School greening initiatives address climate resilience by reducing urban heat island effects, improving air quality, and creating healthy learning environments, while simultaneously advancing educational equity by providing students with access to nature-based learning spaces that support social-emotional development and environmental literacy.
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May 27, 2026 - 3pm Greening Schools & Climate Resilience CommitteeAdded:
Good afternoon everyone.
>> Welcome to our greening schools and climate resilience committee. Our final committee of the 2526 school year. I can't believe we're at the last one, but so it is. Um, thank you all for being here. Those who are here present, thank you. And those watching us uh remotely, thank you for watching us. Um, so as we close out the year, today's meeting is an opportunity to reflect not only on projects completed, but on the broader movement we continue building together across Los Angeles Unified. This work is a is is far more than sustainability is it it is about educational equity, public health, climate resilience and ensuring that every child, every student has access to healthy, inspiring and joyful learning environments. Over the past year, we have continued advancing important work around climate literacy, campus ecology, decarbonization, greening schoolyards, water stewardship, and student leadership. We have also continued asking important questions about how to scale this work faster across LUSD, making it more equitable and with stronger coordination across the district. Today's presentations will help ground that vision and real examples. We will hear updates from the Eco Sustainability Office on district-wide progress and priorities, including the Eco Sustainability Office annual report for 2425.
We'll also hear directly from Esparansa Elementary School, whose yearslong journey toward becoming a green schoolyard reflects what is possible when when we all work together.
students, educators, families, community partners, and district staff, all working together with persistence and a shared purpose. I also want to thank all of our committee members, district staff, comm school communities, advocates, labor partners, nonprofit organizations, and students who contributed to this work throughout the year. The committee continues to show that greening schools is not optional.
It is core educational infrastructure and an investment in the future of our communities. Before we move into our two presentations, uh we will first take a look, we will take public comment as we have some uh committee me um school community members here who would like to speak. So, uh Mr. McClean, would you please >> All right, here we go. I'll call on the folks who are listed as being in person first and then we'll call on those who are listed as speaking remotely. Uh Mr. Eric White, I think I saw you out there, sir. Come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Eric White and then after Mr. White is Stephanie Gyos and then a Adrien Luna Nakama.
All right, the floor is yours, sir.
>> All right, thank you. Uh, good afternoon. Um, my name is Eric White.
I'm with Reclaim Our Schools LA. I'm also a parent in uh district 1 and I'm uh well as an organizer I've been blessed with the opportunity to work with a lot of parents and families in LA USD um especially at 93rd Street Elementary School um in their partnership with the land trust who's been a very good um partner and advocate in this. So um in our experience we have experienced lots of uh delays and barriers right in being able to move forward with being able to break ground.
And so we are here uh presenting to you all lots of students um dreams and aspirations for the type of playground they would like to see that they would like to build. And so we are here to implore you all encourage you all to do what you need to do to make sure that we prioritize the students needs. We prioritize their experiences. They deserve to be in a thriving public school. Public schools that are thriving. Um not with bare bones, bare minimum. Um 93rd has uh issues with water fountains. They had to go through a lead abatement. Um they have issues with the the asphalt and the black top.
And um I've been there myself to witness and see these things. And um I've been working very closely with a lot of the families there. And um it's something that they deeply desire and commit to.
It seems like uh some district personnel have the idea of like protecting LADs from liabilities or from policies, right? Instead of protecting the students from the liabilities of their health and the liabilities of not having a good school experience, of experiencing extreme heat on those black tops. So, you know, um I just wanted to take the time to encourage you all to do what you can to make sure that you can remove those barriers and give those babies a chance to have a good campus.
Okay.
>> Thank you for your time.
All right. The next speaker is Stephanie Gos. Stephanie G.
Is uh Stephanie coming?
>> Okay, there you are.
Understood. Thank you so much.
>> They're shy. Hello. Good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to speak. This is Samuel, Lorettto student, and Samantha over there. They both attend Lorettto.
Hello. My check. One, two. Yeah. Okay.
Okay. So, for many years, our children played on a playground next to two freeways, the five and the 10. are surfaces that become they become dangerous dangerously hot. During a science activity, students measured the playground temperature at over 130° on a day that was not even considered extreme heat. This was early spring. My own children have come home overheated, dizzy, nauseous, and I know they're not the only ones. Reese should help children recharge and feel healthy, not make them sick. I have a lot of um notes from the nurse by the way because they do come home like overheated.
We are grateful the district has already approved planting trees. We are um we are simply asking that this move forward with urgency. Our children cannot keep waiting year after year for basic shade and safe safer spaces to play. My oldest son left from Lorettto waiting on the trees. He's now in high school.
My daughter Samantha over there, she's leaving Lorettto. She's not going to middle school. She's been waiting since she was like in first grade. Um, and she's very sad about it. And now she wanted to advocate for her little brother that still has three more years to go in Lorettto.
Um, okay, I got lost. So, okay. Basically, yeah, that's it. Um, we need those trees. It's been a long time. I volunteer at school and I also feel the heat. the heat that bounces back from the ground. It's it's a lot, especially on a hot day, what we consider it's not such a hot day, but you know, the heat that reflects back, it's it's it's really hot. Um, so that's the reason why we're here today. Thank you. Want to say anything?
Okay.
Your time, >> Adrien Luna Nakama. Adrien Dear board members, my name is Adrien Theodor Luna Nakama and I'm in fourth grade at Lona Avenue Elementary. I'm here to discuss the heat problems at Lona.
Upstairs on the playground, especially the handball and basketball courts are very hot. When the handball area was measured with a special thermometer, it was 139 degrees Fahrenheit around midday, which is very hot and dangerous for students. Am I right?
I want to share one personal experience.
When a fellow student was running across the basketball court when he had a heat stroke and he couldn't breathe.
Therefore, many students don't get to have their recess and exercise for the day.
I often get headaches because I have a lot of energy, but that energy goes to waste when it's hot and I get tired. And it is also very hard to see when there is so much sun in my eyes. If we had shade, it would be easier.
>> Go ahead, brother. Use the stool so they could hear you better. So you can pick your better. Sorry.
>> Did you know our tether ball was 100 was 98°? So board members, I'm here to ask you to give us the grant to give us the grant. Thank you for taking the time to consider my request.
>> Thank you for your time.
>> Elizabeth Garcia. Elizabeth Garcia.
Hello board members. My name is Elizabeth Garcia. I am in fourth grade at Latona Elementary. I'm here today to talk to you about why our school needs more trees. Our school needs more trees to provide shade during hot, sunny days.
I want a cool place to relax during recess and a shady area to cool down after playing. The hottest it has ever been is 139.5° when we had a group of students taking a temperature at the playground area during the day.
This is why I'm asking you to give the Lona students a grant and a opportunity to have trees. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your time. Tabitha Sanchez. Tabitha Sanchez.
Hello. Thank you for your time.
We're going to restart that time just so >> there's no rush.
>> There we go. Little bit of comedy.
>> Hello, my name is Tabitha Sanchez. I'm a volunteer parent at Gravonza Elementary.
Go ahead.
>> What's your name?
Hello, my name is Esmeralda. I go to Garbanza Elementary School. I >> here to speak to you.
>> I am here to speak to you about >> planting more trees.
>> Planting more trees in my school because we need them for shade when it's hot.
>> I would like to >> I would like to >> I am leaving the school in two years.
>> I am leaving the school in two years. I would like the trees to be there before I leave.
>> I would like the the trees to be planted before the end of the school year.
>> before I leave the school.
>> before I leave the school.
>> So that me and my classmates can enjoy the plants. So me and my classmates can enjoy the trees.
>> Go ahead.
So I'm >> classmates >> my classmates >> can enjoy the trees >> can enjoy the trees.
>> I am also there on campus and know that we definitely need trees cuz it's very hot for the students. Um they have no shade and they get overheated. So thank you for your time.
>> Thank you for your time. Lake S, are you here? Lake S.
>> Hello. Hello. Uh, thank you so much for having me. I'm Lake. I'm a parent at Lona. Um, just so you know, these cards behind you, this this was uh spearheaded by the Lona Lighthouse Club. It's a leadership club. This was a student-led project. All of these kids care deeply.
They're the ones who are experiencing their campuses every single day. They're the ones who can't go outside and play and prefer to just sit underneath the shade next to the library. We have more.
We coordinated with how many schools? At least five, six, seven different schools. All of us are in some state of waiting. We've been awarded money. We've been given beautiful plans. We've gone to meetings talking about how beautiful these greening grants will be and they're all behind schedule and we don't know who to talk to to find out about when we're going to be back on schedule and it and it falls on the parents and the students to be asking the questions and reaching out and many of us don't have time to do that and so I'm just here to say that you have a lot of people who really care about this. We all know the well doumented uh health issues with heat and how it affects not only the mental health, how it affects learning. We understand that LUSD says that it's a priority to do this school greening, but it doesn't feel like it has been prioritized. And over and over again, it's up to parents to fill the gaps. It's up to parents to come come back and say, "Hey, you said, you know, this was going to happen two years ago. Dates pass. No one tells us anything." We would like to see LUSD fulfill their commitments and to fulfill their promises that have already been made. Thank you very much.
>> Oh, one other thing. One other thing, the data, the temperature data that the kids collected has been sent to Dr. Rivas. So, it has uh surface temperatures in shade and uh out of shade. So, you can see how that affects them. Thank you, >> Rost W. Rost W, come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin.
No need to run, please. Got to have those rules in the hallways here.
Thank you, sir.
God, sorry. Um, I don't have a ton of new information to add. I'm just another parent um who's in a very similar situation. I have two children uh at Lona. We um I originally applied for a seeds grant I think like four years ago because I happened to know someone who worked for Jackie Goldberg's office who told me that it existed and I thought this would be a way to help green the school. Um, so even that just sort of having to find out through like a friend of a friend that such a program existed is sort of not how I imagined you would want to run a school greening program.
Um, we applied for the grant. I was really excited. You know, we got a bunch of teachers and students really invested in the idea that we were going to have this greening. Um, and then we've just sort of waited for many years now and some of our students are now graduating from the school. They'll never see any results of of this grant, these grants that we got. Um, and it can just feel very frustrating. Um, I'm someone who likes to believe in public education, wants to send my kids to LA USD public schools and wants these schools to succeed. And when you're here as a parent working really hard to make things happen and see change in our community and you're getting kind of like not even nos, you're just getting no response at all, it can feel very frustrating. In other parts of my life, if if if I just get no response from something, I just move on to something else. And I just figure this isn't going to ever happen. And I don't want to feel that way about our school system. That's all.
Thank you for your time. Nevada S, Nevada S, are you here?
Hello board members. My name is Nevada Sharp and I'm a fifth grade student at Lona Elementary. I'm here today to share my experience and a promise that was made to me 3 years ago. When I was in second grade, I was told that trees would be planted on our playground and blacktop area to provide shade from the intense heat. I was so excited because I knew how much we needed that relief. The black top radiates heat that makes it almost unbearable to play outside.
Unfortunately, it has been 3 years and those trees have never been planted.
Because of the extreme heat, I spend most of my recesses downstairs in the shaded pavilion instead of playing with my friends on the playground, and I sometimes get stomach aches from the heat exposure. Even though I'm leaving Latona Elementary this year, I'm asking our school leaders to please keep the promise that was made and plant trees in our outdoor areas. The students who come after me deserve to have a safe, comfortable place to play and enjoy recess without suffering from the heat.
Thank you for listening and for considering this important request.
Thank you for your time.
And L. Adrien L.
I think you were listed twice. I just double checking because this one just says Adrien L. All right. Elizabeth G. I think you already went too. Yeah, folks are just listed twice here. Uh Valerie G.
Good afternoon board members. My name is Valerie Garcia and I'm a fifth grader at Laton Elementary. Every day when I go upstairs to recess, I dread it because of the intense heat. When I walk up the stairs, my head starts to hurt and I feel uncomfortable instead of excited.
Recess is supposed to be a time to have fun, enjoy time with my friends, and play games together. But the extreme heat temp but the extreme temperatures sometimes over 100° on sunny days make it impossible to do any of that. I end up looking for shady spots just to rest and feel better instead of playing and laughing with my classmates.
