Laudato Si’ Action Plan
Carmel Catholic High School
Mundelein, Illinois
Submitted: 4 May 2025

Background and Previous & Ongoing Sustainability Efforts

Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs

Energy

• Carmel tracked energy usage data over the last three years using ARC software. ARC is a sustainability performance platform through the USGBC, the United States Green Building Council. Carmel’s first foundational movement was our ability to measure and track the usage of energy waste. Once we started to track and analyze the data, we were able to implement programs to reduce usage, such as an e-recycling program and weekly reminders to unplug unnecessary technology over weekends and long breaks. Overall, we have seen a 5% decrease in energy usage over the past two years.
• Carmel recently signed a contract for the installation of a large solar array which is expected to deliver about 925,000 kWh in its first year, which accounts for about 41% of its annual energy usage. The carefully thought out design preserves existing natural space on campus by being installed exclusively on the rooftops of the school.  This approach will also reduce the radiant heat produced by that rooftop and returned to the atmosphere.
• In addition, Carmel engages in a myriad of methods to mitigate energy waste. Every light bulb on campus–whether in the classroom, the hallways, the gym, or the football stadium lights themselves–are all LEDs. As aforementioned, Carmel has also initiated ‘unplugging’ reminders, where teachers and students unplug all technology before long breaks. The students also help audit the classrooms and help teachers unplug for the weekends. Further, many teachers cover their windows with ‘blackout’ curtains during the hotter days to assist the school in utilizing energy to cool the building. These are the main ways Carmel has engaged in an energy mitigation process.
• The school recently completed an entirely voluntary environmental remediation project at its own cost to remove an obsolete fuel oil tank and conducted an environmental impact study on the soil in the area. This effort to ensure that we are good stewards of the land on which we operate is a core value of our mission and operation.
• Several renovation projects have occurred in the last ten years, covering nearly 50% of our entire campus, inside and out. These projects include: In 2013, the Fine Arts and Performing Arts Center and Information Commons were renovated. The Fine Arts wing was transformed from a monastery into a 33,000 sq.ft. space featuring classrooms and practice rooms. Additionally, the school library was renovated into an Information Commons. The Fine Arts project was LEED Certified at the silver level. In 2020, the school’s main entrance was renovated, including a modern lobby and greeting area, a 2,268 sq. ft. conference center that was previously a deconsecrated chapel, a pathway to the Mary of Mt. Carmel Garden, and access to the Garden of the Holy Spirit outdoor gathering space. In 2020, the Fitness Center, formerly the weight room and wrestling room, was renovated into a 12,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility. The flooring was made with eco-friendly recycled rubber matting. In 2020, the school’s auditorium was renovated to maximize the space. LED lights replaced most of the older stage and performance lighting. The HVAC was also updated to make this space more efficient when heating and cooling. The stage and props for performance sets are built with mostly reused lumber, screws, and other materials, keeping items out of landfills. In 2021, nearly 100% of the lighting in our building was replaced with LED lighting, including the Salvi Arena and Baker Stadium. In 2021, the parking lot was replaced using 25% reclaimed asphalt. Included in this project was the addition of curbing to solve standing water drainage. Tree islands were installed in the parking area, adding 22 new trees to our campus.  Since 2021, courtyards and green spaces, such as the Mary Garden and Circle of Friends Garden, were renovated for more active student and classroom use. In 2022, the school chapel and adjoining Mary Frances Clarke Spiritual Center were renovated to modernize the spiritual and social gathering space. This renovation intentionally reused meaningful materials from prior spaces within the school. For example, the original marble was cut and reused as an aesthetic highlight of the new space. In 2022, the removal of the blacktop on the southwest side of campus was replaced with green space and an outdoor eating area. Beginning in 2023, comprehensive bathroom remodels with new energy-efficient sinks began. Two bathroom renovations have been completed, with four more to come. In 2023, a 1-mile outdoor walking trail, the Rosary Walk, was installed around the perimeter of the campus. In the past ten years, new roofing has been installed to 68,129 sq/ft of the 300,000 sq/ft of our building’s roof. Additional insulation was added to increase energy efficiency, and the new roofs have an R-36 rating. In the past ten years, HVAC system upgrades have made our building more energy-efficient. Replacement of 75% of windows and removal of 90% of asbestos also has occurred.

