BVSD Board of Education · Document
Annual Sustainability Action Plan Update April 2026.pdf (23,103 KB)
Regular Meeting, April 28, 2026 · item 6.1: Sustainability Action Plan-April Earth Month Update · 37 pages
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Board of Education | April 28, 2026
Sustainability Action Plan Update 2025-26 School Year
greenBVSD Vision and Mission Vision All together, for all students, and the planet
Mission
Section Divider Title
As a leader in whole-district sustainability, Boulder Valley School District creates healthy learning environments and experiences that equip all students and staff with the knowledge and skills to create more equitable and sustainable communities.
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Nationally Recognized Leadership
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Sustainability Guiding Documents
2009 SMS 2021 Progress Report
2013 Energy Plan 2015 SMS Update
2021 Action Plan 2023 Green New Deal Resolution
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Action Plan Focus Areas ●
The plan covers all four of BVSD’s impact systems. ○
●
Curriculum and Instruction
Overarching goal and 3-5 supporting goals Operations
5-year timeline 1
3
5
2021-22
2023-24
2025-26
2022-23
2024-25
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4
Earth Systems
Climate and Culture
Leadership New Plan Development
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Strategic Priority
Leadership Overarching Goal By 2026, BVSD will collect and report consistent data at 100% of schools related to healthy, equitable, and
sustainable school best practices. This data will include measures related to operations, climate and culture, and curriculum and instruction.
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Leadership: Supporting Goals
1
Establish a cross sector Sustainability Advisory Group
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Leadership: Supporting Goals
1 2
Establish a cross sector Sustainability Advisory Group Develop a Sustainability Dashboard for each school
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Leadership: Supporting Goals
1 2 3
Establish a cross sector Sustainability Advisory Group Develop a Sustainability Dashboard for each school Update Operational Policies and Practices GND
Water Management Plan 2026
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Leadership: Supporting Goals
1 2 3 4
Establish a cross sector Sustainability Advisory Group Develop a Sustainability Dashboard for each school Update Operational Policies and Practices GND Create a Professional Learning Plan for 100% of staff GND
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Strategic Priority
Facilities and Operations Overarching Goal By 2026, BVSD will continue to pursue net-zero energy by reducing its
greenhouse gas emissions from the 2018-19 baseline by 14% through capital investments and ongoing operational efficiencies and develop a water management plan that models responsible water use in an arid climate.
A new photovoltaic solar array on New Vista will almost entirely offset the building’s electricity use.
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Facilities and Operations: Energy Goals Total Emissions by Fiscal Year
5,249 Building Energy
mtCO2
2026 Goal
Long Term Goal: Fiscal Year
Reduce GHG emissions by 80% and become carbon neutral by 2050
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Facilities and Operations: Energy Goals Trendline For EUI EUI (Actual) 2026 EUI Goal
EUI Goals (2026 and 2050) 2050 EUI Goal
Zero-Net Energy Trendline
Energy Use Intensity: Annual kBTU ÷ Building Area = kBTU/sf/year
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Facilities and Operations: Supporting Goals
1
Integrate Green Building Principles into assessment process GND
GND
BVSD’s green building guidelines call for low VOC materials and products and energy efficient lighting.
GND
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Facilities and Operations: Supporting Goals
1 2
Integrate Green Building Principles into assessment process GND Continue to pursue zero waste by maintaining a 50% diversion rate
GND
GND
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Facilities and Operations: Supporting Goals
1 2 3
Integrate Green Building Principles into assessment process GND Continue to pursue zero waste by maintaining a 50% diversion rate Develop a balanced water management plan, decrease water use by 5%
GND
GND
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Facilities and Operations: Supporting Goals
1 2 3 4
Integrate Green Building Principles into assessment process GND Continue to pursue zero waste by maintaining a 50% diversion rate Develop a balanced water management plan, decrease water use by 5% Reduce transportation emissions by 25% (community & internal) GND
GND
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Facilities and Operations: Supporting Goals
1 2 3 4 5
Integrate Green Building Principles into assessment process GND Continue to pursue zero waste by maintaining a 50% diversion rate Develop a balanced water management plan, decrease water use by 5% Reduce transportation emissions by 25% (community & internal) GND Decrease EUI to 56; Design new buildings to LEED Gold standard
One of two new solar canopies to be installed at Apex.
GND
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Strategic Priority
Curriculum and Instruction Overarching Goal By 2026, all students at every grade level will have meaningful and developmentally appropriate
experiences to develop sustainability knowledge, values and behaviors. These will include learning experiences related to environmental and sustainability education that support the goals and outcomes determined by the strategic plan.
Students celebrate their BVSD Seal of Climate Literacy commendations.
