The School District of River Falls has made a commitment to being a community partner in sustainability. In 2012, in conjunction with other community organizations, the School District of River Falls signed a Sustainability Proclamation.
As a partner in Our Sustainable Community, the district joined forces in 2019 with Hope for Creation in providing and supporting community-wide events and initiatives. In 2022, the district reaffirmed its commitment through a joint resolution between the following organizations: University of Wisconsin-River Falls, City of River Falls, School District of River Falls, and Chippewa Valley Technical College.
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Here are a few of our projects demonstrating our commitment to becoming a more sustainable organization.
LIGHTING
- Converted gyms & exterior lighting to 100% LED
POOL
- Upgraded to energy efficient model with ability to heat pool water with waste heat
- Replaced boiler with 90+% efficient unit
HVAC/BOILER
- VFDs to reduce energy consumption on HVAC motors
- Variable drive chillers reduce energy consumption of air conditioning
- Converted to 90+% high efficiency boilers
USDA GRANT
- In 2023, received $20,000 USDA grant to support local, small farms
- Collaborating with local WI farmers & growers to include their products in our meals.
REDUCING WASTE
- Daily efforts to reduce waste in our kitchens include meal planning, portion size, & leftovers served each day.
FRESH FOODS
- Fresh foods prioritized over frozen, when possible, to help reduce energy consumption.
FUTURE PROJECTS/GOALS
- SDRF has partnered with the City of River Falls and the FOCUS on Energy program, who provide valuable guidance in project & product selection as we address our facility needs & continue to improve our sustainability & energy-efficiency efforts.
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We are uniquely poised along the Kinnickinnic River, giving us the ability to provide much hands-on education for students of all ages. Here are ways we are incorporating environmental education in educating our students:
PARTNERSHIPS
- Partnership with River Falls Municipal Utilities and St. Croix County to provide energy education to all 2nd & 4th graders
- Local organization partnerships include: Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Trout Unlimited, St. Croix Valley Bird Club, Pierce County Recycling, UW-River Falls, City of River Falls, St. Croix County, WI DNR, and many more
SCHOOL FOREST
- 70+ acre forest along the Kinnickinnic River
- School field trips began in spring of 2023: 11+ groups
- Became accessible in 2021 thanks to partnership with Kinnickinnic River Land Trust & purchase of Community Forest
- Volunteer committee leading efforts on trailwork, developing a handbook/curriculum, future facility needs, fundraising, and more!
- Goal set for all students to visit property 3x per year
ROCKY BRANCH ECO-WEEK
- Annual event features partnerships, environmental education, & service learning
- Expanded from one-day (Eco Day) to week-long event
- Hands-on student learning through conservation-based activities: stream ecology, beekeeping, bird ecology, litter cleanup, energy conservation, recycling, & more!
IN THE CLASSROOM
- Unique K-12 opportunities have included: human impact unit, carbon footprint calculator, Trout in the Classroom, hydroponics, outdoor learning spaces, Outdoor Ed, community cleanup, & more
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