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Student interns present climate analysis; board hears first read of climate action resolution and staff announce water-heater grant
Summary
Paid CAPS interns presented district energy, waste and transportation analysis and recommendations tied to a draft Climate Action resolution. Staff announced a city and county grant to replace natural-gas water heaters at the district's comprehensive high schools.
Petaluma City Schools heard a student-led presentation on district greenhouse-gas reductions and climate-action recommendations during the board's presentations, and the board received a first reading of an updated climate-action resolution.
Dan Osterman, the district's college and career pathways coordinator and leader of the Environmental Literacy and Climate Action Committee, introduced an 18-student cohort from Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS). Kirk Ann Taylor, executive director of CAPS, said the internship is a paid program that trained students in data collection, climate careers and project implementation.
Senior interns presented four areas of work: district decarbonization (building energy), 0-waste strategies, waste-management audits, and a student-climate-survey. The students reported a roughly 38% reduction in district energy use compared with a prior year, flagged a 27% increase in water use that they recommended investigating, and calculated district-wide carbon emissions and site-level differences. Recommendations included targeted energy audits, lighting retrofits to LED, HVAC inventory and upgrades, and pilot programs for reusable foodware and permanent waste-sorting stations.
Student Andy Fong said the work contributed to a district application that earned Bronze level in the California Green Ribbon Schools program and named Mary Collins and McNear elementary schools for higher recognition. Pranav Krishna and other interns presented energy-usage intensity and recommended further energy audits and solar opportunities for specific sites. Students also reported results from a survey of roughly 350 respondents showing climate anxiety among more than half of students and strong student support for energy- and waste-reduction measures.
Deputy Superintendent and district staff praised the interns and the CAPS partnership. During board Q&A, Superintendent'era discussion noted a contemporaneous funding win: the district found it had received a joint grant from the City of Petaluma and Sonoma County to replace natural-gas water heaters at both comprehensive high school sites, a step staff characterized as directly aligned with the interns' recommendations to reduce fossil-fuel use.
Board members and staff discussed next steps including: incorporating CAPS recommendations into facility planning, connecting interns' reports to district Green Ribbon follow-ups, and sharing the final CAPS report with the public in June.
Why it matters: The CAPS internship ties student career pathways to district operations and helps the district prioritize energy and waste measures that reduce emissions and operating costs while involving students in implementation.
Speakers - Dan Osterman, College and Career Pathways Coordinator, Petaluma City Schools (presenter of CAPS partnership). - Kirk Ann Taylor, Executive Director, Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS). - Andy Fong, Student intern, Casa Grande High School (presenter). - Pranav Krishna, Student intern, Casa Grande High School (presenter). - Deputy Superintendent (referred to during discussion).