I'm asking the board to please consider planting trees and creating green areas in our playground where students can find shade and cool relief. With cool spaces, Reese's could actually be fun again. We could play games and spend time with friends and stay healthy without worrying about the heat making us sick.
I believe trees and green areas would make recess something we all look forward to instead of something we all want to avoid. Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you. George S. George S.
Good afternoon board members. My name is George Shifflet. I'm a fifth grader at Latona Elementary. And today I'm here to ask you for some help with the problem that's been going on for a while at our school.
On extremely hot days, our playground becomes a boiling pot with temperatures over 100°, especially on the blacktop where we play. The intense heat can make students tired, uncomfortable, and even sick.
I'm asking if we can create a shady area outside where students can play safely during recess on the scorching days.
This could be a green space, some large umbrellas, and even trees that provide shade. A shady spot would let us enjoy outdoor time without risking heat exhaustion and would keep us healthy and happy. We are trying to make our school a better place for everyone. Sadly, I will be leaving Latona, but I want to ensure that my sister and brother will have a safe and enjoyable recess. Thank you for your time and consideration.
>> Thank you for your time. Uh, let's see.
Is uh another in-person individual. Uh, David Tokovski, are you here?
Ty Foreman, are you here? Tyman, >> come on up.
Are there more Are there more uh kids and folks who signed up from that group?
I can't I've gone through the list. I just want to make sure I didn't miss anybody.
Okay, thank you. Uh the come on up sir.
The time is you have two minutes to speak once you begin.
>> Thank you guys so much. Oh my goodness.
I have a serious throat congestion. Uh I'm honored to be here. Um your focus on uh what is an incredibly innovative uh approach to engaging children, youth uh and communities. Uh I commend you. Um, I really really uh want to get involved with you guys and follow up with uh expanding uh focus on environmental exposure. uh focused on having structure and network of responsibility and accountability to our environment to the spaces that make up the grounds where we develop our identities and to have children be able to use these spaces for the betterment of one another.
and organizations that can hope to provide a more sound economic topology uh especially in STEM fields, sciences, uh things such as that nature where programs such as this focus on environment can create a stronger fiber uh of economic growth in a healthy and accountable trajectory. Uh that's it.
Um, it's my first time being here again.
Honored. I'm super sorry. I I didn't realize my voice was uh so strapped. Uh, but God bless you guys. Um, and you all uh have a beautiful day.
>> Thank you for your time.
All right, we have some remote callers today. Let's see. We've got Carla Gonzalez calling in. Carla Gonzalez, I don't have you on the line in front of me, but maybe you will show up shortly.
Ingred Vieiraa, I see you're online.
Ingred V, please press star six to unmute yourself, and you have two minutes to speak once you begin. Ingred Via, see you've unmuted yourself, Miss Viea.
If you begin talking, we should be able to hear you.
Okay, we will come back to Miss uh Vieta in a moment. Let's see. Angela Pulk, I see you're on the line. Angela Pulk, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Angela Pulk, >> I'm going to make sure you can hear me.
Can you hear me?
>> Yes, we can. Thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate you listening to what I have to say. My name is Angela Pope. I'm a grandmother of students at 93rd Elementary and Overwrite. I am also a PTA president of 93rd and a volunteer and a member of reclaiming the schools of LA. A lot of the time I'm at this school. I need a new playground in the district. most support these public these project public schools in our community does a deserve a playground that to be proud of and be happy to play on.
LUSD must make 93rd priority in approaching and designing and removing barriers that make it hard for our children to get a playground that deserve a different fees and different policies. preventing students, my grandbabies, from having a safe and healthy environment. I've had I have three grandchildren and they all are at LA USD schools. I have been um a volunteer for over maybe 10 years and our children and my children were heartbroke from their dreams and their new playground to be shattered by the district. They attend because you are more concerned with protecting your policies than protecting our children.
We have a black asphalt also at 93rd Street School. It gets enormously hot.
We've had incidents from scratched knees, scratched arms, them hurting theirelves. We need shade.
It's so hot. I'd appreciate if we can move this on further and get this project going faster. I appreciate you listening and thank you so much for your time.
>> Thank you for your time.
>> Okay, the next speaker is Takur Singh.
Please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. theor Singh.
>> Hi, can you hear me?
>> Uh, sure I can. Please go ahead.
>> Perfect. Okay, thank you. Um, good afternoon, uh, board vice president Dr. Reebus, um, board president, um, board member new, and everyone else. Um, happy Wednesday. Um, I'm just calling in again to express concerns regarding Jesus Gulo, Maria Sotoayor, and Latasha Buck.
Um from my understanding you have been discussing this um which uh we appreciate. We would uh like to hear some more updates though for our students and our parents who are incredibly concerned about these individuals. As a reminder, um Jesus Senulo and Maria Sotoayor were um the principal and assistant principal previously at Southeast High School when a student came to them reporting that she was raped by a member of faculty.
And instead of helping this student, they locked her in a room for hours and yelled at her until she recanted. And actually, the only reason this was exposed was due to a school police officer. Um they were then they pled no contest and have since been promoted and both now make over $200,000 of our taxpayer dollars um with Jesus and Gulo at virtual academy admin and Maria Sotomayor at HR. Um these individuals should be fired ASAP. Why did the board react so quickly to Scissor Chavez which was appropriate but not as quickly to these predators? And then of course, Latasha Buck, director of instruction, was questioned about this. Um, and she said it's not her concern since it was 20 years ago. Why is rape not an issue just because it was 20 years ago? How does that make sense? Makes zero sense.
So, these people should be fired immediately. And I I think the I think you guys um agree with our concerns. We just ask that you please provide us timely updates and ensure that these individuals get justice for these victims. Because what if this was a member of your family? Would you, you know, want this to be the reaction by the district to promote them? I think not. Thank you so much for your time.
>> Thank you for your time. All right, Ingred V, I see you're on the line.
Please press star six to unmute yourself. You have two minutes to speak once you begin. Ingred V.
I see you are >> Can you hear me?
>> Ah, we can. Please go ahead.
>> Yay. Thank you. Um, hello board members.
My name is Ingred Vieva and I'm the proud community school coordinator at 93rd Street Elementary. You heard one of our great volunteers, an amazing parent and grandmother that is always here at 93rd with us supporting our work.
I'm here today not to ask you to uh give us a a grant money or to allow us um to participate in greening, but to beg that you investigate what is going on with the grant that we have already received from Calire and why we have been waiting over five years to get the work approved and done by LA USD facilities unit. So, I know that we are trying to make sure that things move faster. I applaud the children in the audience that are there advocating for their schools. I'm here on the phone advocating for my whole school community and the students that I serve. When I became a a community school coordinator, my first job was to hear listen to the kids. And the kids came up with many different dreams about the kind of playground they wanted. My job was to go and find community-based organizations that would work with me. I found LA Land Trust and also um the uh other organization that helps us get parents and student support.
I have been working on this project for over seven years building relationships.
We got the CalFire grant awarded. We have been working with everyone and anyone that has anything to do with buildings and nothing has gotten done.
And it I'm being told that now LA USD facilities has a different plan for 93rd and they're asking us to not complete our project because they have something else in mind. I don't know what's happening but uh the community is upset.
our teachers and our students are waiting and I'm just here board members to really ask for your support.
>> Thank you very much for your time.
>> Forward to speaking with you >> and all right, there's one more caller who I'm going to call on again. Uh Carla Gonzalez, I think you were signed on for a moment, but I do not have you signed on anymore. Are you in the room, Carla?
Okay, that concludes public comment.
>> Thank you. So, thank you to all of you who are here, students, parents, teachers, community members. know that um we hear you and I share in your frustration and um definitely um know exactly what you're going through and uh I we usually don't provide after public comment no provide any sort of information but um Miss Christina Tes asked if to provide an update for you all.
>> Hi everyone, my name is Christina Tes.
I'm the director of facilities. I know we had a couple of parents from Lona here. That is a facilities project. Um I know we went to the board in December to approve $300,000 for seeds projects. My understanding um in the quick text I had with my team is that the design is being finalized and we're doing soils testing now. If you have any questions about the project, um please feel free to call my office. That number is 2132414312.
I'm happy to meet with any of you after the meeting or I can slide you my business card um and we'll make sure to put you in touch with the person who can keep you um up to date on the project as we uh look to start construction. I think it was sometime in the fall. Okay.
Thank you.
>> And for other schools, Lorettto Garvansza 93rd Street. Am I missing any other schools are here? Malibar, we'll we'll definitely get the information that you need to get more or an update on your project. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you all. It was so wonderful to hear from our students. Um so with that we are going to go with to our first presentation uh from the eco sustainability office which continues leading and coordinating critical work across the district related to climate resilience decarbonization greening environmental literacy and sustainable operations.
Over the past several years, we have seen this work expand significantly from transportation, electrification, climate literacy initiatives to schoolyard greening, water stewardship, and student led sustainability efforts across campuses. Today, Mr. Christos Cressilio will provide an overview of the 2425 eco sustainability annual report and share updates on key initiatives and milestones um from this school year. So, Christos, thank you for your leadership and your hard work and your partnership and the floor is yours. Thank you, >> Madame Chair, board president, board member, and our committee members. It's a pleasure to be here with you today presenting on the uh updates I'll be providing you and specifically on our annual report. And my hope is that as I present here today to all of our listeners and everyone who gathered here today, we'll be able to shed some light in terms of the information that they can access through our website and they can be able to find out more about status on their projects and how they can contact us within the ego sustainability office with anything that related to any greening projects. So we can be able to provide you any updates but any other sustainability or resiliency related projects. So today I'm I'm going to be focusing specifically on the annual report and I'm going to be f focusing on seven areas that uh it's quite important that we identified that we wanted to focus on to respond specifically towards the board uh sustainability goals that were set up forward as well as to be able to respond and align our work within the um strategic plan. the LA USD plan so we can be able to um achieve the commitments and also respond to the environment to help support every student, staff member and community that we serve. So I'll be focusing on climate resiliency, high performance schools, decarbonization, climate literacy, campus ecology, water stewardship, and circular economy.
And then I'll spend uh a few minutes on our upcoming celebration that we're setting up for the Heroes for Zero ceremony uh which is going to occur um next week on June 5th and I'll be sharing more information about that as well.
So you can access the annual report through uh the code that we have the barcode that we have there and I welcome everyone to access it because we developed this report to provide transparency to all the work that we're doing transparency to the the information that we have to all of our students all of our teachers and communities and um this is as I mentioned earlier it does shows all the information that we have and how it can help support the work uh that was at least identified or um um is planned as we move forward. In addition to that, this is uh a great example of uh that can serve as an educational programmatic resource for our high school science teachers and our district uh climate champions, but at the same time for all the students throughout the entire school district. I think you're going to find it extremely helpful as I as I go through. So um we'll jump to that right now while the this is uh the second report that we released back to back since uh I was able to take office. I've um we developed the the report in such a way that um that is following a certain uh process in terms of the updates. There's about 55 pages in the report. So I didn't want to print out and hand uh uh pages throughout because it can be accessed online. You can download download it at your leisure so you can be able to read and understand a lot of the information that we have there. So we start the report with an acknowledgement. We always include a land acknowledgement to honor and and show respect for the indigenous communities who stewarded and care for the land long before us. So I think it's important that we do that. We appreciate the land that we have today and how we continue to care about the land that we have. As I was sharing uh earlier, the report and the contents of of the report is identified in seven areas and we're going to get into each specific area.
We're going to see the what we call the key performance indicators and how we measure against that so we can showcase progress. But we're going to be focusing and discussing today the climate resiliency. You can see under climate resiliency a lot of the topics that we're covering. Like I said, I'm going to be covering some of those as I go through just uh because of the interest of time and I let the the viewers to be able to spend some more time and if they have any questions, please feel free to contact us between all those seven areas that I'm I'm sharing uh on the report itself.
The message that I share is very simple is that we're not here just to acknowledge and celebrate um our achievements but uh we remain committed to expanding sustainability efforts and increasing engagement with our students, staff and the broader community. So that's very important for us and uh then as we go through this report and uh and showing some of the highlights featuring some of the work that is done even from our board members uh helping out u in terms of the sustainability goals and objectives we always continue to highlight a lot of the achievements as we move forward and you're going to be seeing them in this report.
