Nettelton is going Green with composting food waste

After lunch at the Nettleton cafeteria, students put food scraps into a pail so it can be composted. Photo by Kristen K. Hughes

By the Nettleton Green Team and Kristen K. Hughes

Nettleton has a growing group of students that care very deeply about energy conservation and green practices. The passion of our Green Team as it is called has driven the birth of our recycling and composting project that began this year. The Green Team consists of a core group of 5th grade students who devoted time and energy to researching, developing procedures, training, setting up, and running the composting project. The Green Team made visits to Stowe, the DECC, and WLSSD to research composting options. This project would not have succeeded without their hard work and dedication.

The Green Team has taught each grade how to compost. Composting is where you collect the food you did not eat and put it back into the earth so it can grow more food in the dirt composting made. By composting, Nettleton has taken about two tons of compost out of our garbage. Several area groups and businesses, including the Nettleton PTA, Marshall Hardware, and Twin Ports Paper & Supply, made donations allowing us to get our program up and running for this year. The Green Team chose the WLSSD composting program because we can compost more material that way. One of the Green Team’s goals will be fulfilled when our compost dumpster arrives next week so that we don’t have to haul the compost offsite anymore.

Nettleton Composting Facts

• Between 75 - 100 pounds per day are composted.
• Four tons will have been composted by year-end.
• Future plans include reducing waste by eliminating plastic cutlery, napkins and using a milk dispenser.

Nettleton Awarded for High Academic Performance





















Nettleton Magnet Elementary School was recognized with the prestigious Minnesota’s Future Award for high academic performance by the Minnesota Business Partnership.



Nettleton was the only school chosen for this award in the state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Business Partnership is a nonprofit group of 100 CEO’s leading the state’s largest employers.
Nettleton’s Principal, Stephanie Heilig; Assistant Principal, Kathi Kusch Marshall; and a group of dedicated staff members traveled to Minneapolis to the Minnesota Business Partnership Annual Dinner to accept this important award. The event was attended by many noteworthy Minnesota business leaders, community leaders, local Minneapolis/St. Paul media, and Governor Pawlenty.



The percentage of Nettleton 3rd and 5th graders performing at or above grade level in reading and math from 2003 through 2005 was comparable to the statewide average. Nettleton focuses on reading.





With the help of a “Reading First” grant implemented in partnership with the University of Minnesota, Nettleton teachers learned and embedded effective reading practices into all subjects. Rather than rely on remediation to help struggling readers, Nettleton increased academic rigor and expectations, then provided additional support during and after school for students. “In many ways, we follow the pattern of successful businesses: We know our market, we base or decisions upon the latest research and best practices,” said Nettleton Principal Stephanie Heilig