Get support from the administration, teachers, and staff.
Set up a meeting with your administrators to discuss the Watt Watchers program and how it is going to benefit your school. The whole school participates in Watt Watchers and it is very important to inform everyone from teachers and administrators to custodians and volunteers. Tickets are reminders to help people establish energy efficient habits. Enthusiastic and supportive staff make it more fun and more effective.
Why your school should be a Watt Watchers school
With more than 2,500 Watt Watchers enrolled state-wide in Texas, it is a very popular program. There are many reasons for this enthusiasm. In case you are among the teachers who haven’t heard about the program or you are still sitting on the fence trying to decide whether to become a sponsor at your school – here is a little information to help you take the plunge. We think every school should be a Watt Watchers school: see if you agree.
- First things first. Watt Watchers saves your school money by preventing energy waste and raising awareness about energy efficiency. Many Watt Watchers sponsors enjoy knowing they are saving energy and money while preventing pollution – it’s a good feeling. Even more satisfying is cultivating an ethic of energy conservation in students who will apply it throughout their lives.
- But a close second is fun. Watt Watchers can be loads of fun. Tapping into the natural enthusiasm of your students with a program that includes a role reversal (students reminding adults to save energy) is fun. Students like going on patrol. Students like giving out tickets (and thank-you notes). Happy students make happy teachers.
- Another reason is suitability. Watt Watchers fits into what you are doing. The Watt Watchers program is a great addition to your energy unit. Going out into the school and actually preventing energy waste really makes the connection for many students. Our lesson plans and activities are vetted by teachers like you and align with TEKS Standards.
- Two more reasons are that the program is easy and it’s free. The Texas State Energy Conservation Office sponsors it to help schools save energy. It is also very adaptable – a wide variety of groups are doing Watt Watchers including: 1st graders and middle schoolers, at-risk and gifted & talented students, or just about any other group you can name. Everything you need is here on our site. Watt Watchers can also be expanded upon to save even more energy at your school.
There are many more reasons Watt Watchers love the program but there is no reason not to do it. Saying no is like turning your back on the future. Every school has one teacher that would love to be a Watt Watcher. Is it you?
Here’s a sample letter you can share that explains how the program makes a difference in your school and your district and lays the foundations for a school-wide conversation about how Texas is too good to waste.
It’s a good idea when starting or re-starting the program at your school to communicate a couple of things to other teachers and staff. The text below explains how the program makes a difference in your school and your district and lays the foundations for a school-wide conversation about how Texas is too good to waste. It also tells where students will be patrolling and how to return Watt Watchers notes and citations.
Dear Faculty and Staff,
Watt Watchers of Texas will be coming soon to a classroom near you! Student patrol groups will be auditing the school for energy waste in lighting and other areas. If students find lights on in empty rooms they will be leaving “tickets.” They will leave thank you notes where their recorded data shows consistent energy efficiency (you have turned off your lights when you leave your classroom). The focus of the program is on saving energy costs in the school and increasing student awareness of energy issues. In a typical Texas school, lighting alone can account for 1/3 of the entire utility bill! Watt Watchers of Texas has assisted hundreds of schools in reducing this cost. Watt Watchers energy patrols have saved participating schools around the nation from hundreds to thousands of dollars in energy costs each year.
The Watt Watchers program is a proven method of teaching energy efficient habits while reducing school electric bills. Our energy future depends on decisions students will make about energy use; Watt Watchers gives them the opportunity to make a difference now by “doing something” for their school. These same students often show increased self-esteem, leadership and responsibility back in their classrooms.
The students will be patrolling _____. They will not enter your classroom, or disturb classes already in session. The official Watt Watchers for that day will be wearing name badges and lanyards to identify them as such. They will leave their tickets on your door as a reminder to you to turn off your lights when you leave your room. Please return these _____ to be reused. Each month our energy use will be graphed _____. Hopefully, this will show that our energy use is going down. The Watt Watchers students will give an end of the year presentation to the School Board and awards to the classrooms that showed consistent energy efficiency. There will also be an award for the classroom that showed the most improvement.
Thank you for your cooperation,
Watt Watcher Sponsor