Water and Grounds

• All of the irrigation around campus is done using city water. Students collect rainwater for usage in Elijah’s Garden, which is used for the growing and donation of produce to a local charity.

Waste and Chemicals Management

• The Cafeteria Waste Reduction Program is a new and innovative method Carmel initiated during the 22-23 school year to combat student food waste in the lunchroom. Carmel students are educated on what items go in which bins. Compostable, recyclable, and waste materials all have their assigned bins. There are student and teacher volunteers in the lunchrooms each day to ensure these policies are followed. Further, we conduct an annual e-waste collection and recycling audit to gather data on the efficiency of our current habits and to garner ideas for what can be improved. Finally, each classroom has separate plastic paper recycling, which coincides with traditional waste garbage management.
• Our school uses Green Chemistry approaches with minimal waste. We do microscale labs, which also minimize chemical and waste usage. The estimated laboratory chemicals utilized is around 500 L. We have approximately 150 gallons of cleaning chemicals stored in locked closets. In addition, we also have approximately 100 gallons of liquid hand sanitizer which is also stored in an area that only maintenance can access. There are also 110 gallons of liquid wax for our floors, which maintenance personnel can access only. Our pest control is provided by Anderson Pest Solutions. At any given time, we have upwards of 24-18 oz cans of spray and 16 oz of ant gel, both of which are stored in the maintenance supply area.

Alternative Transportation

• At this time, about 50% of students drive to school solo, 25% carpool, and 18% take the bus. The data attached is from a community survey completed twice yearly through Carmel’s ARC platform. The survey is shared digitally as a link with the Carmel community. While transportation can be challenging in a non-public school context, a set of four EV charging stations is part of the current capital campaign and will be installed as part of the solar installation. See Figure 7 in the attachment.
• Carmel encourages carpooling and bussing as much as possible. We have 167 bus riders this year, around 15% of the student body. There are also ‘walkers’, who take their bikes or similar vehicles, but this data is underrepresented. It can be estimated that a quarter of Carmel students take the bus, carpool, or walk all the time or at least part of the time.
• Carmel works alongside a local busing company to run five bus routes that transport students to and from school. The bussing program is run at a loss to encourage riders to use the bus. We have 167 riders this year. Further, we also have students who ride public transportation, and we assist by advertising and selling discounted bus passes.

Improve the health and wellness of students and staff

Environmental Health

• Carmel hires Anderson Pest Solutions to visit once a month to inspect the traps placed throughout the school.
• We have a hood exhaust in the main kitchen to exhaust any Carbon Monoxide created by the stove and ovens. There are fume hoods and ventilation systems in all the science laboratories.
• All exterior doors are locked after school starts, and anyone who enters the building after 8:05 am must check in with the front desk to get a visitor’s badge. During the mornings, we have two doors programmed to unlock from 6:30 – 8:05 am for when the students arrive, and those are monitored by staff from 7:30 – 8:05 am. We have fob access on most of our exterior doors. We also employ a full-time security guard. Carmel has 52 cameras installed throughout the interior and exterior of the campus, and we have two fire drills and one lockdown drill per year.
• The classrooms are cleaned daily, and the rooftop units have Merv 8 filters installed to help filter the air.
• To help combat condensation and humidity, Carmel has made temperature and air damper adjustments to the AC to help remove humidity from the classrooms and rooms with excessive humidity. We have added dehumidifiers to those areas.
• There has been maintenance on the uni-vent, and rooftop units, and air handler updates are done twice a year when we switch over from AC to heat and then when we switch back to AC. The maintenance includes changing the filters, lubricating the linkage, and calibrating them for proper opening and closing. During those times, the coils are also cleaned on the rooftop units, or RTUs, to ensure proper heat dissipation from the condenser coil.
• All of the classroom uni-vents and rooftop units have outside air dampers which draw in outside air whenever they are running.
• If we have to service a uni-vent, RTU, or air handler, we inspect the filter to ensure they are clean and replace them if needed.
• A majority of the cleaning in the school is done using the ‘Pathosans’ system, which is chemical-free and uses water, salt, and a ‘generator’ to make the solutions.