The introduction to the report shows the overall school district and it shows the the impact that we have not just on our students and teachers but also the communities that we serve. We take this very seriously because for us um in sustainability we realize that while you can see the the entire world and we are small uh pin on that map the impact that we have is massive within our region. is massive because we educate um our students which to become the future sustainability leaders and uh and for us it's important to at least as we continue through this process to be able to share um and develop healthy sustainable learning environments for all of them as we share our mission is simple. Our mission is to become the most sustainable and environmentally friendly large urban school district in the nation. And we do that by working with the strategic plan as I was sharing earlier by identifying uh uh the goals establishing the goals and then as we identify these goals just some some of the exemplary goals that we set up before 100% clean electricity and 100% electrification in all sectors uh 50% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 climate literacy for all uh 30% compost greening and 20% energy and water uh use reduction all those were aligned into the focus areas that we're showing there and then we just um have a a a history of when they were identified and the progress that we're making against those.
This is this dashboard is quite uh important because this is how gives us an overview of how we're measuring against all those different uh eight areas. So the first one being our high performance schools. Let me share that we are the the school district with with the most high performance schools and I'll explain what that means as we as we uh get into the specific sectors within uh nationwide. We're then looking at decarbonization. We're seeing the emissions that greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors and how we're tracking those and we're achieving 23% reduction as of now. Then in terms of our clean energy, we're able to share that we have 45% of our of our energy that we use that comes from it comes from clean renewable sources. In terms of electrification, uh we're tracking our bus electrification and we're actually we're showing 16% when now 20% of our buses are electric. Over 250 buses are now electric buses with zero emissions. Um and then we continuing to install charging stations to support those 250 buses. Climate literacy, we continue to measure in terms of how many um students are able to benefit from climate literacy and programs that we have. And we're looking at our climate champions and we have about 29% of our schools that do have climate champions that help support uh the curricula that uh is been is shared with them that supports environmental and resilience resiliency strategies. Campus ecology we have 27% today of eligible schools that are meeting our greening goals. That's that is our 30% goal by 2035. We still have ways to go, but at least we have many projects in planning to be able to achieve that as we move forward. In terms of water stewardship, we um we marked uh a 2014 goal, a 10-year goal with the Department of Energy. And I can say that we have a 20% reduction in our portable water use.
That's a huge reduction uh specifically when you look at the savings or the cost of reinance on our Jer fund. And then circular economy, that's one of the new areas that we're focusing now. We introduce this eighth um sector that we we're focusing and we're trying to see how we can minimize waste throughout the entire school district and we have some planning in place and I'll be sharing and talking about that planning as well.
So, climate resiliency, climate resiliency, it's uh it's extremely important to the school district and I think u for all of us right now as we see the extreme fires, the uh the floods, um the high winds and everything that is impacting us. We are uh looking at several uh different methodologies to how we can minimize the impact on our schools. And one of the areas that we're looking at is our local hazard mitigation plan. We're looking on identifying um solutions to help us to minimize the impact on our schools. And we're doing that uh we're doing that not just by ourselves. We're doing it we're doing this with partnerships and working with uh besides our health and safety with other partner organizations specifically uh with the fires that were able were able to see um last year that really impacted three of our schools. We uh we identified and we've partnered up with several agencies to get their support too of how we can come up with measures uh to minimize that that extreme extreme fires or extreme heat on our schools.
Currently we're working with UCLA and the Arizona State University on a research study as well uh which they will be visiting our schools and they will they'll be sharing solutions at least what they're learning from us and what we can share with them of of how we can reduce a lot of the extreme heat impacts that we have on our schools. So we have what we call short short-term strategies but also long-term strategies in terms of our planning as we continue to plan our schools moving forward. But in the meantime, at least we're looking at our microclimates and we try to better understand the different geographic areas and how we can implement solutions on those specific areas.
So, we continue to modernize our mechanical equipments equipment throughout the school district and um by making sure that we have clean air. Um we do install Merf 13 filters on all of our schools and we continue to ensure that um at least the the air quality on our schools are healthy to help support our students. Uh we've actually even putting uh monitors to make sure that uh we measure the the the amount the type of air that we have in the classroom to ensure that we have more fresh air so we can increase the the the quality of our air within our our spaces with the indoor spaces that we have. Um, in terms of the hydration stations, we're looking at the uh all of our schools and we have a program that our maintenance and operations department within the facilities is managing and we continue to increase um hydration within our schools and also the water quality drinking program that we're trying to ensure that um we've uh we meet the requirements and actually exceed the requirements in terms of the water quality program that we have in our schools.
And then we continue to uh fight a lot of the extreme heat issues with SHA structures. Um the facilities have a a program right now that they continue with. It's a $50 million program to help us achieve more SHA structures on our schools. Um, at the same time, we're increasing our economies by uh by adding more trees and more shed on our schools through different programs that we have, including the CalFire being one of the programs. But there's other programs that are supporting us through different departments to help us out increase at least uh shade on our schools. And then we'll continue by learning more about our solar reflective codings. And we're doing a study right now that will be able to learn more and have more information in terms of reflective codings on our school. That study has been in progress now for over a year and it's going to be finishing up in the next quarter so we can be able to share the data with everyone and we decide how we should be moving forward. We partner with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and that's how we're conducting our study through this process as well as with the University of Southern California and they're helping us out um by sharing the data that they have been collecting throughout time.
So also our facilities services division is going through a syn synthetic turf assessment. They're going through the analysis and study so they can learn more about the uh the diff the turfs that we have on our competitive fields and they'll be sharing that information too as well as we go through this process. And then uh I mentioned about the wildfire resilience. Um you can see here from some of the photos we've uh have been visiting um a lot of our schools specifically the ones in Palisades with Lacy the Los Angeles Los Angeles Clint incubator and some of the startup companies to drive innovation to come up with solutions uh newer solutions of how we can be able to at least manage extreme heat on our schools and they're designing new products to help support the work that we have. A lot of these programs that they have, they're funded actually through philanthropic associations and we are uh the benefactors a lot of these for a lot of these programs that are putting they're putting getting put in place.
So um at the same time air quality it's important uh highly important um through the office of environmental health and safety we have the LA Unified know your air network and uh we have over 230 outdoor air quality sensors right now that uh they're located uh throughout um throughout the entire region. So at least uh schools they have access within a mile and a half of those sensors to be able to know their air quality and take action as appropriate based on the um operations directions that they receive in terms of having the kids play out outside outdoors or not. So this is very helpful and uh and we continue to also become more resilient by managing uh storm water. This is actually it's going to become more increasingly important as we move forward. All of our schools as we're designing them, we're coming up with solutions to increase permeability.
You can see some of the bioell photographs at some of the schools that we uh that been showcased. We know that uh it's important that we we need to be capturing more water within the region.
Uh it's going to be new initiatives and new funding to help support to capture more water within the basin here instead of just importing water from other locations. So, we're in discussions also with the Department of Water and Power and other agencies to help us to achieve at least more in terms of us greening our schools and being able to capture water on our school sites. And we have been discussing community resiliency hubs. That's a concept that we have been discussing for a while right now in terms of identifying funding and applying for funding so we can have our schools that can serve as community community resiliency hubs. And it's something that we will need to equip our schools with uh with solar so they can be more uh equipped with battery storage and micro grid so we can be able to be more responsive into extreme weather events that we have as we move forward.
In terms of our high performance schools, we're very proud of how many schools we have achieved in terms of high performance to date. We have obviously over 145 and then we also have uh about 46 active projects. Now this these projects are very important because they do many things to our students. They develop a a great learning environment because we look at when you have a what we call high performance schools. You look at the air quality within the space. You look at the condition space, how we condition the space. We're looking at uh at lighting. We're looking at the actual materials that we select to make sure they don't release any harmful chemicals to to the space. So, we're ensure we're trying to ensure that all of our schools as we forward their design with these standards and um and in the near future as now chips was acquired by by the USGBC by LEAD. We the plan is to transition into uh lead but we're doing the analysis now with our facilities team to ensure that there's no cost impact uh to as we do this transition we have been working with USGBC on the background to ensure that um at least we can make that transition smoothly and uh we're just finishing up the report right now with one of the consultants that was hired by our facilities team to ensure that there's not going to be any impacts but only benefits to the pro to the work that we're doing as we move forward.
forward so we can pro provide more uh high performance environments to our schools both for the classroom space but also outdoor environments at the same time. Um we've will continue to apply for some of the programs like the savings by design which gives us funding once we create a certain or exceed some of the measures that were set up by title 24 that we can then take that funding and put it back into uh future work. So you can see some of the high performance environments that we have here and uh it's incredible to see some of the new facilities projects that we're developing and completing now. I'm sure you have been into a lot of um reborn cutting ceremonies to see the quality of space that we provide uh in our schools. So we're very pr proud to be celebrating these environments and we're also uh while we do this we we create educational benefits for our students so they can learn what a high performance school is so they can learn about how we develop these environments and they can better appreciate and respect the spaces that we develop uh as we move forward. And then we have what we call the direct install lighting retrofit program. This is a program um that help us even on existing schools uh to be able to upgrade the lighting and being able to provide better quality lighting. uh this the $120 million MOU that we brought last year. We continue um to increase the amount of projects that we've uh we change lighting to uh better lighting as we move forward and at the same time minimize um cost from our maintenance and operations from them having to do the work to replace the existing fluorescent lines that we have.
In terms of decarbonization, we have a 23 23% reduction in greenhouse uh emissions across all sectors. We start looking all the sectors and we baseline them. Um and based on that baseline that we had in 22 23 we're measuring to see the emissions and and see what the reductions are. Our plan is to transition LUD electricity to be clean electricity 100% by 2030. That's going to take a little bit of investment. We're making great progress against that. Um and uh and what we should be doing more besides working with our with the Department of Water and Power because they're also transitioning to 100% clean electricity by 2035 is to ensure that we at the same time we continue our solar programs and provide more renewable solutions on our schools and then uh our plan is to transition L USD all sectors meaning like we're not going to have any fossil fuels on our on our schools by 2040 and there's some key concepts there is mostly for education ational concept. So our readers can read what clean energy means, what uh carbon dioxide and also some electrification concepts are. And then we're measuring this in different uh sectors. We're looking at the yellow fleet, we're looking at the building portfolio. Um so we're looking at uh uh the the emissions in terms of our food waste and then u we're looking at renewable, non-renewable. So we're looking at different sectors um in terms of how we're going to be able to achieve that. And then we also look at the the different types of emissions like we call scope one emissions, scope two and scope three. And we're having an explanation there of what that is. But think about scope one is the direct impact that we have on the environment ourselves. Scope two is coming from the utility, the power that we purchase and scope three will be the emissions that come from another source outside the utility to be able to produce the electricity that they need. So we're looking at all those emissions. We're focusing on scope one and two right now and eventually we'll be focusing on scope three emissions.
And then so you're seeing here how we we're measuring in terms of our energy uh use in terms of achieving clean energy. We're at 45% considering the uh LA 100 plan that working with both in this case uh the LA Department of Water and Power but also working with Edison to ensure that the power that they're giving us it comes from a clean renewable source. and they have goals what they're trying to achieve and in line with our solar production we can say that what 43% plus the 2% close to 45% of building energy that we use it comes from a clean energy with a goal to electrify to 100% by 2040. Um so we continue those programs and we have about 19 megawatts of existing solar capacity on our schools and we'll continue by adding another 15 megawatts.
That's a that's the pretty much the contract that we've executed about um almost a year ago to increase our capacity by another 50 megawatt. So we're going to be able to have about um 33 megawatts of power in the in the next two years and our goal is to continue my hope is that we can increase that to 80 megawatt by 2030.
So in terms of uh decarbonization, our bus fleet, we continue electrifying our fleet. Uh we have about 251 electric buses. We have about 52 EV charging stations. And with the coming up of the Sun Valley Bazyard early next year, we're going to have 250 charging stations as well. So we're we'll be able to balance our charging stations with the buses. And we you just approved another contract to go out um with 79 um charging stations and buses at the St. Julian busyard. And then we have plans to electrify the rest of the uh the fleet. And we're working with grants and uh as those grants become available, we'll continue our efforts to electrify our fleet.