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Curriculum and Instruction: Supporting Goals
1
Identify where EfS topics can be
integrated into common instructional units GND
GND
One middle school and two high schools offering climate literacy courses.
One high school offering a co-taught climate justice science course for English-Language Learners.
College Credit Before Graduation 20
Curriculum and Instruction: Supporting Goals
1 2
Identify where EfS topics can be
integrated into common instructional units GND Support & track professional learning by school leaders & teachers related to EfS GND
GND
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Curriculum and Instruction: Supporting Goals
1 2 3
Identify where EfS topics can be
integrated into common instructional units GND Support & track professional learning by school leaders & teachers related to EfS GND Develop formal articulation agreements with strategic partners
GND
Students at Heatherwood plant trees with our partners.
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Curriculum and Instruction: Supporting Goals
4
Incorporate student voice into BVSD’s climate change action planning processes.
GND
GND
GND
Green Youth Council members tell families about the council and Seal of Climate Literacy at the BVSD is the Place to Be showcase.
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Curriculum and Instruction: Supporting Goals
4 5
Incorporate student voice into BVSD’s climate change action planning processes.
GND
Continue building professional development, curricular, and extracurricular activities to increase knowledge of and opportunities for action on climate change.
GND
Platt Middle School hosts partners and students in a collaborative workshop to learn about climate-related careers, climate art, and the legislative process. GND
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Curriculum and Instruction: Supporting Goals
4 5
Incorporate student voice into BVSD’s climate change action planning processes.
GND
Continue building professional development, curricular, and extracurricular activities to increase knowledge of and opportunities for action on climate change.
GND
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Work with local and state partners to expand pathways to well-paying jobs combatting the climate crisis in a variety of career fields and integrate climate change related pathways into the Grad+ Framework. GND
Students identify local climate problems that resonate with their strengths and interests at the BVSD Climate Day.
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Curriculum and Instruction
Seal of Climate Literacy ●
2nd Year conferring the Seal of Climate Literacy - state diploma endorsement
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Qualifying courses available at all high schools
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Additional climate courses added to the course catalog
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BVSD Commendation - students earn a natural cord and medal upon graduation
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BVSD Seal of Climate Literacy Celebration of Impact ○ Students presented their experiential learning project portfolios ○ Commendation Ceremony 26
2 0 2 6
Seal of Climate Literacy By the numbers
2nd graduating class to earn the Seal of Climate Literacy
71
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New Climate Courses
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Middle Schools offering the Junior Seal of Climate Literacy
Students earned the Seal of Climate Literacy in 2025 2026
110+
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Work-Based Learning Opportunities
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College Credit Before Graduation Courses
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Certifications
Students in Grades 6 - 11 interested in the SCL 27
Curriculum and Instruction
Seal of Climate Literacy Partners
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Strategic Priority
Climate and Culture Overarching Goal By 2026, all faculty, staff, students and families will have regular opportunities to experience sustainability in action. BVSD’s School Food Project fuels students with scratch-cooked meals made from organic, locally sources ingredients whenever possible.
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Climate and Culture: Supporting Goals
1
All elementary schools will have green schoolyards and outdoor learning spaces. All secondary schools will have increased outdoor seating and shading.
2025 BVSD High School Climate Summit hosted at Boulder High School
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Climate and Culture: Supporting Goals
1
All elementary schools will have green schoolyards and outdoor learning spaces. All secondary schools will have increased outdoor seating and shading.
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Develop an ongoing annual communication strategy for BVSD sustainability work
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Climate and Culture: Supporting Goals
1
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All elementary schools will have green schoolyards and outdoor learning spaces. All secondary schools will have increased outdoor seating and shading.
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Develop an ongoing annual communication strategy for BVSD sustainability work
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Develop continuous improvement and tracking system for model programs that already exist
schools
$2.4 M ~3 M
in local food purchasing
number of scratch meals served annually
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Green Teams
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schools
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Grant and Rebate Funding
>$400,000 Grant and rebate funding to date this school year, more pending! 33
Action Plan Moving Forward
2027-2031 Action Plan Engagement Overview
Community
Staff
● Sustainability Advisory Committee ● Green Youth Council ● Student groups ● BVSD Municipalities- sustainability staff ● CU Boulder ● Interviews
● Principal Survey (this week) ● Working groups ○ Leadership ○ Facilities and Operations ○ Curriculum and Instruction ○ Climate and Culture
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2027-2031 Action Plan
Overall Key Themes Curriculum and Instruction
Priorities ● Resilience
● Water management ● GHG reduction ● Integrate with strategic plan
Operations
Earth Systems
Climate and Culture
● Green job skill development ● Dashboard data utilization ● Communications
Leadership
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Questions?