Nutrition and Fitness

• Carmel has an organic vegetable garden, Elijah’s Garden, organized and maintained by the Garden Club and other students. Engineering students built the garden beds, the compost is made onsite every year from waste collected in the lunchrooms, and the football team refills the beds with that compost annually. In 2022, 300 lbs of produce from Elijah’s Garden were donated to a local food pantry. And in 2023, 500 lbs were donated. Herbs and vegetables from the garden are also used in health classes for recipe creation, where nutrition is an important part of the curriculum. The health impacts of diets are also studied in anatomy and biology classes. Further, Elijah’s Garden is an outdoor classroom space for several environmental, art, and photography classes. The garden is truly an outdoor lab, a place of respite, and a source of inspiration for different classes. 
• Health Education courses utilize nutrition curriculum and programming from PLT4M, a K-12 wellness platform built for the next generation of physical literacy, and MyPlate.gov. These services specialize in growing students’ knowledge of how dietary options grow, remodel, repair, and replenish the body. Students use MyPlate during an interactive formative assessment to discover the role of portion sizes, direct health benefits, and highlight important foods in our diet today. Then, our culminating summative project allows students to track, label, and dissect several days of their own consumption. By completing this project, students are given a tangible route to label food and nutrient groups while also taking a moment to recognize how much they have learned about the role nutrition plays in our society today. Additionally, TeamBuildr is an online strength and conditioning software utilized by the Carmel Athletics Department and physical education courses. This software allows for sport and skill-specific workouts to be designed for our student body.
• Fuel Up to Play60 is utilized at Carmel during the flag football unit. The program provides free equipment and curriculum for Physical Education courses. The equipment is also used in outdoor spaces and allows for involvement in extracurricular and intramural flag football activities for students.
• Outdoor spaces and gardens are important to Carmel students and the Carmel community at large. Students have access to outdoor spaces throughout the day through views of nature (all classrooms and hallways have windows) and through access to courtyards during class time and even passing periods. Theology courses utilize outdoor spaces on campus surrounded by greenery and serenity for prayer, reflection, and meditation. This is a time for students to appreciate the beautifully crafted scenery surrounding the school while intentionally focusing on being present with their thoughts in nature.  As part of our wellness day activities each semester, the student body participates in outdoor activities. The activities include nature preserve and stress relief walks, pickleball, soccer, kickball, spikeball, and gardening for native seeds. Further, the entire summer school PE course curriculum is based on outdoor education, including biking, walking, kayaking at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville, and other sports events. Carmel Catholic High School also hosts at least one school-wide day of service each year that combines exercise, nature, and nutrition. A fundamental piece of this experience is completing a 5k walk within a nature preserve across the street from campus. Then, each grade level takes time to create and pack meals for families in need through the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children. This culminating event provides students an opportunity to understand the role of service, nutrition, and community-building events held in our green spaces.
• The newly renovated weight room and cardio facility are available for all faculty, staff and students. Carmel has partnered with Illinois Bone and Joint Institute (IBJI) to facilitate supervision and promote proper weight room and cardio facility usage. The partnership has allowed athletics and extracurricular activities to focus on in-season and off-season conditioning. This partnership not only grows students’ physical strength, but gives them confidence and knowledge to use the facilities properly. In addition to promoting physical health and wellness through our room weight facilities, an on-site teacher and coach is implementing a key nutritional aspect to building and remodeling muscle tissue. Coach Billy Moore offers post-workout fuel in the form of chocolate milk and other protein shake options.  Finally, during the 2022-2023 school year, the faculty and staff participated in monthly formation meetings to learn about integral ecology. This included opportunities for gardening, participating in a nature walk, nature journaling or creating environmental artwork.

Coordinated School Health, Mental Health, School Climate, and Safety

• At Carmel Catholic High School, in addition to the Physical Education, Health, Dance, Yoga, and PE Electives available, all students participate in a daily advisory program. This program facilitates wellness initiatives and provides a space for students to develop mental health and coping skills. As aforementioned, we also host a Wellness Day each semester. This day allows students to explore different facets of their wellness, including but not limited to social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, and occupational.
• Erika’s Lighthouse is a mental health curriculum and teen empowerment club. Peer-led discussion groups help to normalize conversations around mental health. Additionally, Social Institute lessons are used in 50% of the advisory lessons. The Social Institute empowers students and teachers to navigate social media and technology positively.
• Students have numerous opportunities for health and fitness. This is evident through the wide variety of PE and fitness classes available for credit classes. This includes yoga, strength and conditioning, physical education, speed development, and dance. Health Education courses use a 9-unit sequence incorporating mental/physical wellness, nutrition, substance abuse, digital citizenship, relationships/consent, human reproduction, chronic and infectious diseases, and first aid.