So this shows uh some of the uh measurements of how we're trying to achieve the 100% and it shows the uh our emissions in terms of uh a portfolio and you can see more the emissions here how we compare them in terms of looking at uh the natural gas consumption and also yeah you can see how we're tracking between the years the different years and we see what the anomalies are and we're trying to measure and look at the weather and weather impacts. and see how we can uh make more progress as we do those comparative analysis. So this is something that we continue uh looking at taking considerations on the climate and how we can be able to minimize the impact um um on our portfolio in terms of our climate literacy.
This is uh something that really spent a lot of time the past few years and we've uh we're seeing the impact by even having our climate champions on our schools. We're really uh very fortunate to have the climate ch champions supporting the work that we have because through them we're able to transfer the work in our schools. But besides that, we're working with uh career technical education. We're working with our facilities team to ensure that when we do any kind of contracting that we have components that that our students can engage from the planning phase all the way to the uh construction phase and then even after that to ensure that they we can develop career pathways for them so they can be um at least successful or being able to have choices in terms of what they would like to do in their future. and uh and the climate literacy task force was able to help develop the we release the the actual findings and recommendations on a report that we've uh publicized several months ago. And then um we're continuing with uh enhancing climate action clubs in in different locations that we have and uh also working directly with our outdoor environmental education so we can be able to engage more students. um empowering schools through empowering programs that we have and through different funding sources to to develop more sustainable engagement um and resiliency um solutions and uh recently we've been working with IDRAM and coming up with uh some new ideas that we can be able to uh at least incorporate into the IDRAM program. So our um students that going to this program they can be able to learn more about sustainability and resiliency and then working with other organizations including so-cal gas and a few others. so we can be able to advance the programs that we have. Um the uh I mentioned about the career technical education earth month that we have and some of the programs that we working collaboratively to engage our students into the different processes and programs that we have and uh the uh one of the programs that we'll be celebrating next week is it's going to be the heroes for zero contest which we're engaging students throughout uh the entire school district to help support in sustainable um solutions encompass psychology um a section that has been talked about a lot and I know that we can be making more progress on on this but we are making also I want to say great progress because we have approximately about 150 projects right now between planning design and construction um sometimes when we gear into something it takes a little bit of uh planning and it takes a little longer unfortunately but uh we're trying to make sure at least the playgrounds that we develop are healthy working with the office of environmental health and safety to ensure that we mitigate any issues on the side, that we have clean soil, clean sight, so we can be able to help develop those schools. So, we had some challenges in terms of going through that process, but we're overcoming those process and we're developing a a better process from lessons learned so we can be able to at least increase the amount of projects that we do in the future, collaborating with all the different divisions we have within uh LA Unified. So, we have more progress to make on those, but at least between all the different programs that we have, you can see some of the programs there like the outdoor learning environments, the playground and campus exterior upgrade program, the green school years improvement program. All those are great programs that's going to help us really achieve um our goals by 2035. So here we're showing how we're progressing against the goal and uh the work that we're doing today um in comparison to see what we what we have have to be doing to achieve 2035. And as I was mentioning those um 150 projects once they come into completion you'll be able to see that we're meeting at least that straight path that we're showing to that we need to achieve by 2035. Um, and that's why, um, I'm glad to hear of all the support and engagement because we need to have green campuses. I always say that, uh, outdoor spaces. Um, our classrooms without walls, our classrooms that help support our students, engage, learn about nature. There's so so many so many uh, challenges that we see today. And I um, I would love to see uh, really building more and hopefully we can accelerate the program to build them faster. Um certainly you can see the the impact of the different programs here.
We've showing a legend of the different programs like the ELAP program, the um enhanced learning opportunities program, third party greening PASEA program, the outdoor learning environments, the green schoolyard programs, the comprehensive modernizations, the major modernization, the classroom replacements, um the policy fire impacted projects and the seeds. you can see that uh we're making great progress and like I said I would love to kind of see this hopefully even ramp up even more but um really uh it's nice today I was I I was at a reborn cutting ceremony at Haden Elementary School celebrating one of the cafar projects that we're able to complete uh um I will say quickly compared to some of the other projects. It was nice to see the really excitement and enthusiasm on our on our students being able to have a a green field uh with shade trees and uh and life I would say you know I mean it were nice to see different species coming and revisit the trees and and being able to see that how uh we're able to remove um the cold and hot asphalt that we have in in our playgrounds with uh warm spaces like that.
So, we continue to do this work and uh we continue update our tree inventories to make sure that we as we move forward and we're knowing that's going to get harder in the future to be able to that that we install trees and different types of species that they can respond to the environment. So, we're doing different research working with different organizations to other universities to help us uh better understand the impact specifically on hotter climates like the you know what we have in Arizona and what they're experiencing which it's hotter over there. We try to take those lessons learned. I mentioned UCLA and uh also we're working with UC UCLA to understand how we should be able to be planning our schools moving forward and also we're learning from our green partners.
They're really our advocacy in the field. And we'll continue by also looking at vertical gardens like the Aroponic tower gardens which are solutions that we can engage our students in the classroom to learn about greening and uh and really better understand different type of plants uh materials spices in this case uh fruits to uh fruit trees or fruits to be able to uh at least understand the importance of that and how we can grow them and how we can really uh produce um healthier habits and uh and I can say that a lot of these programs that we have students do learn and they create u a lot of the vegetables that they they're able to kind of grow out of these they can use them in the classroom uh which is great in terms of water stewardship um >> really really quick Christos I I know um the report is long but just looking at time I want to have make sure we have time for a second presentation so I don't know if there's >> yeah I finish in five minutes >> okay things what is stewardship that's Another important important sector what 20% reduction that means that when you look at our uh usage we use about 2.5 billion gallons of water within LA unified that's half a billion gallons less when you look at our water bill we're saving about I would say close to um eight 78 million per year on our general fund from water reduction through recycled water and other programs that we have in place to help us do that. Um so that's something else that we're tracking and we're finding solutions in terms of irrigation irrigation solutions so we can be able to minimize the amount of water use that we have uh in terms of circular economy.
That's one of the last uh chapters that we have and this is something that we're looking into waste management and how we can be able to manage waste by sharing that circular economy it it's it's better for us to be able to recycle, remake, reuse, repurpose, repair instead of just having a linear economy. We explained the concept there and that's the concept that we're applying we're going to be applying on our schools in terms of of all the waste that we have.
You can see the amount of waste that we have. Uh how many tons of food that we're wasting and unfortunately that's it's a large amount when you look at it.
Um it's over 100 million uh pounds and uh we now increasing our recycling and we continue to increase recycling compared to when we started two years ago. So we're focusing on this to make sure that we minimize waste throughout the the entire school district. This is a a picture that shows the bus. It shows you know the the amount of how much loaded bus is and how much waste we have at the liified. This is an eye openening for us to understand the waste that we have as a school district and how we can minimize the waste throughout. So um we're engaging uh schools and there schools that are very active. They're helping us out to achieve this and uh we're having pro programs that uh we have eight schools now participating in a program to help us with food services to minimize waste on those schools. And so we continue to understand the different types of waste including e-waste, electronic waste that is and how we can be able to minimize um our waste throughout. Um I want to thank our partners. Honestly, a lot of the work that you're seeing here our office it's supported through rebates and incentives. I'm the only person who's actually under the general fund and all the work that we're doing is due to partnerships is due to grants that we apply for. So we can really uh um expand and extend the work throughout because of the partnerships that we develop. So they're helping us achieve the goals that we have and I'm very thankful to to showcase this slide with all the work that we have. And and I wanted to share a big thank you to our board of education because it's it's because of you that you have the vision. You set up the goals and objectives and support with our superintendent, our senior adviser, Mr. Torrance. I really high regards to him as well because he allowed us to expand and do the work that we have today. So, so with that I want to thank you for the opportunity to present today. I have one more slide that I wanted to share and um uh in closing what I wanted to share with you today is that it's our heroes for zero ceremony was coming up uh on June 5th.
So, we're excited to have nine finalist teams that we have selected. uh they will be here celebrating with us and uh I'll be more than uh happy if you can spend some time to come out and look at some of the work that our students uh will be sharing. They were presented with some some real world um challenges and they came up with some great solutions. We're going to be showcasing their videos. We're spending a little bit a little bit more time on that and that's why we selected that time so we can be able to feature their work showcasing all the great work that they're doing and how their u today heroes for helping developing a healthy sustainable uh environment and helping improving their schools. So with that um I want to thank you for the opportunity to present as I shared earlier there's a lot of content there and I will invite our uh listeners to be able to explore read it and um and provide us comments and at least you can you know how to contact us in the future. So thank you.
>> Thank you Christos.
You certainly had done a lot of work in the like you know past what two years now since your office opened and the extensive partnerships that you also demonstrated this takes a lot a lot of work and a lot of dedication particular if you're trying to move the needle right getting from 23 to% to 30% to just increasing um each year in terms of you know lowering um gas emissions and and you know collecting water and ecology is just it goes. It's a lot that you're doing. So, I do appreciate not only you but your entire team for working very very hard and also keeping the district all of the resolutions that board members have passed around environment and and um energy efficiency.
You're all of that is under your you know under your your um um direction and leadership and and I thank you. I thank you a lot because I know it's it's very important and I know each one of us as board members uh it's important to us as well. We want to make sure that this district is um leading the way in environmental stewardship and so our students can also also be the ones who are also leading the way as they see their district as leading the way in so many in so many directions.
Right. So, um I do have a quick question. Um two questions before I open up to my other committee members is um one was you know I keep hearing in the news about El Nino that El Nino this year is going to be really really tough and really strong. Are you is is the district um preparing for that or how do you feel that's going to impact our schools as we move into the summer and also the winter as we're hearing about El Nino? How what would the impact be if you know? Yeah, the impacts and we've seen impacts in the past of the NEO and we've seen them um when we had um um flooding in the past and this is the warming of the of the oceans right now and pretty much you're going to see some of the u uh uh you'll be able to see the atmospheric rivers moving towards in this case towards uh California and impacting us. Um and it has to do also with the warming of the waters and obviously the precipitation that we're going to be able to get. uh but also um there's two aspects of it. There was one is in terms of the flooding and the one is the extreme the other one is extreme heat and we need to prepare for both. So um yes we are we are taking active steps. We're actually studying and we're working with UCLA mission Arizona State University. We're trying to learn more about um extreme heat as well and how we can protect ourselves uh on our schools and and at least if they have any solutions but also in terms of the atmospheric rivers and and uh high I would say um increasing of water within a specific time to protect ourselves at least how we've done before with our facilities team and be better prepared for it. Um unfortunately the way that those run uh it could be uh in specific areas and uh it's hard to project and predict which area is going to be the most impacted. Uh this is why we try to design schools that we have more um at least areas that are more permeable surfaces. It's going to be able to capture more water and then minimize the amount of runoff that can flood streets and other areas. So, it's something we've been working and I continue to work um with the state as well to help us develop more programs to be able to capture more water within our schools as we move forward.
>> I'm glad. And did you have to say something?
>> Um I was going to add um from a maintenance perspective, there's a number of things that our maintenance crews do to prevent damage to our schools when we know that there's going to be heavy rains or flooding. That includes um cleaning all the rooftops from leaf debris which is typically that starts to clog gutters and that's when we see um roof leakage. Um looking at just the health of our trees if there's wind or heavy rain. Sometimes we get branches that are falling. It's a safety risk. Um looking at where our drains are throughout the campus to ensure those aren't blocked so we don't get drainage um problems at our just on the grounds of the campus. And then obviously we have a lot of construction work. So we have to make sure that the construction work is protected and also not damaged.
So we have to do that. So there's a a number of protocols the district has before heavy rain events.
