D65 Sustainability Update: Apr 26

We are pleased to share our annual progress report towards our D65 Sustainability Goals, along with a sustainability data dashboard with our utility usage.

1. Teaching & Learning. Student-led sustainability changemaking happening in 7th Grade (Collective Action for Climate Justice) paired with OpenSciEd Unit 7.6 Earth’s Resources and Human Impact, in partnership with Director of STEAM and Sustainability Coordinator.
2. Healthy Environments. Foster Elementary School designed to LEED Silver, opening in August 2026.
3. Sustainable Operations. 23% reduction in Total Carbon Emissions (Scope 1 and 2) for Jan-Dec 2025 vs Jan-Dec 2018 (baseline year). To learn more about D65 energy and carbon emissions, visit our Sustainability Data Dashboard.
4. Transportation & Mobility. 20% (11 Electric School buses) serving D65 students by the start of 26-27 school year, to learn more visit our Electric School Bus website.
5. Teaching & Learning. Complete and in compliance with Illinois House Bill 4895 in 25-26 school year by integrating instruction on climate change into the curriculum in at least one grade in elementary schools (3rd Grade) and one grade in middle schools (7th Grade).

Why: Together, we’re aiming to raise $100,000 to fund:

D65 is excited to share news that Foster Elementary will be utilizing all reusable products in their cafeteria! This includes lunch trays, milk cups, and utensils. These purchases were made possible thanks to the following supporters: PlasticFreeRestaurants, the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) (our long-time partner in sustainability efforts), and our D65 Nutrition Services and Sustainability teams. We are so grateful and excited to start this journey!

Aligned with our D65 Sustainability Plan, our goal is to transition to all reusables in the lunchrooms and eliminate food-related single-use plastics by 2050. We're making great strides with reusable utensils in JEH Early Childhood and expanding to Foster starting next school year.

We're excited to host an End of School Clean Out again in 2026, coordinate with your School Leaders and sign-up by May 6 to participate. Learn more about our End of School Clean Out and our 2026 process, timeline and resources.

In 2025, our D65 schools mobilized to gather leftover school supplies that would typically go to the landfill. We encouraged sharing and reuse within our schools and D65 Families and recovered $2150 of school supplies to offset purchasing new supplies! Remaining items were donated to our D65 Family Wellness Program, Art Makers Outpost, and SCARCE.

Interested in planting new trees on our D65 school grounds this Fall? Make sure to use our refreshed D65 collaboration & approval process and submit your request by May 31.

Helpful Resources:

• School maps to identify viable spaces for new tree plantings, in partnership with Natural Habitat Evanston and our D65 Team.
• Approved Tree and Shrubs for D65 School Grounds to use when planning your tree planting requests.

Spring Seasonal Practice from April - May 15, reminder to our native planting stewards to trim or cut back any large plants that overwintered to make room for new spring growth.

Please update the Maps of Native Plantings on D65 School Grounds to identify existing native plantings on your school grounds including contact names / emails / phone numbers for the person / team stewarding each native planting area.

Stay tuned for details on 26-27 school year community meetings in the Fall, Winter and Spring.

Congratulations to Nichols 8th Grader Taylor, who is part of our STEP program! Her original graphic design will be our newest artwork to be displayed on a City of Evanston recycling truck!

Taylor's design received the most votes in the Recycling Truck Student Art Design Competition, hosted by the City of Evanston and District 65. In honor of America Recycles Day (November 15), the annual contest challenged students to create original artwork focused on building awareness of the City's newest recycling tool, Recycle Coach and "build better habits & get wiser about waste".

Keep an eye out for the newly wrapped truck rolling around Evanston in 2026!

Please update your school's contact information for the 25-26 school year, including:

• Climate Action Team Chair(s)
• School Garden Team Chair(s)
• Climate Club
• School PTA and Newsletter emails

The Evanston Community Fridges are looking for community members to help shop for, clean, and deliver food for the three community fridges in Evanston. Evanston’s three community fridges provide free food and toiletries to any community member, anytime. To read about the donation guidelines and fridge locations, please visit https://www.evanstoncommunityfridges.com. To learn how to get more involved, please email evanstoncommunityfridge@gmail.com.

ESCCA, the Evanston School Children’s Clothing Association, is hard at work fulfilling its historic mission - to make sure no Evanston child misses school for lack of warm clothing or shoes. ESCCA opened its doors to District 65 children just before the start of the school year so they could visit our store and choose warm clothing, coats, shoes, boots, socks, undergarments, and more. ESCCA has received over 150 referrals so far this school year.

There are many ways to get involved with ESCCA:

• Consider purchasing something from our Amazon Wishlist which we continue to update with the items we need most. Click HERE!

• Contribute financially to ESCCA to help us purchase clothing for the shop. Click HERE!

• Drop off warm clothing in The Clothing Bin - located at 1500 McDaniel Drive (behind the D65 Building)

• Volunteer with ESCCA!

At Harbert Payne Park, a native plant steward has set aside a wooded area in the park as a potential spot for a nature play area. The site could also include a grassy area of the park near the forested area.

Interested in leading and/or volunteering to help make this Nature Play Area a reality? Contact Celia Michener at cemgroupc@gmail.com.

• SWANCC Waste Reduction and Litter Clean Up Grants - open year-round

• D65 Sustainability Website
• D65 Sustainability Plan (adopted April 2025)
• D65 Sustainability Goals Annual Progress Report
• D65 Sustainability Data Dashboard
• D65 Sustainability and Garden Resources Library
• D65 Climate Action & Garden Community Contact List
• D65 Sustainability Newsletter Archive