Effective Environmental Literacy

School Culture of Sustainability

• At Carmel, we discuss sustainability as a part of Catholic social teaching and part of caring for creation. All students learn about social teaching and responsibilities to the community, to creation, and those on the margins of society.
• All levels of the administration have played a crucial and supportive role at the school. Our school president, Dr. Bonham, is a full supporter and has created support among the school board. The principal, Mr. Ahlgrim, serves on the Green Team and is demonstrably supportive by helping students conduct waste audits and helping to spread mulch in the gardens.
• The school has a teacher who serves as a sustainability manager, and also leads the school Green Team.
• There is a ten-person Green Team that is led by our sustainability manager and consists of students, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni. Last year, the student-led environmental club developed the idea to provide utensil kits to help eliminate once-use plastic utensils in the cafeteria. Students also organize Earth Week activities such as campus clean-up and seed-saving events. The student-led garden club manages the vegetable and native gardens. More than 500 lbs of produce were donated to a local food pantry this year. Students also like to create small flower bouquets for the teachers. There is a St. Kateri Honor Society named after an indigenous female saint. Through this honor society, students actively participate in 10 hours of ecological environmental service each year. Upon graduation, they receive a green cord to symbolize their service and commitment.
• Last year, the school doubled the number of water refill stations so that each classroom is no more than 200 ft from a refill station. Refill stations were also added to the cafeteria for equitable access to clean drinking water. Every Friday, before long breaks and before the summer, students help teachers to “unplug” all items in the classroom to minimize phantom electricity usage. Teacher pot-lock meals use compostable materials and teachers also incorporate composting and waste minimization strategies in their parties and events. Students help volunteer in the cafeteria to educate students in composting, recycling, and waste procedures. There is an annual e-waste collection. At the end of the school year, there is a significant reuse and recycling program. Used school supplies, uniforms, books, and other materials are collected. Last year, almost 2,000 lbs of materials were reused or sold. Books, uniforms, and supplies are donated to students receiving financial aid. Some books are sold or donated to other schools.
• Social justice and ecological spirituality are important parts of all the programs and education surrounding sustainability at Carmel. Caring for creation is taught as a fundamental responsibility of students. The school is also registered on the Vatican Global Laudato Si Action platform, which tracks its progress towards its climate goals.

