Academics

LEAN TO GREEN

Solar Energy

At SLA our goal is to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly, which made having solar panels essential. Our students will experience how solar energy energy works through the use of advanced technology.  

 

Currently solar panels are only exclusive to our Leesburg Campus. 

Geothermal Flooring

Leesburg Location Only

Put quite simply geothermal is a method for heating and cooling a structure using the constant ground temperature. In reality the Earth is the world’s largest solar collector and at depths of roughly 5 feet below grade the Earth has stored enough energy to maintain about a 50 degree temperature year round. Geothermal heating and cooling utilizes a ‘ground source’ heat pump to either extract heat from the ground during the winter or reject heat into the ground during the summer.

One of the simplest comparison’s for a geothermal unit is, it is like your refrigerator – in the summer you are standing inside of the refrigerator, and in the winter you are standing in front of the refrigerator - where you usually feel the warm air coming out at the bottom.

Children's Organic Garden

Assistant Teacher

At SLA, children are encouraged early on to develop a sense of responsibility towards taking care of the Earth. Our vegetable and flower garden provides the children with a hands-on multi-sensory environment.  The children will learn and participate in:

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  • Nourishing plants with water

  • Keeping the plants healthy and lush

  • Observing pollination

  • Incorporating composted waste (from our kitchen) into the garden soil

  • Learn how worms enhance our soil by contributing to our school compost bin

  • Grow plants without the need of hazardous chemicals

  • Harvesting and eating from the garden

  • The children will document the changes observed in the garden week by week (by writing and drawing in their science journals or a chart)

Composting

Composting helps our students understand what happens to waste once it leaves the kitchen. It also teaches them to identify biodegradable and non-biodegradable items and we can incorporate biodegradable waste into our school compost. Our students will learn that biodegradable waste will eventually disappear in the landfill, but it will emit greenhouse gases as the waste decomposes.

 

By composting the students will understand how we can help the environment by reducing greenhouse gases and of course understand the incredible importance of worms in the eco-system. We strive to teach children that we can contribute to providing healthy soil for our garden without the use of harsh chemicals.

Recycling

Teaching children to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is very important to us. We feel contributing to a more sustainable world, the need to recycle is vital. Each of our classrooms have a recycling bin. Teachers make sure to incorporate recyclables into activities in the classroom. Children will learn the many benefits of recycling are as follows:

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  • Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and combustion facilities

  • Conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals

  • Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials

  • Saves energy

  • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions

  • Helps sustain the environment for future generations

  • Up-cycling old products and creating new items

Menu & Kitchen

Sugarland Learning Academy is proud to serve fresh breakfast, snack and lunch on a daily basis. We hand select all the fresh produce, dairy, meat and baked goods that are put into our meals.   

 

Lunch is an opportunity for the children to develop good eating habits and sit together. In keeping with balanced nutritional practices, the children will be served a healthy hot lunch prepared by our chef in our full service kitchen. 
 

SLA provides meals to all children with the exception of children enrolled in our Infant program. Children with allergies and dietary restrictions are permitted to bring in a replacement meal for any specific meal or for all meals if needed. The general principle we follow at SLA is as follows:

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  • Milk is served with each breakfast and lunch and snack may either be served with water or milk

  • Whole wheat bread or rolls used

  • Fresh vegetables and fruits are served with each meal

  • Variety of grains such as rice, couscous and more 

  • A variety of legumes are served 

  • Meals are served with a balanced amount of protein, grains, vegetables, fruits and dairy 

  • Microwave is NOT used to prepare any meals

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