At Westside Montessori School we will make a difference through the choices we make. We take pride in the fact that we are making eco-friendly decisions. We encourage ecological awareness and educate our students to take responsibility for the environment.
Some of the ways Westside Montessori School strives toward green include:
Children are provided with a healthy lunch program supplied by Real Food for Real Kids. “At Real Food for Real Kids, [they] use whole, natural and organic ingredients to make food, fresh from scratch, every day”. Not only does this save you the hassle of preparing lunch everyday; it drastically cuts down on the landfill and recycled waste our school produces. RFRK is committed to sustainability. Discover more about RRK at http://www.rfrk.com/.
Westside Montessori School’s classroom materials are purchased from companies that implement water based finishing technology and are free of heavy metals such as lead and other toxins. We purchase our furniture second hand where possible and refurbish it using ecologically safe methods. The new furniture we purchase comes from companies that minimize any negative impact on the environment, have high standards of environmental protection and use renewable and recyclable materials from certified, responsibly managed forests. Allowing your children opportunity to care for their environment, including both the classroom and our Earth, will instill in them a sense of responsibility and pride for their surroundings. As the classroom is their environment, the children, along with staff, will use eco-friendly products to keep it clean. They will also be involved in our recycling and composting programs.
Your children will become aware of the impact they can have on reducing the amount of power used while at school, and will carry this awareness with them to other settings, including their homes. Young children are intrigued by the idea of ‘power‘ and ‘energy‘, and love the tasks of turning off the lights.
Our field trips will give us city dwellers an opportunity to relax in and get to know our larger surroundings in an educational manner. Our field trips will be ecology-based outings to such places as the Kortright Centre for Conservation, Riverdale Farm, Avalon Orchards and the RFRK Kitchen! The children will enhance their understanding of the circle of life through visiting the Humber River in the fall to see the salmon jumping.*
*all fieldtrips are subject to change year to year depending on factors such as parent involvement, weather and transportation.