Curriculum and Pedagogy

• Carmel Catholic champions environmental literacy. Advisory lessons include specific elements of the term (understanding, awareness, behaviors, attitudes), which broaden throughout the yearlong curriculum, emphasizing it as a focal point for students and staff. Each August, we watch demonstrations on how to separate food waste at the cafeteria recycling stations, while at the semester’s end, we learn where to recycle notebooks. New faculty training each fall highlights our commitment to our Founding Orders’ core values of education and justice, inspiring us to be good stewards of the earth. We do not assess our understanding of environmental literacy; rather, evidence of our understanding is found in the community’s embrace of sustaining practices, measured by pounds of compost collected, recyclables separated, and vegetables grown.
• Our curriculum is rich with learning opportunities with an environmental focus. The “Project Lead the Way” curriculum for engineering students infuses sustainability concepts. For example, civil engineering students construct a “Habitat for Humanity” house that uses HTH’s sustainability guidelines; they study LEED certification and discuss the proper use of insulation and landscaping to save energy. Principles of Engineering students craft a car powered by a fuel cell and a solar panel. Freshmen in Earth Science help build interest in our other green elective classes, such as Dual Credit Human Ecological Footprint and AP Environmental Science. In addition, the Garden Club is offered twice a week to accommodate its active members, who tend and harvest food from Elijah’s Garden. Ecology is discussed heavily in biology and chemistry classes as students consider atmospheric composition and pollutants’ negative disruption; this interconnectedness across sciences indicates its importance. Chemistry teachers purchase less toxic materials to demonstrate green chemistry concepts while minimizing exposure. Our chemical hygiene officer monitors the purchase, storage, and use of chemicals. To minimize waste, we purchase chemical kits instead of placing bulk orders. Teachers follow a published plan to dispose of chemical waste responsibly. Classes across disciplines choose digital resources over paper, and classroom recycling efforts are incorporated into course procedure sheets and classroom displays. In stagecraft classes, props and set pieces are fashioned with used and recyclable materials and designed to be disassembled for salvage and reuse. LED stage lighting and its power-saving advantages are studied.
• Our strategic plan calls us to expand opportunities in career exploration, including those in sustainability and ecological science. A team of teachers has visited a neighboring district’s successful exploration program in hopes of replicating that for our students. In 2023, our Career Exploration Club challenged members to pursue creative careers, many immersed in green technologies.
• Students’ outdoor learning includes ceramic firing, zoo and botanic garden exploration, forest preserve seed collection, and seminary nature walks, among many others. Our own Mary Garden becomes a beaming outdoor classroom that engages the whole person as it imparts the peace and tranquility of nature as well as reminds the student that we encounter God in creation, whose light is reflected in the beauty that surrounds us. In a senior Theology course’s Care for Creation/Laudato Si unit, students reflect on beauty in nature with a contemplative walk through the Mary Garden. Freshman Foundation students also consider God’s goodness in creation through a Lectio Divina scripture reflection involving Mary Garden imagery.
• Carmel Catholic High School is located on a secluded, lush neighborhood lot in Mundelein. Every classroom has a wall of windows, allowing for natural light and views of nature for all students. The one-story building also has numerous courtyards that students pass through daily to get from class to class. Students may also eat outside during lunch. There are 890 sq ft of greenspace per full-time occupant in the school. This enables a constant and daily interaction with nature. The campus has 333 trees, 714 shrubs and hundreds of perennials. The trees are replaced as needed, and 49 trees were planted in the last five years. One student has started a “Trees of Carmel” Instagram account. The Religion and World Languages departments use these beautiful grounds for outdoor brain breaks. Additionally, vegetable garden labels have been created in multiple languages. The biology and environmental science classes use the outdoor spaces for biodiversity labs. Art students also use the garden for inspiration and photography classes.

Community Involvement

• Service and ecological social justice are core values, and as such, civic engagement is an essential component of the Carmel experience. Through the St. Katerie Honor Society, students engage in ecological community service both on campus and off. Students help with local conservation projects such as buckthorn removal, community gardening, and native plant seed saving. Students and teachers help with the on-campus organic vegetable garden and deliver produce to a local food pantry. Students attended CEJA lobby days in Springfield before the act was passed. This included both in-person and virtual lobbying during COVID-19. They have met with legislators to discuss clean energy and the importance of the environment. Last year, they met with local legislators to lobby for the Route 53 green corridor. Carmel actively promotes community engagement among students and staff through our advisory programs, formation activities, and faculty meetings. These initiatives aim to guide students in personal and academic growth, fostering a sense of social responsibility. In terms of community service, students have opportunities to participate in various projects, including One Hope United, Feed My Starving Children, Our Lady of the Angels Food Pantry, Beacon Place, Bernie’s Books, Animal House Shelter, Catholic Charities, and many more. Students can be part of the St. Thérese of Lisieux Honor Society, where students receive weekly opportunities through our digital newsletter to serve the community and increase civic involvement outside of school. The school strongly emphasizes “green themes” in advisory programs, promoting awareness and fostering environmentally responsible practices. This includes actively managing waste in the school cafeteria, conducting annual recycling programs, and working toward reducing our carbon footprint. Additionally, the school collaborates with a local food pantry through volunteer service and by supplying fresh vegetables grown in our school gardens. Students contribute to beautifying the school by participating in activities such as picking up litter around the campus and creating a garden specifically designed to attract bees and butterflies. Monthly formation activities for faculty aligned with principles such as the Laudato Si’ focus on community issues and civic involvement. Workshops and events provide insights into global action, reinforcing the importance of social responsibility. Staff meetings integrate community and civic engagement into the school mindset. Teachers are urged to incorporate community-related projects into their curriculum and classroom by emphasizing sustainability practices like reducing paper waste in the classroom by using specific bins for recycling waste, using online platforms to submit work, donating old textbooks, donating uniforms, cleaning up our school, and energy conservation. Carmel Catholic encourages active participation in civic activities beyond the school, weaving these values into the educational experience. Program, activities, and ongoing discussions within the school community promotes a sense of responsibility towards social and environmental concerns.
• As a high school, Carmel partners with local “feeder” schools and local universities. Carmel students regularly engage in sustainability labs and activities with younger students. Every spring, there is an 8th-grade visit day on our campus. Environmental students plan, organize, and conduct sustainability activities with the younger students. Carmel students also visit local feeder schools to discuss sustainability and conduct environmental superhero workshops. Carmel also partners with Loyola University Chicago to provide Dual Credit environmental education classes. These include Human Ecological Footprint and Environmental Science classes. The local community college, College of Lake County (CLC), is also a valuable resource. A field trip is offered during a summer school Introduction to Sustainable Business class to visit the clean energy programs at CLC. Carmel students also participate in a Lake County Green Living Fair by promoting environmental literacy and volunteering. A select group of Carmel students serve on the Archdiocese of Chicago Youth Climate Summit. These students plan a one-day climate summit for local high school students, including workshops and presentations.
• Carmel uses a variety of social media channels, digital newsletters and its website to promote sustainability to the broader community.
• The Carmel marketing department manages school accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Updates, announcements, and achievements are regularly shared on these platforms, helping the school connect with a larger audience, including other schools and organizations interested in promoting environmental awareness.
• Carmel also understands how important it is for students to be a part of promoting sustainability. We focus on social media managed by students, like the @green.corsairs Instagram account. This account is a way to share information about activities and programs related to environmental education. The student-led effort encourages younger students to actively join the school’s sustainability efforts and acts as a relatable, fun source of information for the wider community.
• Carmel also utilizes a weekly digital newsletter. The newsletter is sent to all school families and helps engage with parents, students, faculty, and staff. It encourages everyone to get involved in the school’s efforts to be more sustainable and includes information about these partnerships and events.

