Lakewood Elementary School

Welcome to Lakewood's Sustainability Hub!

We are dedicated to fostering environmental awareness and responsibility among our students. Through engaging activities and initiatives, we strive to empower young learners to become stewards of the planet, making positive contributions to their community and beyond!

Real-time air monitoring at Lakewood!

6th-grade students track the air quality index of Lakewood daily. Mr. Arnold partnered with UC Merced over two years ago to install a Purple Air Monitor on Lakewood's rooftop and now Lakewood has an additional monitor in the school loading zone.

💡Energy Conservation

A full-time Energy Education Specialist contracted through Cenergistic monitors Lakewood's utility bills and conducts in-person audits to verify HVAC run times and proper lighting usage. The specialist also helps optimize systems to ensure they run efficiently.

Cenergistic provides ongoing training and support, including student engagement opportunities such as "Energy Audits" and "Utility Bill Review." Visit the District Energy Conservation page to learn more!

If you would like more information about this program, contact the Director of Sustainability, Gilbert Blue Feather Rosas, at Rosas.G@mcs4kids.com.

MCS ENERGY STAR® School 2023

Modesto City Schools participates in the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Certification Program. School sites are evaluated and receive a score ranking. A minimum score of 75 means that school is in the top 25% of comparable buildings. In 2023, Lakewood Elementary received a score of 81.

Air Quality and Health

Purple Air Monitor Program

MCS partnered with UC Merced professor Dr. Asa Bradman to install Purple Air Monitors at all 34 school sites. Lakewood has had an air monitor on the school's roof for years thanks to Mr. Arnold's initial partnership with UC Merced. Now, the Lions have an additional air monitor near the campus loading zone! Check out Lakewood's real-time outdoor air quality! We hope to initiate after-school programs involving environmental clubs and classes in monitoring and tracking.

Through consistent tracking, the air monitors will develop a baseline for emissions. Students can use software like Excel to find correlations in air quality due to site location and surroundings, weather, time of year, and even time of day.

No Idling Campaign

Idling vehicles create unnecessary, harmful pollution that affect students’ health. The message is simple: While you wait for your child, please turn off your engine. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it.

Resource: Healthy Air Living Schools Program Additional Materials

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District: Real-Time Air Advisory Network

RAAN uses actual, real-time air-quality data taken directly from the nearest air monitor to help you evaluate air quality and determine the right time for outdoor activities. It also provides Real-Time Outdoor Activity Risk (ROAR) guidelines based on five different air-quality levels.

🗑Waste Program!