>> Yeah. I'm glad I'm glad because I was as I was hearing this in the news and the newspaper um I'm quite concerned is like how is that going to impact not only our communities obviously right all of us but also our schools and you know our schools going to be able to withstand that. So, I'm glad that um proaction is taking place and I love um the circular economy. I love that you added that to your line of work because throughout my schools I hear, you know, from a lot of our school communities and students as well about all the food that goes wasted, right? And um you know, the recycling and you know, schools doing their own programs to address and and projects as well to address that. So, I'm glad that that is part of under your purview. So, I wanted to know um have you looked into how the district can move away from single um uh use plastics or like you know for yeah like the plastics is there looking into how to replace >> we have been discussing that with our health and safety and how we can be able to move away from that. So we those discussions are happening now in terms of what would be the best use. I mean, we even looked at uh and there were studies in terms of being able to have silverware and where we can be able to wash instead of just using plastics and we're trying to understand the impact in terms of the cost and and look at the benefits of that. So yeah, that's an ongoing discussion that we have with our food services and um what will be the best solution as we move forward.
>> Any um any act next steps that you're looking at? The next step is for us to kind of uh come up with the actual cost and see how we can fund those programs moving forward because the the best solution is is to be able to uh re really clean uh the utensils that you use if you can or not don't use anything that is really becomes part of a a landfill or anything. You know, the paper is itself depending on what that is. Um it depending what how you use it, it may not last as long. So that's why we're trying to find out solutions that really they're long-term and not short-term solutions. So that's something that we need to spend a little bit more time.
>> Great. Looking forward to learning more about what we're going to do. Um any of my committee members have any questions.
Who wants to go?
Lauren, go for it.
>> Yeah, thank you. I um really appreciate this and how thorough it is and I look forward to reviewing the report as well in depth and um also just want to uh as you know excited about a lot of the things that you um spoke to and really excited for the progress the district is making. Um I had um was uh really appreciate you saying especially in the context of all of the amazing public comments we heard earlier um the value of outdoor spaces as classrooms without walls and also the value of partnerships and really appreciate all the work that you're off that you're doing and your office is doing in um helping to build on and expand those partnerships and with uh be able to help bring in additional resources to the district. We know it's a tight budget and so the more we can get resources from other sources, the more we can um help uh expedite the progress that our schools need and that our students need. Um it's um really appreciate the um the efforts that you're taking, especially given the urgency to address flooding and extreme heat and the ways that these greening projects like the the public commenter spoke to are able to help also address those those um core concerns that are impacting our students abilities to learn. Um and I had a quick question about um the water quality. I I think and it might be an OHS question, but I know the um that we I used to be able to look up like by like I used to be able to look up my kids school and look up like when the water was last tested and what the test results were and if there were any uh maintenance requests for the um for that water fountain. But I know that I think that that got taken off when there was the big shakeup in the websites a few years back from the external issue.
Um, so I don't know uh if there's if there's the possibility for some of that information to be shared online again or or any of the results that might come out of the either this annual study or the larger um um master plan that your office is working on in terms of um re any the most recent like water quality testing at schools and so that uh parents and students can know how uh you know have confidence or or information for at their school level.
>> I'll double check with the office of environmental health and safety to find out if they you know if they still have that report access and share that access with you. But I know that they completed the the transition and and they tested all the fountains throughout the entire school district and now we met the 15 parts per million requirement and now we're driving towards the five parts per million and there's on the on the report itself it shows an update where we are with that program itself. Uh but I'll double check in terms of the link and if they still have it available and share with share that with you. But the great great thing is that we've all those have been tested and they met and were meeting and exceeding the state requirements. So you know thanks.
>> You mentioned electric school buses. So I'm just curious uh uh what's the target for having 100 I'm telling you 100% uh electric school buses. Do you think that is a possibility when >> it is a great possibility? Our goal is 2040, but uh my hope and and and we've been driving with some of the grants and even with LA28 um I was in the meeting today discussing LA28 and they want to be able to have a a transit that is all electric in terms of buses. So there's a lot of discussion how it can help support some of the programs moving forward. And uh we've been actually made great progress. We are at 20%. And with the addition of the 79, we're going to be at 25%. So a quarter of our fleet will be all electric in the next few years.
>> And then if we continue with that, uh I'm pretty sure close to 100% that we're going to be able to achieve 100% by 2040.
>> That sounds great. Last question. Um, many schools have um parking lots with solar panels on the top and solar panels everywhere. Is it possible for a school to be able to tell how much energy they're generating by these panels?
Because, you know, when people know what they're actually saving or what they're actually getting, I think they're more interested in in continuing that. Any way for a school, let's say Cleveland High School, I know they have a parking lot covered with uh solar panels. Is it possible to know how much you're >> It is possible. And so we purchased a new software called Energy Monitor and that allows us to see the actual um usage, electricity usage and water usage. We're able to see pretty much a lot of the usages on by campus. We made that available to all the schools.
>> That's great.
>> So they have that available. In addition to that, uh we're developing now new software that can help us um showcase the amount of production in terms of the uh um solar on all of our schools. The same with EV charging as well. Uh so we've uh we're in that step right now.
But also if any school any of the schools wanted to get access to that information, we'll make that available to them within a day or two.
>> That's great because I know the schools and the communities would be interested to know how much they're actually generating from these panels. Maybe they'll put them on their own roofs. Who knows? Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
>> And the Heroes for Zero program, the kids are going to be here um next week.
They're actually they they were given all that information. They asked for it and they use that to see how they can be able to reduce the energy on their schools. So, that's exciting to see uh our students really getting to the details of energy usage uh consumption and reduction. So, it's exciting. Thank you.
Thank you um for the thorough uh report and as I'm looking and digging into some of it had a few questions on the literacy. Um I know some schools have literacy champions and I know it's the principles that are selecting those teachers too. How does the teachers know that they can be a literacy champion?
How do they get that information? So we work with the division of instruction.
Uh Dr. bias identified a contact person with us uh that we're working with with um Joey Sun and Joey he's our leazison to who manages the school sites who select the climate champions and the information is is going to the schools and he's going through the site administrators and asking them if they can identify a climate champion and the schools that uh show interest they go through that process and get selected to have a climate champion and they identify the climate champion that they can just support their school based on the program that they set up in place, the commitment that they have to be making to to be able to support the students of that school.
>> And just off top, what are some of those commitments? If there were, you know, is it more on the he on the helm of the leader, the principal saying no or them being able to offer it and get that feedback to say no, I'm not I don't have the capacity as a principal, but maybe there's someone on the staff that would be interested, but the principal said, "I don't have the capacity." Would that possibly be a a obstacle?
>> That could be an obstacle. I I that's a better question to have that discussion with uh the division of instruction.
Typically, we want to make sure that at least administrators to support to have a climate champion on their school so they can have the commitment that is required of so many hours per month because they do get a stipen out of this. So, I want to make sure that that commitment is there and they do work with schooly. they're able to download programs and and be and participate in meetings um after our meetings to be able to at least uh support uh their that commitment that they they're giving. So, but I can I can talk to uh Jerry Sang and get back to you in terms of if someone has an interest and the administer saying no and see what how that gets resolved >> and then at the end I noticed that there's a survey. Do we have the results of previous surveys that were done? We do and I can ask a division of instruction if you'd like to see one to get us one.
>> Yeah, that would be helpful just to see how many you know had actually taken the survey, how much of the results that we see that we use to move forward in the work. Um and then with the climate literacy the curricula are there multiple curriculars is just one for the district that is used across all schools. How is that?
>> There's multiple curricula and we leave it uh back to the school side administrators to implement some of that curricula. So they have a lot of choices and they can select the choices that they would like based on they will go on schooly and they will highlight some of the programs. They will make them aware of the um programs that are available and then they they get to choose what they like to use as instruction within the classrooms.
>> Got it. And is it in the classroom? If it's a secondary could it be an afterchool program as well?
>> It would be an afterchool. It's just a commitment that has to be made um in terms of who's who will be attending and how that how they can get support out of that.
>> Yeah.
>> And then with the buses, I know we mentioned that we currently have about 28 buses. What is the goal by 2040?
>> So we have 250 buses.
>> 250 >> 250 um buses to date and uh the goal is to achieve 100%. Now our bus fleet has um 1,297 buses approximately 1300 buses school buses for our yellow fleet. So the plan is to electrify all of them.
Now the question is and that's something that uh you know right now transportation is doing the analysis and operations. Do we need all those 1300 buses? So an analysis has been made and based on the outcome and analysis they will let us know what the number will be depending on the needs that we have the next so many years but for now we have approximately 1300 and our plan is to electrify all of them >> and if when is the results of that to help us guide that work because if I mean we're at 16% now and if the bus fleet is to be I don't know say 10,000 say 5,000 buses Um because as we continue to bring folks closer to home as our footprint shrinks would that change our percentage right we wouldn't be at 16% today would probably be at >> I will see actually more of a reduction of the number of buses and the type of buses you know in terms of type of C or D or or A bus so I see more of a reduction in terms of uh more of an addition as we move forward but um those right now we're still at such a low percentage that we have still room to kind of revisit as we move in the next few years and see if that's going to get increased or decrease. I project more of a decrease of amount of buses that need it. But uh and at the same time, we're trying to make sure that uh as we electrify, we do have some other buses that can operate and give us a longer range for field trips and other events that we have. So the electrification happens with caution in terms of the needs that we have as a school district.
And is there a set um goal date for that analysis to be able to backwards plan to see where we are?
>> Yeah, so that analysis I my understanding is that uh operations is looking at that right now in terms of the need of the buses and the number of buses and we're going to be revisiting that that um analysis I would say almost every year to see where we are and how we're moving forward specifically um looking at attendance and looking at everything else that happens within our school district.
>> Got it. And then H electric HVACs, what does that look like? How does that operate?
>> A good question. So the when we discuss about HVAC, that's our mechanical systems, mechanical units. And the electric that means that they have a heat pump. A heat pump um a heat pump itself can run both uh hot and cold. So before we used to, you know, use a gas system or a gas and electric system.
more of our most of our schools have gas electric. So, they can be able to supplement uh uh heat by using uh the the furnace or gas, but now with the new technologies throughout the the country, and you're going to be seeing this in our homes as well, we're going to be installing uh a heat pump technology that allows you to revert the system and give you both a heat um and uh cool spaces within an environment. And that's uh more efficient. It's better for the environment. And uh while you know initially was costing a little more, we're finding out now because of the need that those costs are coming down and is very comparable to the actual cost of a uh all uh gas or gas electric uh uh mechanical system.
>> And so it says we're at 53% now. Is that as a as needed basis that they're being replaced or shifted out or how do you manage the replacement? So we made an executive decision several years ago that as we go out and procure new systems, we procure all electric. We've done the analysis and we saw that the analysis that the and plus title 24 of what we have to meet that those systems uh can turn to all electric with a very similar cost. So uh and the systems are proven to be able to last as long as the older systems. They're just more efficient and they're better for the environment. So um at the same time we do have um through our gas company we have programs that they do support uh both dual uh fuels which will support gas and electric and and depending on location we may choose to do that just because it will be at no cost to the school district. But our vision is that uh by 2040 we're going to eliminate all fossil fuels and get all to all electric. That's how we're marching forward.
>> Got it. Um, and then just with um I guess with schools that are doing their own u sorting of food to be able to um minimize the waste, is there a program that we could implement in all of our schools to be able to see the maximized um cost or the maximize effect of that across the district?
>> There is a program. We have uh some pilots going on right now working with our food services at eight school sites.
We're trying to minimize that. And there's another some individual programs at different schools that we found out um but actually yesterday I had a meeting with our Minta elementary school and a very successful program as a describing. But I have to say that a lot of those programs now they're successful because of the passion of our teachers that are managing them, organizing and making sure that they do that extra effort to ensure that there's not we don't have as much waste and minimize waste in our schools and then use a lot of the uh the different I would say food items that they can really go through that circular economy and and decompose them and use them u within the just to help support landscaping on our schools.
Yeah.
>> Um and then last question, as we do these buses, as we shift, and talking about recycle, repurpose, what are we doing with the buses that we are now shifting out of existence?
>> So, a lot of the buses that we have um they have to get decommissioned just because um a lot of them uh a lot of the grants that we received, they come up with the understanding that we're going to decommission those buses and take them off the road. That's why the the grtors are giving us grants um sometimes could be close to 90% of the cost of the bus to go electric. So our investment is very small but under the understanding that we're going to decommission that bus and take it off the street.
>> Thank you.
>> Well, thank you so much Christos again for all of your work and also for your team. Thank you for today's update and the work that continues across the district in advancing climate resilience, sustainability, and healthy learning environments for our students and look forward to the heroes for zero uh the nine finalists on June 5th.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Thank you.
