ACR 128, as amended, Ting. Living Schoolyard Month.
This measure would designate the month of Maybegin delete 2014end delete as Living Schoolyard Month, and would urge the State Department of Education, school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to continue to prioritize the design and construction of student-accessible green space on school campuses and to integrate use of this space into the teaching of standards-based curriculum.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Urban development often disconnects communities
2from natural systems, wildlife, and seasonal changes; and
3WHEREAS, Environmental sustainability has become a high
4priority in urban planning and design, and should be incorporated
5in construction and renovation of schools; and
6WHEREAS, On-campus green space designs have environmental
7benefits such as rainwater collection, urban carbon and runoff
8sequestration, air quality improvement, and ecological resiliency;
9and
P2 1WHEREAS, Schools can benefit their surrounding communities
2through thoughtful design and use of their grounds, paying mind
3to local ecological, social, and cultural context; and
4WHEREAS, The amount of time the average American child
5spends outdoors and distance traveled from the home unsupervised
6are in constant decline; and
7WHEREAS, Childhood obesity and its related health issues have
8become a public policy concern in the United States and California,
9particularly in low-income communities; and
10WHEREAS, Children spend a significant portion of their day
11on their school campuses, amounting to at least 840 instructional
12hours per year from grades 1 to 3, inclusive, and up to 1,080 hours
13for grades 9 to 12, inclusive; and
14WHEREAS, An ecological schoolyard setting provides a
15peaceful, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasant environment for
16students, particularly for those students who lack the desire or
17ability to
engage in competitive, fast-paced, or more structured
18activities; and
19WHEREAS, Ecological schoolyard play encourages
20collaborative and cooperative play, reducing the aggression that
21
occurs on traditional playgrounds; and
22WHEREAS, An on-campus green space, such as a school garden,
23is a fundamental component of a school environment intended to
24include and empower students, giving them a sense of place and
25community; and
26WHEREAS, Schools are devoted to nurturing each child’s
27physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development and ability
28to assess challenging situations and make intelligent choices; and
29WHEREAS, Children should be given the opportunity to reflect
30and embrace their local ecological, social, and cultural context in
31both recreational and instructional settings; and
32WHEREAS, Outdoor classrooms provide clearer context for
33standards-based instruction in life and physical sciences, health
34and
nutrition, and social science; and
35WHEREAS, Outdoor activity is essential to learning, health,
36and the overall quality of student life; and
37WHEREAS, The Instructional School Gardens Program has
38been established by the Legislature for the promotion, creation,
39and support of instructional school gardens; now, therefore, be it
P3 1Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
2thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the month of
3Maybegin delete 2014end delete as Living Schoolyard Month and urges the State
4Department of Education, school districts, county offices of
5education, and charter schools to continue to prioritize the design
6and construction of student-accessible green space on school
7campuses
and to integrate use of this space into the teaching of
8standards-based curriculum; and be it further
9Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
10of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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