• Climate Justice, Energy, and Sustainability at PPS

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    Climate Justice in Portland Public Schools

    In March 2022, the Portland Public School Board, after years of direct student and community action and leadership on climate justice, unanimously approved the Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice and Sustainable Practices Policy ("CCRP"). The policy sets far reaching and ambitious targets around energy use, waste reduction, curriculum development, green schoolyards, student health, and climate justice and resiliency. 

    The PPS CCRP explicitly begins with our commitment to climate justice: 

    "Climate change disproportionately impacts the vulnerable members of our community. Implementation of this policy will prioritize serving people with disabilities, communities of color, and other vulnerable populations...The District shall prioritize investments that achieve the greatest emissions reduction, while integrating climate action into our curriculum and developing a culture of environmental stewardship and climate justice throughout our organization." 

    Student, teacher, and community engagement work is critical to establishing a culture of climate justice - and we want you to be involved! On this page, you can find an overview of exciting projects, programs and opportunities for students, staff, teachers, and community members. A future of climate solutions takes all of us working together, so if you have any ideas, questions, or just want to get plugged into this work, please email climatejustice@pps.net.

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Student Climate Justice Leadership Opportunities

Join the PPS Climate Justice Youth Advisory or the Climate Crisis Response Committee!

Interested in student leadership around climate action? 

CJYA members are thought partners in defining the Climate Justice department’s goals for climate action, student leadership, and community engagement.

CCRC members keep the PPS accountable to the commitments outlined in the Climate Crisis Response Policy. 

for student leadership opportunities for the 2024-2025 school year by September 27, 2024. 

If you have any questions, please email climatejustice@pps.net.

  • Calling all Community members - Application for Adults to serve in the Climate Crisis Response Committee Open

    The Climate Crisis Response Committee (CCRC) advises the PPS Board of Education on implementation of the Climate Crisis Response Policy and holds the district accountable to Policy goals.

    The CCRC meets quarterly, provides insight and feedback for the District in setting goals and milestones, and engages with public comment about opportunities and challenges related to the Policy. CCRC Members bring expertise and diverse perspectives on sustainability and climate justice in Portland, and all have connections to Portland Public Schools, as students, parents, or alumni.

    Check out the committee's full page, where you can find a list of current members, upcoming meeting schedule, past meeting notes and recordings, and calls for open positions. 

  • Mission Statements

    A core part of the climate work we do at PPS is centered around racial equity and social justice. Understanding climate justice -- the idea that climate change has differing social, economic, public health, and other adverse impacts on underprivileged populations -- helps guide our actions in a way that distributes environmental benefits equitably, focusing first on the populations that have been harmed most by climate change.  

    PPS Climate Justice mission:  

    Support the teaching and learning of climate change and climate justice in all classrooms in Portland Public Schools. Collaborate to develop transdisciplinary curriculum and professional learning that empowers educators and youth to become transformative racial equity leaders and global stewards and ambassadors. Collaborate with district and community partners to empower youth to lead the district and the world in becoming more sustainable.

    PPS Energy & Sustainability mission:

    The PPS Energy & Sustainability Office works to combat climate change in our community by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our schools and promoting resilient, inclusive, sustainable buildings and schoolyards. We work to empower and support our PPS community -- students, teachers, families, and neighbors -- to be climate ambassadors for a more sustainable and just future.

  • About us

    Kat Davis, Climate Justice Advisor, kadavis@pps.net  

    Kat Davis is the Advisor for Climate Justice at Portland Public Schools where she oversees the district-wide implementation of the Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice and Sustainable Practices Policy. Before coming to PPS, Kat was the Director of Sustainability at Boise State University for five years, and has experience in the public sector with a background in designing systems of solutions in nonprofits and local governance. Kat centers student voice in her work and is eager to engage with the Portland community in moving PPS forward in our commitment to climate justice together.  

    Aaron Presberg, Senior Program Manager, Energy & Sustainability, apresberg@pps.net 

    Aaron Presberg is the Senior Program Manager for the Energy & Sustainability team. He oversees all projects related to energy efficiency and energy use reduction, and represents PPS sustainability priorities in maintenance and school modernization projects. 

    Sustainability Program Manager, sustainability@pps.net 

    The PPS Sustainability Program Manager oversees all projects related to waste management and reduction. They also run schoolyard related projects including tree plantings, depaves, and schoolyard redesigns, in addition to managing partnerships with PPS' school garden educators.

    Ari Ettinger, Climate Resiliency Program Manager, aettinger@pps.net

    Ari Ettinger is the Climate Resiliency Program Manager, where he leads student, teacher, and community engagement efforts, while supporting energy reduction programs and schoolyard planning initiatives.
     
    Hannah Skutt
    AmeriCorps Community Engagement Coordinator
     
    Rosie Goity
    AmeriCorps Community Engagement Coordinator
     
    Phi Nguyen 
    AmeriCorps Data Coordinator
    phinguyen@pps.net 
                                                       
    Harper Kieger- Eaton 
    AmeriCorps Sustainability Project Coordinator
    heaton@pps.net

    The PPS Departments of Sustainability and Climate Justice are proud to partner with Confluence Environmental Center's AmeriCorps Program. This annual partnership catalyzes environmental justice in the Portland Public School district to address critical environmental needs facing students and the greater community. To learn more about this partnership, and current AmeriCorps members serving with PPS, please visit: 

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Climate Justice Resources for Teachers

Portland Public Schools, in collaboration with CLEAR Environmental, created this growing and dynamic resource space for educators, administrators, and community to share and learn about climate justice teaching in our schools. These pages contain teaching resources, community resources for students and families, and much more.

 

    • Partners

      We could not in any way do this without our amazing partners, both within PPS and across the Portland community. At PPS, we work constantly with our colleagues at schools and in central office departments, including: Transportation, Nutrition »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË, Strategic Partnerships and Grants, Communications, Innovation Studio, Safe Routes to Schools, School Modernization, Facilities, Maintenance, Real Estate, and more. 

      Outside of PPS, we collaborate with an amazing and always growing list of partners who are dedicated to climate change and education work. 

      Garden Educators

      Classroom and Fieldtrip Educators

       

      Green Schoolyard partners

      Urban Forestry's Learning Landscapes

      Resource and Network partners