>> What time is >> what time is the heroes?
>> Yeah. What time is that that going to take place on Friday?
>> We're going to start the program at uh 11:00 and my goal is to finish by 1.
>> Okay. So we we the students will be arriving around 10 10:30.
>> They'll be here in the boardroom.
>> In the boardroom. Yeah. And while you're in close session, I think we're going to have them here. That's what we discussed. And then >> Okay. We'll take a break.
>> We'll take a break and come back. Okay.
>> Okay. That'll be nice. Yes. Um so now we'll move on to our second presentation.
Um as we have principal rumble and some special guests come who are going to be joining us in this presentation. Um, this presentation highlights Esparansa Elementary School and the remarkable journey toward becoming a green schoolyard over the past decade. It's a decade, right? I said that. Um, what makes this presentation especially powerful is that it reflects the kind of long-term community rooted transformation that this committee has consistently advocated for. The story of Esparansa Elementary demonstrates how greening work evolves over time through collaboration, stewardship, student engagement, and sustained partnership ac between schools, families, nonprofit organizations, and district staff.
Today's presenters will walk us through that journey uh from recognizing the the need for greener and healthier outdoor spaces to building a campus environment that supports ecology, student learning, play, and community connection. We are especially grateful to have students, educators, and community members joining us today for their experience to share their experiences directly. We have uh Brad Rumble, principal, Adriana Garcia from Los Angeles Land Trust, Cynthia Beeru, uh TK K um teacher, and Briana Plates Granados, kindergarten student, Isaiah Hernandez, fifth grade student, and Balvina Ernnandez, community representative and parents. So, please come up to the podium. We're eagerly waiting to hear your presentation. Thank you. Thank you, U Madame Vice President, uh, board presidentson, board member Newil, and esteemed members. Thank you all for this opportunity. We're really excited to share the great things that are happening at Espironza. As you can see from this first slide, um, uh, the school has transformed really over this past decade in ways, uh, that I think might be an example, an Espironza example for other schools.
School's a neighborhood school on Wilshire Boulevard, less than a mile southwest of us. And, um, it's on Little Street, and I like to say big things are happening on Little Street.
Um the need is overwhelming and the eloquent students who spoke before me really spoke to that need. Um whether it's uh declining biodiversity, a lack of shade, uh nature deficit among our students. Um the storm drain runoff and of course uh the heat urban heat island effect just to name some of the needs.
But ultimately, I think the best photo to describe it, I took that photo uh on the left from my campus and think about those students living in that building with no yard. They walk across a concrete sidewalk, an asphalt street, a concrete sidewalk, and enter onto our campus. And for a long time, they really were on asphalt. Uh that's the need. And so when I arrived at the school as principal in 2014, where to begin? We had all that a asphalt, but I knew that school culture is a really important thing. Where could we start to get into this a little bit? Start to affect those changes. Well, right down the street is MacArthur Park and there's a big lake there. I selected third grade. I'm a burer, need to tell you. And so those uh students became experts on two species of ducks. The dabbling duck, the malard, and then a migratory duck called the ringneck duck. And over the course of that year, we did three field trips all of third grade to MacArthur Park. And it was fascinating because of course uh our first trip there were lots of malards there and no ringneck ducks. Um, as we got into the winter trip, there were more ringneck ducks and no malards. That began a huge exploration for the students because then when we be went back in springtime, all those ringneck ducks were gone. Okay. And suddenly the culture of the school started to change.
Now, in terms of the of the plant, where we really got into this was right outside the campus, there were seven tree wells that were empty. Okay, that was not the fault of the school district, but we did something about that. We engaged with a community partner that a company from downtown that was celebrating their 20th anniversary and we worked with the city and were able to plant native palo veres and one coast live oak in those uh beautiful tree wells that are now still flourishing there. And then along our north parking lot border, um there is a parking lot that ends the curbs end. And yet the asphalt continued on our campus for 12 more feet from 122 feet by 12 feet. That asphalt strip, it really didn't need to be there. And so we did a project again with a community partner. Um we brought in uh botonists from the California uh um botanic gardens and we planted native trees along that strip. We called it the re wilding of Wilshire Boulevard and when our uh wonderful teachers and staff members come onto campus and they park up there instead of looking at asphalt they have a strip of habitat.
Um, board president Schmeerlson, you're a former pre principal and you know that when opportunity knocks, we need to answer. And I got that call from school management services around 2014 that a bungalow classroom needed to be removed from our campus and it wasn't going to be replaced. I worked with the school district. I worked with facilities division. Might it be possible to remove the asphalt under it as well? And again engaging with the school district with facilities and then also um with a community partner Nature Nexus Institute. Um we worked and I should say at that time it was Los Angeles Ottabon Society. Their education arm is now Nature Nexus Institute. We engaged our students with high school students largely from Dorsy High School who became experts on reimagining what this space could be. How could we make it look like Los Angeles 600 years ago by uh planting native plants? We did that bringing in our community to work with those high school students and convert that space. And you can see that process there, including a photo of the plant day. And here it is today. On the left, you see this incredible habitat, native California habitat, which is a living laboratory uh with a C key. any class can go in there and explore it and they do. You'll hear from Cynthia Barlo in just a little bit who will give you examples of how she uses that. There's Mr. Suarez releasing the painted lady butterflies. I could go on, but um it not only uh provides a space for that scientific learning. It also informs local biodiversity. And I need to tell you, we're a hot spot for EIRD with 89 species of birds observed by the students and the families, including our burrowing owl that lasted there for 31 days during its migration. Um, the student council came to me and said, "Mr. Rumble, we're never going to see a dragon. We're no longer going to be the Espironza dragon. So, we are now the Espironza owls." And on your right you see there's some beautiful uh observations and those are sentences uh written by students um just posting what they've seen in the habitat and around the campus. More than 40 species of butterflies as well. What's interesting is as the school year goes on those observations get more detailed and that vocabulary gets more complex. It's a culture of scientific observation. One of the things we do, and I encourage everyone listening to steal this idea, is the yellow rumped warbler contest.
This little tiny creature, less than an ounce, thousands of them will arrive in Los Angeles from the north every late September, early October. Why not have your student council become experts on the species to study the species and then teach during recess, teach the other students about the species and have a prediction contra contest. when will the first one for the season arrive? That's what we did and we've been doing that every year. I think this year, Isaiah, you can correct me, but I think it was October 4th. Then those students get a picnic and a birdwalk.
Um the seeds project that we did, um this happened uh the genesis of this was during the pandemic and this was I want to say about $100,000.
The Siege project is incredibly successful, taking a concrete courtyard and turning it into a verdant campus that looks more like a plaza at a university. And if you were to be there today during recess, you would see students self- selected, engaging in a shaded, safe place, playing board games, grabbing a book from the Mobile Library, just being with their friends. You might also see in that space teachers out at a table having their lunch.
2021 brought a really exciting opportunity with a community partner, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, which is doing marvelous work around the city. Um, what they're looking for is a comprehensive change on a campus. And we are so excited that in 2021 they received a grant and additional funding partners um to really uh just take the whole campus and whatever was left of that asphalt and do something about it.
And um today I'm so excited that we have um a lot to report on this. There have been big changes on Little Street and I have to tell you that the the project really broke ground just as summer was ending. Um, and it's been a year of a little bit of sacrifice and Isaiah can talk about that. But really of grace as all stakeholders kept in mind what was ahead. It's been a beautiful thing. Uh, and so that ocean of asphalt which was our large playground has become this incredible space. um we were eager to share about this. So, we're going to hear some um by uh from community partners, but what I really want to share with you my reflection on more than a decade of doing this work at this campus very quickly. Um it's iterative work. I didn't come in here to this campus with a megaphone and say, "Okay, everything goes." It was one thing leading another saying, "Oh, do we really need asphalt there? What might we do about that?" Okay. Um, and it's been a process, one project after another and always just making progress. And as we made that progress, it became an incredible school culture. Um, community partners have been with us every way and in every project that we've done on the campus, parents and students were involved deeply. And finally, the coherence. Uh I'm grateful to work at this school district which embraces innovation and especially for the partnerships that we have for example with facilities going through this process. We have a Wednesday 11:00 a.m.
meeting once a week. It's been coherence. Okay. And stewardship if it's going to happen it can start on the elementary campus. So let's hear more about that from some other folks.
Adriana Garcia has been the project manager on the current transformation.
She's from Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust.
>> Good evening, wonderful board members.
My name is Adriana Garciao and I am a project manager with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust. My pronouns are she. Um, so you all are familiar with the LA Neighborhood Land Trust, but I just want to say our mission. and it's rooted in the health and well-being of the communities that we serve. And our goal is to address park equity. And we do that by um building parks and green spaces throughout LA County and green schoolyards like Esparansa Elementary.
Um I've had the honor, we've had the honor of working with um LA USD and principal Rumble and his school community over me only for the past three years with this project has been going on for six years. the comprehensive greening and um we throw around that term comprehensive greening and what does that mean, right? But for us, it has been an opportunity to provide um an immersive experience for outdoor education and access to nature by removing over 30,000 square feet of asphalt and adding 32 new shade trees.
We've also added 15,000 square feet of um California native plants that support the local ecology.
Um these projects also support mental health and social well-being by promoting by providing a shaded garden respit for students which support physical health by providing thoughtfully designed program play areas where the heart of the schoolyard is shaded and we've added soft materials like mulch and natural fall natural lawn that can attenuate falls, mitigate extreme heat and prevent um students from scraped knees. Lastly, the screening project increases um environmental benefits by reducing things like GHG um gas emissions that we've touched on in Christo's presentation. Mitigating urban heat island through urban restoration of shade trees and added plants.
>> Thank you for that. And let's hear from Balina Hernandez. First and foremost, she's a parent, an LUSD parent and an incredible community representative. our representative at Espironza, Hernandez.
>> Good afternoon. My name is Balvin Hernandez. Thank you for um giving us some time. School board members. Um as a parent, I arrived probably 10 years ago at Esparansa. I participated in committees and that's how we I found out about this new project. It was amazing.
However, we did waited a long time, but um my children is in seventh grade now and he wish he would enjoy this uh new project. My last baby is leaving this year, Esparansa. So, he's enjoying this for a couple weeks. Um if this one, this new project brings our community together by uh visiting the school and we watered plants. We help Mr. Rumble sometimes cleaning up the gardens. Um, we know we have this problem with homeless on Welsh Boulevard. So, we did finally clean up a couple times last time and I think the problem was kind of solved. U, I'm very happy to be here.
Uh, our parents now they have their own garden as well. They have we have eating extra berries from some parents that they're planted by nearby the parent center. We are enjoying our new playground with our kids because our kids now are very very happy. I love it.
I took some pictures of how they were enjoying these running around and how they throw themselves and they they were so happy. You would hear this laughing aloud and parents this morning were saying, "Oh, finally we're going to end up not sewing those pants when they fall and they rip on the concrete." So, they were very happy. They were talking about how kids now are going to be less injured or maybe less parents are going to be called just for a scrape by the nurse. So kids will be more safe. And like I say, I I love it because we come from another country. I come from another country where there's a lot of nature and it's very sad to see how artificial intelligence taking over our nature and our kids. And this takes our kids away from screen time and replace it for nature and enjoying and also makes them um empathy. You know, we have empathy for living things to respect living things and observe more nature, observe birds, observe animals, observe insects. My kid loves bringing worms and snails home sometimes. So, I know he loves nature. So I like that because that tells me he has a beautiful heart.
He takes care of nature. He's caring for that and that's that's our future.
That's what we want our future to be taking care of our nature and not to end up like this as we we're talking. I was remember this Lorax movie that we watch and it makes me so sad that we don't want this world to be like that in the future. So thank you very much. Our parents are very happy. they're socializing with this new project and hopefully we can have a movie night maybe in the future in our our new uh project playground or camping site, I don't know. Thank you so much.
>> That's a great idea. Um we're going to hear now from Cynthia Barlo, that TK kindergarten teacher, NBC teacher, please come on up and if we might get the foot stool, she's bringing a student to speak. If you have >> an NBC teacher means nationally board certified. So, we have a nationally board certified teacher right here. We have so many throughout the district, but one right here.
