mission is “To serve each and every student academically, socially, and emotionally through a rigorous and relevant education that is innovative and individualized. As a learning community that values one another’s humanity, we provide courageous support for an equitable and exceptional education for all students.”