Professional Development

• Calendared monthly faculty/staff formation sessions for 2022-2023 focused solely on environmental education, based on Laudato Si: On Care of Our Common Home, the Encyclical of Pope Francis in 2015. These all-staff gatherings featured presenters such as Fr. Richard Fragomeni from the Catholic Theological Union, who spoke on Ecological Conversion. Other topics included Ecospirituality and Education, The Common Good, and Natural Experiences.
• In addition to all-staff formation sessions, individuals have engaged in the following environmentally-themed professional development: Master’s in Sustainability Management, Solid Waste Management graduate course, Behavior Centered Design for the Environment graduate course, Environmental Education Association of Illinois Annual Conference.
• All science teachers complete chemical waste education and certification every three years. One of the science teachers serves as the chemical hygiene officer and has additional training, certification, and training responsibilities. Four of our teachers have earned the Green Teacher Certification through the USGBC. One of our teachers is LEED Green Associate.

Proposed Sustainability Efforts for FY2026

With a focus on a “narrow but deep” approach to sustainability in the upcoming fiscal year, efforts will focus on the following three areas:

1. Harness Student Interests

• Add sustainability-related questions to end-of-year student survey.
• Drive focus and support to the two existing sustainability-related clubs: Garden and Environmental.
  • Clarify charters and scope of responsibilities.
  • Gain student input for additional initiatives.
  • Support these initiatives financially and otherwise.

2. Engage in Green Campus Efforts

• Plant and sustain a fruit orchard in addition to Elijah’s Garden.
• Ensure vegetable and fruit harvests are measured and delivered to local food pantries.
• Implement Laudato Si-inspired signage along the Rosary Path.

3. Integrate Sustainability into all Department Curricula

• Ensure each department is aware of their three suggested integration points.
• Check on progress mid-year.
• Leverage resource usage data in classes (electricity, water, produce distribution, etc.).

Other actions, such as cafeteria-related efforts, will be deferred until a more appropriate time.

Appendix: A List of Curriculum Integration Points

Business and Technology

Current Sustainability-Related Curriculum:

• Finance & Investments: pros and cons of sustainable investing.
• Intro to Business UCP: discusses greenwashing in ethics.

