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Our mission is to educate children and instill in our students a love of learning and the abilities to think critically, live ethically, and appreciate the value of each individual.

Go Green - Sustainable Pathways

The McGillis School is committed to providing a healthy environment for students and staff, while promoting ecological sustainability, by using alternatives to toxic chemicals, pursuing green building and maintenance practices, changing our resource consumption patterns, serving nutritious food, and teaching students to be stewards of their communities, the earth and its resources. (Adapted from Green School Initiative.)

Pack a Waste-Free and Toxics-Free Lunch

  • Find out how you can pack a healthy, waste-free lunch (http://www.greenschools.net/section.php?id=11)
  • Waste Free Lunches - information about how to pack a waste-free lunch and where to get a "laptop lunch box" with reusable containers that neatly fit into a lunch box.
  • Planetbox Metal lunchbox with dividers: http://www.planetbox.com/
  • Reusable Bags -http://www.reuseit.com/  provides alternatives to help reduce disposable plastic and paper bag waste.
  • Lunchskins: Reusable sandwich bagshttp://www.lunchskins.com/
  • Healthy Lunches - Get ideas for packing your own healthy lunches from Chef Ann at www.lunchlessons.org or transform the school lunch offered at your school with the Rethinking School Lunch guide from ecoliteracy.org.
  • Avoid PVC Plastic - Many Glad (TM) products are made with polypropylene and are PVC-free, including Glad bags, Gladware reusable containers, and Glad plastic wrap. Avoid #3 plastics.

Clear The Air

  • IdleFreeUtah_logo_smallCarpooling We encourage you to carpool with McGillis families in your area. Contact the office for help with finding carpools or develop your own: http://www.dividetheride.com/
  • Busing/Trax A bus stop is located directly in front of the school. Click here for easy route planning from UTA: http://www.rideuta.com/
  • Biking Bike racks are conveniently located in front of the historic building and on the north side of the new building. Please lock your bicycles. Click here for the SLC Bikeways Map: http://www.slcgov.com/transportation/bicycletraffic/map.htm
  • Walking Please use caution when crossing 1300 East, 700 South and the parking lot driveways. Click here for safety tips: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/resources.htm#brochure
  • Idle-free Zone Please turn your vehicle off while waiting to pick up children from school. For idling facts, visit: http://www.idlefree.utah.gov/idling_facts.htm

Recycling

The McGillis School stores a single-stream recycling bin in the parking lot. We recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum and tin. Look for blue recycling containers throughout the building and in the classrooms. Glass is collected in brown bin in the dining hall.

PAPER

  • If you are helping at school, please keep the following in mind:

AT THE COPIER

  • Make double-sided copies.
  • Reuse paper from the "extras" basket.
  • Use the single-feed option.

AT THE COMPUTER

  • Shrink fonts and change the margins. On a Mac, click on Format and then Document. – This saves an amazing amount of paper. Check out this story about a woman who discovered that by changing the margins, she's making a big impact. www.changethemargins.com
  • Reuse "extras" in printers.
  • Email agendas, memos, notices, etc. instead of printing copies for everyone (or print only enough to share).
  • Design half-, third- or quarter-sheet memos, directions, etc. Learn to copy and paste. (Highlight, Control C, Control V)
  • The school will not be sending home memos, flyers, newsletters, etc. in siblings' Friday Folders. Look for all communication from the office in your YOUNGEST child's folder. All Middle School communication is online.

CARTRIDGES FOR KIDS

  • CFK (Cartridges for Kids®) is a recycling program that pays our school CA$H for cell phones, iPods, laptops, empty ink cartridges, DVDs, video games and consoles, PDA's, digital cameras and GPS devices. Drop off items in the CFK container at the front desk.
  • Greening Events and Celebrations

Invitations and Programs:

  • Save money and reduce paper waste by using Paperless Post, Evite, Sendomatic, or a similar online invitation service.
  • Print programs on recycled content paper.
  • Design invitations on half-sheets (or smaller) and/or distribute electronically and post on the school calendar and website.

Location/Transportation:

  • Choose daytime outdoor events -- They typically use less energy than indoor evening events.
  • Make sure your location is easily accessible, and encourage attendees to carpool, bike or walk.
  • Provide information about public transportation options.

Decorations & Party Favors:

  • Decorations: Avoid plastic tablecloths -- use paper or cloth. Consider natural decorations (interesting succulents, flowering plants, stones, bare branches decorated with ornaments or ribbon, etc.) that are biodegradable or reusable.
  • Party favors can be eco-friendly and reusable – a t-shirt, a stainless steel water bottle, potted herbs, fair trade chocolates.

Beverages:

  • Avoid plastics and non-recyclables: Skip individual plastic water bottles and juice boxes (not recyclable). Drinks in aluminum, glass or plastic containers are recyclable. Or large reusable water dispensers can be used for water or to mix frozen juices.

Food:

  • Serve local and organic food when possible, and offer a vegetarian option.
  • To avoid waste, be careful not to overbuy.
  • Arrange with a local food bank to pick up leftovers at the end of the event.

Foodware:

  • Check with administration and the kitchen staff about using silverware, plastic cups, lunch trays, or reusable plates (in faculty kitchen cabinets-These can be washed in the faculty sink or at home).
  • Check with the kitchen staff about cleaning items. They need to be present to use the dishwasher.
  • If using disposable foodware, buy items with recycled content, like paper plates made from recycled paper. The Green Schools Buying Guide has a downloadable directory of sources for compostable and biodegradable foodware.

Recycling:

  • Place a large blue recycling bin and brown glass recycling bin (located in the dining hall) next to the garbage cans. Make sure they are labeled and being used.