>> Yes. Thank you. Thank you for the introduction, Mr. Rumble. Um, I wanted to share today a little bit from the perspective of an educator. You know, we've heard a lot about the data and why it's important, but as an educator, why why is that? And how do I integrate nature into lessons? In the classroom, there are two areas of need that really stand out to me. And that's the social emotional need of students as well as the retention of learning. Research has found that children with strong connections to nature often demonstrate stronger self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and decreased levels of stress. This makes me think of an activity that ever since I've been a primary grade teacher, I have done every single year.
Explaining to a four and five-year-old what a scientist is, it's a little challenging. So we I explain it as someone that observes the world to learn about it. How do we do that? With our five senses. We hear, we see, we smell, we taste, we touch. And I take them to our beautiful habitat, and we go out there with a with a bubble map, individual bubble maps, and we record.
We learn about the habitat through our senses. And immediately they're engaged in these skills and the skills of self-management.
What what is our intention here? How do we manage ourselves so that we can be in this space productively?
We build relationships. Did you see this? Did you did you smell that plant?
Come come touch it. And they're engaging with each other, having those conversations, supporting one another.
and self-awareness skills. You know, when it came to what do you hear in the habitat, right away? I hear cars. I hear buses. I hear helicopters. Things that they typically hear. Let's take a moment. Let's really listen. They start to identify. I hear birds. I hear kids.
I hear the rocks under my shoes. And inevitably, someone's going to say, "Miss Barlo, I hear your voice talking."
Yes, you do. Yes, you certainly do.
Um, all of these skills are practiced in their first year of school immediately at the beginning of the school year and these start to build a foundation for their their social emotional well-being.
The classroom, playground, library, NPR, wherever they may be on campus and it's the foundation for them and everything that they're going to do.
How do we get students to retain information into their long-term memory?
And that's connecting it through prior knowledge and the world around us. When we elaborate on an idea, our brain creates multiple paths of retrieval and builds on knowledge that has already been stored. And this is preferable to wrote memorization where you only have one path to retrieve that information.
So there's been many lessons that I've done throughout my career throughout the year, you know, where I'm using nature to support the learning. One of which my student Brianna will be sharing with you, her favorite lesson that we've done recently. We did a geometry lesson where we're focusing on solid shapes. In the classroom, we're building vocabulary.
We're comparing and contrasting these solid shapes. We're classifying them.
We're looking for them in the classroom.
But now, let's connect it. Let's connect it to something that you see and are exposed to on a daily basis, things that you interact with. And we went to our courtyard. They went out with a paper to record what they can find.
We're looking around and let's find a cylinder first. What is a cylinder? And they describe it to me. Let's look around. Oh, the pole for the umbrella.
Absolutely. That is a cylinder. The trash can. Yep, that's right. They look around the tree trunk and they go, you know, they have to touch it. It's round.
See? And they describe it to me. They start looking carefully. Even the branches, are these cylinders? and they talk about it. It's a discussion. They continue looking for these shapes. Cube was hard to find. My students, they're very um devoted to our school and keeping it clean and beautiful. And one student, "Someone dropped their milk box." And they go to pick it up, no prompting, and they held it and said, "Is this a cube?" The bottom of the milkbox. Yes. Abs. You found a cube. And they he he had to go around show everyone. Look, I found a cube. I found a cube. We're interacting with the things that they see every single day. A sphere. Fifth grade just happened to be ending recess at that time. Oh, there's a ball. The sun. One of my students, his sister with her best friend was passing by. Her head. Her head's a sphere.
That's right. It is a sphere. And they're documenting this. An interesting one that we had was the tree trunk seats that we have outside. And there was this debate. Is that a sphere? Is that a cylinder?
Great question. What do you think? Well, it's round. There's there's a circle here. Another But it doesn't roll, but it's round. Look, feel it. And they're feeling it. They're sitting on it. What is that? And these rich conversations are happening because we have the space.
We get to go outside and experience and see it and feel it. And through all of this, they're building those pathways in their brain. something that they once saw as just something I sit on. Now, this is a solid shape. And they're trying to distinguish what it is. And this is all buil going into their long-term memory and going to show and carry in their future education.
So, I'm continuously looking for these opportunities where I can take learning outside and into nature knowing the benefits of it social emotionally and, you know, in their long-term memory.
often you know taking learning outside is seen as a culminating activity but I tried to look at it through the perspective of how can I do this daily if not daily two times a week let me give myself that goal knowing its importance and I wouldn't have these opportunities if we didn't the same opportunities if we didn't have this green space all these green spaces around Esparonza um so I want to thank you guys for your partnership in this transformation and Mr. Rumble's, you know, support with all of this. He, as he said, it's been a journey. It's been a decade, but every year I've been able to expose my students and enhance their learning um by having this opportunity. So, thank you for that. And my student, Briana, is going to come up to share with you her favorite lesson that we did this year.
Briana is a kinder student who just recently reclassified and she's going to be giving speaking to you in English today.
>> Right about there.
First we read stories about disagreements.
Then we went outside to defy tree trees and we wrote about f.
Next, the school got new trees and we and the five family.
Then I told my mom about how the trees are different.
Last we paint a deciduous tree. I like reading learning outside because inside we only see pictures. Outside we see real trees.
I am excited for my new playground. I am most excited for the grass.
Thank you for helping us have a a beautiful school painting. Go ahead. Stand up. Me stand.
>> She wanted to show you her her painting of her deciduous tree.
So when we all say why do we do why we do Briana? Wow. And there are lots of Brianna's. And to finish today, uh we're going to hear from a fifth grader. Uh this is Isaiah who is a student leader, a member of student, he's actually president of student council with an extremely bright future. Uh, come on up, Isaiah. I don't think you need this.
It's up to you if you want to use that.
>> Okay, >> let me get it.
>> Thank you. Appreciate that. Whoops.
We're okay. Sorry, listeners.
>> Good afternoon.
My name is Isaiah. I have attended Espironza since I was in first grade.
Now I'm in fifth grade. Sadly, my last year in elementary. Having a schoolyard habitat on campus, it was like a new world opened to me. Birds like the yellow rope warbler and getting to understand its migration. And studying native plants and insects like the Longhorn bee has helped me understand the natural world much better. When I was in first grade at Espironza, I never imagined the playground could change this much. As asphalt always felt something permanent that you could never take off or change. But now the school changed from an asphalt playground to basically a park. This school year had some sacrifice for every kid because we were not able to play on this big field for many months while it was being transformed into something better than was better than was before. But the sacrifice was worth it because now Espironza students will be able to experience a much better playground and campus, one they really deserve.
I know I speak for all the fifth grade students when I say how happy we are to know that thousands of children will now enjoy this amazing campus full of nature, shade, and happiness.
I am thankful that my school district recognizes how important this work is and I am grateful there are community partners who are working with the school district to make all of this possible.
Thank you y'all.
And I join Isaiah in thanking you.
That's our presentation. Um happy to answer. We're all happy to answer any questions. Even Briana.
Well, thank you so much every single one of you, our beautiful students, our teacher, our community rep, our parents, and also our nonprofit right um who has been yay who's been working so diligently um with and we have so many I mean apart from Los Angeles Land Trust we have tree people we have northeast trees and we have a lot of organizations that are helping us h helping the district do this work and and we see why. I was just there yesterday at Espiransa Elementary and and yes, I saw the students running. They were so happy.
>> All your people are wonderful, whether they be parents, community partners, the children, the teacher, but this cannot happen unless they have a Mr. Rumble and that right. You cannot have this unless you have a Mr. Rumble and I really appreciate what you do for the school.
This would not happen without you. So, thank you. Thank you.
>> Thank you. It's a it's and you know it's a privilege to serve. Thank you.
>> Yeah, Principal Rambul I shared this before and I'm going to share it again.
I was very impressed with your leadership, you know, starting from the seats and the other gardens and when we developed those at that time and and I back with what our board president is sharing. It's very important and my hope is that uh other schools can be able to take the example that you have created.
We can create uh similar projects in other schools. But again, um you're very passionate for the work that you do and you always go above and beyond. You have a a certain gift when it comes to working with our students and also you know being able to develop this type of project. So very passionate about greening and and the work that has been done at your school. So the transformation was incredible. I can't wait uh Adriana to come and celebrate with LLT and all of our students uh the wonderful project and uh being able to see that transformation from an asphalt corridor with the downtown in the background and now you see the green space as a front drop to um uh downtown.
So it's nice to be able to see and experience that project. So thank you for all that you do.
>> Well, thank you and to both of you. I'm happy to speak to any other schools that are interested in doing this work. Thank you.
>> Um I said this to you privately, Principal Rumble, and I'll say this to you publicly that um we do need more champions like you. Um and I'm just so always inspired by your leadership at Espironza. Um and I also believe that children deserve soft landing. So the fact that your students are able to, you know, run and fall in dirt or on on grass and have these soft landings, I think is something that all children actually in our district deserve, right?
I mean, it's such a different experience. And uh the contrast between, you know, 10 years ago and what the campus is shaping up to look like now in the backdrop of the downtown skyline is just so exciting. So I'm excited for the future generations and I am saddened also I think that it took so long from ideiation to actual you know implementation and I really hope you know as a district we can just find the ways to expedite these projects.
>> Well thank you appreciate it.
>> Thank you. Um, as we heard earlier, the schools that were here, you know, um, this is exactly what they're dreaming for, the dream to have this schoolyard just like Espiransa. So, every every child in LA USD deserves to have that that schoolyard. And we're we're working we're working at it, but um, eventually the dream is to every elementary at least starting with elementary has the exact schoolyard that you that Espiransa has. But go ahead. Did you want to say something, Laura?
just want to echo the appreciation for all of you that came today and your beautiful um everything that you shared and the beautiful way that you were um saying it. I wrote down a lot of what you shared um Miss Hernandez that was really moving and I've heard it from other parents as well the and the kind of um parallel between less screens and skinned knees and more of that interaction and empathy with living creatures and I really appreciate that. um and everyone for staying and for sharing. Um I had uh and I'd love to uh have uh the opportunity to have other schools who are interested in some of these same projects to connect with your school and hear about your story. Thank you for offering that.
Um I had one question which is just how um because I know that the sometimes we it's easier for schools to find grant funding for project development but that then the maintenance can be is a separate thing that has its own funding constraints and I'm so amazed by the diversity of plant life that you have and in your photos and how has that gone in terms of the maintaining the projects. So we work with na uh nature nexus institute which was the partner on the original habitat and uh we will work with them to have actual maintenance days will they'll come out and we get involved in that as well. Um water is an interesting thing um board member new bill I think you were asking about water. I I definitely heard that come up a lot during your talk. And I think one thing that's really important is that native plants once they're established, they're really just acclimated to California and the water bill goes way down and yet it looks fantastic. So I think that that might be another question. How might native plants become more um extensively used throughout the district? Um but maintenance in all the work that we have done has not been an issue. And one other thing I'll just add is um I've tried to with our with the school district with our community partners is to bring people along. I've never done something and then asked permission. It's always been and if there's a question sometimes you'll have a dialogue around maybe where the work needs to go. So in that way it's important for us at school sites to tell our story and to educate. Okay. And I think this um project that we've done over this decade now has educated um a lot of stakeholders.
Um again thank you so much for sharing with us. And to our student speakers I want to say thank you. Um Isaiah you nailed it. just being able just to give us on behalf of all the fifth graders.
Um, and I I appreciate the fact that you were able to see that transition and able to appreciate it and be able to share that because I think often not many of our students may not be engaged in it and the fact that you were able to articulate that to us to help us just kind of go through it with you. how you were able to sacrifice, but yet now you're able to run and enjoy. And as a mom of two boys and one named Isaiah, I know >> the running and um the holes in the pants that um now you know the soft landing is such a great experience for you and and Briana again, thank you for sharing and even sharing your artwork with us today. Um, and to the parents, um, we know that it takes a village to do this work and to our educators and appreciate you bringing it full circle and making it understandable to our students and engaging them. And so it is definitely a model to be imitated throughout our district. And Principal Rumble, they don't make them like you anymore.
Um, and I mean I say that because it's often we we don't see that longevity within the district.