Additional Planned Sustainability Curriculum:

• Unit 1: Sustainability in Intro to Business UCP
  • Definition of sustainability (economic, environmental, social).
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Triple Bottom Line.
  • Case studies of sustainable businesses.
• Unit 2: Sustainable Business Models & Entrepreneurship
  • Green business opportunities, circular economy, B Corp certification.
  • Develop sustainable business plans.
• Unit 3: Supply Chain & Ethical Sourcing
  • Sustainable sourcing, fair trade, carbon footprints.
  • Ethical labor and case studies of sustainable leaders.
• Unit 4: Marketing & Consumer Behavior
  • Greenwashing vs. authentic marketing, eco-labeling.
  • Understanding green consumers, branding, digital strategies.
  • Case study: Seventh Generation.
  • Activity: Design a marketing campaign for an eco-friendly product.
• Unit 5: Sustainable Finance & Investment
  • ESG, green bonds, impact investing, government incentives.
  • Analyze corporate sustainability reports.
  • Case study: Warby Parker’s “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair.”
• Unit 6: Business Law & Ethics
  • EPA, SEC climate disclosures, global trade policies.
• Unit 7: Sustainability in Operations & Management
  • Energy efficiency, green tech, sustainability KPIs.
  • Business roles in UN SDGs.
  • Future trends: AI, carbon neutrality, IKEA case study.
• Unit 8: Healthcare Management
  • Case studies, guest speakers, simulations, debates.
  • Design sustainable supply chains for healthcare.

Engineering

Current Curriculum:

• PLTW includes sustainability themes.
• Intro to Engineering: product life cycles, ethical engineering.
• Principles of Engineering: recyclability of materials.
• Civil Engineering: Tiny House project modeled on Habitat for Humanity.

Planned Curriculum:

• Alternative energy sources.
• Filament materials: plant-based vs. petroleum-based.
• Repair vs. replacement culture.

English

Current Curriculum:

• Nature poetry (10UCP, 12AP Lit), haikus (9UCP).
• Research on The Bean Trees, Into the Wild Light, Station Eleven.
• Thematic study: Poisonwood Bible, Frankenstein.
• Sustainable classroom practices: unplugging, compostables, AI limitations.

Planned Curriculum:

• No major additions anticipated this year.

Fine Arts

Current Curriculum:

• Art 2: capstone using recycled materials.
• Ceramics: clay recycling.
• Band/Choir: music reuse, instrument repair.
• Theater: thrifted costumes.

Planned Curriculum:

• Re-request iPads for digital sheet music.
• Continue recycling and reusing.

Mathematics

Planned Curriculum:

• Algebra 2/3: optimization projects.
• Algebra 1/2: climate change regression analysis.
• Precalc: exponential/logarithmic energy modeling.
• Geometry: volume and surface area in water conservation.

Physical Education & Health

Current Curriculum:

• Outdoor learning, nature walks, bike rides, Wellness Day.

Planned Curriculum:

• Health: environmental health topics (air/water quality, toxins).
• Collaboration with Garden Club.
• Organize campus beautification day.

Social Studies

Current Curriculum:

• Ancient World: aqueducts.
• World History & US History: industrialization, conservation, New Deal.
• US Gov & Comparative Gov: Clean Air/Water Acts, international policies.
• African American Studies: environmental racism.
• Geography & Global Issues: activism, sustainability.

Planned Curriculum:

• Environmental racism case studies (Flint, Cancer Alley).
• Comparative Gov policy analysis (authoritarian vs. democratic).
• US History: consumer culture comparisons.

Theology

Current Curriculum:

• Catholic Social Teaching: Care for Creation.
• Natural Revelation, Laudato Si unit.
• Faith and Science, Christian Lifestyles.

Planned Curriculum:

• World Religions: add Creation Care in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism.
• Ecology in Old and New Testaments.

World Languages

Current Curriculum:

• French: fast fashion, eco habits, Les Yeux de Carmen, zero waste surveys.
• Spanish:
  • Landfill Harmonic, La isla más peligrosa, Los ojos de Carmen.
  • Poetry & short stories: Ulibarrí, Quiroga, Neruda, García Márquez.
  • Creative writing and visual arts activities.

Planned Curriculum:

• Videos from Dreaming Spanish.
• Urban gardening with MovieTalk.
• Explore El Hotel Basura.
• Study Paris’ green urban initiatives.