>> And so even for the 10-year process to be at one school site to be able to see this come from beginning to end and to hold it all the way through. Um, that is something often we don't see. And so the fact that you were able to see it from beginning to end, from vision, um to create this oasis with the, you know, downtown skyline behind you, I am just grateful that you are there to be that example and to be that for other schools that may want to and don't know how to navigate the iterative work, which I was like, >> it is iterative.
>> Yeah. And that is something that, you know, we definitely appreciate you championing for our district and being to be that voice. So again, thank you for coming and sharing with us and for highlighting things that I think really brings us joy on our campuses.
>> Well, thank you that all of this means a lot. And if I may, I just want to say to you in 35 years, I've only worked 35 years with LA Unified, I have served on three campuses. That's my entire career.
But that has served me well because when you go deeply into a community, you figure it out, right? Where does the work need to go? So, and >> even bridging communities because I heard you mention that students from Dorsy, which is my alum, was able to connect there, too. So, I appreciate that.
>> Yep. Yeah. The greenhouse program that Nature Nexus Institute has at Baldwin Hills Scenic Over overlook has been amazing. And count on count on me for any school that you know would would like to learn from this example. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much.
>> I had two questions for you. The first one is the last time I visited your school there was a bird nesting in one of the seeds in the trees that in the seeds courtyard. So wanted to know if it's still nesting there.
>> And then the second one is given that we cannot clone you. Um, what advice would you have for district leadership besides the great advice you already gave of what we could do to um replicate the experiences that you've created for the students um at your school at other schools?
>> That's a complex question. The first question was a lot easier. So, I'll answer that one first. the nest. Uh there was a mockingb bird nest when you were there and the mocking birds built another nest. I I don't think I shared this. They constructed their nest in one of the newly planted trees. Uh I don't know the status of that nest right now.
Uh and Anna's hummingbird built a nest within the courtyard, but I don't think the eggs were laid. That's your update.
But um I think that bigger question um again that word iterative is such a powerful word. It really um is uh uh I think of lowhanging fruit and some of the lowhanging fruit for us was looking where there might be an asphalt cut. Um where might there be empty tree wells begging for some life. Um, and then how can that work always involve the community to build that school culture?
Tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., Miss Hernandez knows this. I'll be giving a tour. I want our parent community to become experts like where we'll have our own field guide to the new trees that were planted on our campus. So, we're going to begin that with a walking tour with our parent community tomorrow. Um, so I would say as uh as much as you can to foster that involvement of the local stakeholders as you tell your story and and I love that you bring that up because this experience, this green experience, right, the transformation that Espansa went through does not only transforms the classroom or the students, it also transforms the entire family >> because now they're able to join together and having these conversations that they probably never would have had if they didn't have this exposure, right? To learning about trees and different birds and different insects and and trying to calculate, you know, when this insect is going to come, right? I forget the name of it. Um and and then just seeing an owl this entire experience, they would never have had this if they didn't have this, you know, um you know, greenery and native plants in their in their school.
>> That's right.
>> Um and then so now knowing that the parents are engaged, imagine the conversation that they're having, right?
When they go out for a walk, it's the conversations like, "Oh, did you hear that bird? Did you see that?" You know what I mean? Or did you see that butterfly? I mean that is an experience that I uh as a child never had right living in this urban jungle of of LA now it's now it's now becoming a California native plant jungle right that we all want to connect with so it's transformational all around not only you know through your self-esteem your confidence your knowledge your exposure your and also the connectedness with the family it's just it it transforms everything I appreciate that. And we don't need to go to MacArthur Park to see the ducks. We could still do that, but now we have the nature right on campus. We Every campus has its own natural history that's just waiting to be explored.
>> I have two questions. I have one question for Isaiah.
>> Can I ask you a question, Isaiah?
So, you know, many students or some of your classmates may feel shy, nervous, or scary to speak up or get involved, but you did it wonderfully today. And so, what advice would you give to other students who might feel shy uh or nervous, but to make a difference in greeting their schools and speaking up?
What What advice would you give them?
Um, being shy is nervous is okay, but I think when you're speaking in front of someone, um, it's not like you're going to get judged a lot. So, um, I I al I always get nervous and shy, too, but I always speak up because I want to show who I really am, and I hope other kids could do the same. is just show who you are and then just break through that shyness and nervous and then just show you your art. Well, you definitely showed us who you are today and especially about your school and I want to thank you for that. It took a lot of bravery to be here and and represent the voice of of your classmates particularly the fifth grade uh culminating class. So, thank you Isaiah. I appreciate it's great for um a wonderful teacher or nationally board certified teacher Miss Cynthia Barilo and then I apologize if I mispronounce your name. Uh so you've been a part of this journey for many years and have seen students in your classroom and throughout the school experience these spaces over time.
Looking back, what are you most proud of and what advice would you give educators who want to create similar opportunities for their students?
What I'm most proud of is when I see that the learning is being transferred home.
When parents come to me and share their stories like, you know, they were telling me about this and this. I never knew about it. You know, going based off of Briana's story of her telling her mom about deciduous and evergreen trees. I actually had that conversation with several parents where he was like, I had a father that had told me during parent conference like, "Yeah, she was telling me about the trees and I was telling her, "No, this is a Christmas tree." And she said, "No, Dad, it's an evergreen tree, but the other ones outside are deciduous tree." And he's like, "I had no idea what she was talking about, but they're making those connections and transferring it home, and the learning's going home, and they're learning as a family, and that is going to carry with them. and that's where they're going to continue building. So that is something that you know I'm most proud of when the learning can be transferred home and it becomes um a family learning experience.
My advice for others educators um is to dive right in. You know sometimes we I I mentor um for IAP and you know I've also Mr. Rumble has given me the opportunity to do PDS at our school as well. And that's always my advice. Don't hesitate.
You have an idea, you have to jump right in because that hesitation, that what if it doesn't come out perfect is going to hold you back. You have to dive right in and then you refine it for next time.
And that's how you continue to grow. Um, you know, every school campus is different and the amount of green space that they have is going to look different. Use what you have. Use what you have. If you have to bring in nature, you have to do, you know, ask for a little money, plant some seeds, make your own little garden, do what you have to work with what you have and opportunities are going to come up.
Opportunities will come up, but just dive right in and try it out.
>> Thank you. Thank you so much. Yes, MSA.
>> I didn't realize until this the end of the series of all of our greening meetings and I it just came to me now. I don't know why, but greening also makes you a kinder person.
When I heard about playing with the worms and the snails and birds and the trees, it makes you a it makes you a kinder person. And I think that I never realized how greening made you a kinder person, but I believe it does.
>> And to the and to that also brave.
There's a lot of students that, you know, it's abstract for them. The insects, the birds, the nature, and when you don't know about something, you become hesitant, you become afraid. But when you're exposed to it, and oh, that's all that it is. It's just a worm.
It's not going to chase me. It's just going to wiggle around right there.
Yeah, that's all it Oh, okay. So, you know, that's that's a part of it. Also, >> I was just intrigued that you guys even changed your school mascot.
>> I was like, "Okay, it's the owl." And I was like, "What is the owl?" Right?
You're talking about intrigue meaning.
So, it was saying that it's representing wisdom, intuition, and hidden truths.
And so, you guys have really done that.
So, I don't know if you knew that prior to making that, but yeah. So I was like, you guys are now hidden truth. So you guys are a gem within our school. So appreciate that.
>> Thank you. Thank you so much. And I'm so grateful that we're able to our last presentation of this committee is ending here because this is what this and I get emotional because this is what this committee is all about of transforming not only climate resilience but it's about transforming our schools and transforming transforming our lives. So I want to thank all of you and I want to thank all my committee members for just you know diving diving into this all the you know the tough conversations that we have to have and um just learning from one another and we're all we're all in this together right and that's been my goal my objective with this committee and bringing all of us together to to do this work and yes it's been challenging um but like you said if we all just kind work together along side by side we can make it happen and we this is and um one of the examples how how that work yes it took a decade but we got it right and now the goal is to make it not a decade and make it shorter or half but that's the goal in transforming and I know that all the the students espansa and Isaiah and his classmates are going to be just better human beings because of this experience and I know they're never going to forget it because it gives You know, looking back in my life when I was in elementary school, I remember the garden that we had at Hobart Elementary and it was in the back of one of um buildings and we just had beds and I loved it and I never forgot that. I remember I have vivid memories that how we would go and we planted and we saw it grow and you know that that's still with me to this day. Um, so it did have just that impact that one I was in first grade and that when we did that and I never forgot it. So I know that all of the students here at Espiransa and all of our schools will have very impactful experiences when they see their their school transform into a beautiful, you know, living schoolyard. Basically, that's what it's about.
>> Oh, thank you. It's all all of this is very motivating. So thank you.
>> You as well. Thank you. Big applause to Zanta.
So um so as we close as I said this is our our last presentation our last meeting and um I want to thank Esparansa and um and the Los Angeles neighborhood land trust for joining us today and sharing your journey and also for all the wonderful work that uh the eco sustainability office is doing Christos and also facilities working hand in hand and and making all of this a reality for LUSD and all of our school communities.
So, I'm very thankful. Uh, but the meeting is not over because we have one more >> that's correct.
>> public comment that was in here who wants to uh um he wants to say a few words and then we'll adjourn after this.
>> We have a single public commenter. Um, Mr. David Tokovski. I see you on the line. Mr. T, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. David Tokovski, >> thank you for the opportunity to speak.
Um, I applaud you for having Brad there and perhaps he can be on your selection committee since you'll be looking for heads of instruction. He clearly uh is the type of person who could recognize leaders in instruction which the board of ed will be working on in the next days or weeks. I'd like to also say that um you should bring uh Carlos Torres and the Environmental Health Safety Branch and and the dozens of employees that do similar work do a presentation as well um in your next year's committee. And finally, uh it would be important to really get an audit going on the bus um costs uh before that becomes a front page story. It would be very good to learn what is happening, what funds are being used, how much funds and similarly the ELOP monies, the $2 billion also ought to be uh a board initiated audit before the state does that. And finally, again, uh the board should be concentrating on the budget and the fiscal stabilization plan. the items in the fiscal stabilization plan uh are either very uh rough drafts or un incomplete. Uh the board should be focusing not just on the $3.9 billion that the governor will return, but the $2 billion overinputed into the rainy day fund for education and the now $3 billion more that has come up uh as grown from January to May. Additionally, there's dramatic revenues for 2026 tax that has been identified which are not put in your fiscal stabilization plan.
There's under reporting of the attendance numbers 93% exactly what LA Unified is now. You ought to push that higher. There's low expectations there.
And uh there ought to be efforts to not put the charter school block grant which is only $7 billion roughly the amount of the all here contract that that is pennywise and pound foolish if one two three or five of the affiliated charter schools in the M's area convert to independent charters.
>> Thank you for your time.
So before we adjourn, I want to once again thank everyone who participated in this committee throughout the school year and um those that helped make this meeting possible. And uh for my committee members, you see some of these wonderful potted succulents. These were made for you especially by our Bettis um special education CTC center. So they made these for you. So these are made from our CTC students at Bettis. And um I want to thank our committee members, my colleagues, board president Scottson and board member Handy Newell for uh being a part of this committee. Also Christina Toes, a chief facilities executive, Christos Cressilio, chief eco sustainability officer. Jay Golida from associate uh general counsel. Thank you for joining us. A board secretari Mr. Mike McClean and Ebony in the back Wilson. Thank you so much for your help.
And our external representatives, we have um Michaela Randolph for Green Schoolyards America, Lauren Akam from Lane, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, and uh two or not present, but they were very um important committee members. Eddie Alvarez from LEOC building trades and Gloria Medina from strategic concepts of in organizing and policy education scope. She's no longer there but she was the here in representation of scope. Thank you for all of you for joining us in this committee and then learning about um greening schools and climate resilience and all of your thoughtful questions and also um discussions. I want to thank also want to thank our students, school communities for reminding us of why we do this work. Seeing young people engage in as environmental leaders, stewards, and advocates gives us all hope for the future. While this may be our final committee meeting for the school year, the work continues, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead. Thank you for all of your partnership and commitment from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thank you so much. This meeting is now adjourned.
Thank you.
>> Can we take a picture?
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