ED Officials Continue
Best Practices Facilities Tour in New York and New Jersey
The ‘Education
Built to Last’ Facilities Best Practices Tour continued last week in the Empire and Garden states. As with the tours in Alabama and New England, the visits included tours of school
buildings and grounds, conversations with students and teachers regarding
environmental education, health and sustainability, and discussions with key
partners and energy management personnel. Read more about New Jersey and New York, New England and Alabama tour legs on our blog.
Also view press clips from New England and the most recent tour
leg in New Jersey.
Remember
to connect with EDGreenRibbonSchools
on Facebook and @EDGreen
Ribbon on Twitter to follow the tour!
Next
week the Facilities Best Practices Team heads to southeastern Wisconsin schools. Past tour participants have included federal,
state and local elected and agency officials, such as mayors, governors,
members of state and national congress, stakeholders including non-profits,
designers, architects, builders, food service and maintenance personnel. All are welcome to join the tour and
Facilities Best Practices Listening Session on each tour leg.
The Wisconsin Tour Leg Agenda
Thursday,
August 22
12:30
p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Purdy
Elementary School– 719 South Main St., Fort Atkinson, Wis.
2:00
p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fort
Atkinson School District – 201 Park St., Fort Atkinson, Wis.
3:30
p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Facilities
Best Practices Listening Session – Rockwell Elementary, 821 Monroe St., Fort
Atkinson, Wis.
Friday, August 23
9:00
a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Visit
Dimensions of Learning Academy – 6218 25th Ave., Kenosha, Wis.
1:00
p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Visit Westlawn Elementary, – W64, N319 Madison Ave.,
Cedarburg, Wis.
Mark
your calendars! Following Wisconsin, the
Facilities Best Practices Tour Team will head to the
West Coast from September 16th to 20th.
The Wisconsin School Sites
Purdy Elementary School,
Fort Atkinson, WI
In 2010, Purdy Elementary School earned the
ENERGY STAR award with an energy performance score of 97. Behavioral changes to promote energy
efficiency are encouraged by the Green Team, which recognizes classrooms
exhibiting the behaviors leading to greatest reductions in environmental impact.
Purdy Elementary School derives five percent of its energy from on-site
renewable sources, including geothermal heating and cooling, as well as solar
panel installation, all of which are used for instructional purposes. Purdy Elementary uses water-efficient or
regionally appropriate plant species for 100 percent of its landscaping and all
bathroom faucets are equipped with automatic sensors in order to prevent water
waste.
All Fort Atkinson schools participate
in the green schools effort. The district’s energy efficiency plan includes
sustainability, conservation, education, retro-commissioning, and building
material upgrades. As of 2012, all six
Fort Atkinson schools have achieved EPA ENERGY
STAR certification, with scores ranging from 75 to 96. In the 2011-2012 year alone, schools across
the district reduced their energy use by six percent. The district purchases
materials containing post-consumer content, has a medication disposal policy to
protect local water quality, implements smart irrigation and native
landscaping, and provides outdoor classrooms and learning spaces for
students. Fort Atkinson boasts a 66
percent recycling rate thanks to efficient waste disposal and robust recycling
programs.
The
Dimensions of Learning Academy, constructed in 1911, is committed to improving
student health and energy efficiency.
With a 50 percent recycling rate, a grey water system, lighting
retrofits, and a garden, Dimensions of Learning is progressing toward a
complete green design and lifestyle. The school has undergone efficiency
upgrades, such as the replacement of a boiler purchased in 1952 with an
energy-efficient boiler in 2007, and the replacement of all T-12 lighting fixtures
with T-8 lighting. Low-flow water faucets prevent the waste of water, and
meters are in place to monitor the water usage of boiler units in order to
detect and prevent leaks. The Academy has reported a reduction of more than six
percent in annual greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2010, the same year the
school earned the ENERGY STAR award.
Westlawn
Elementary School has reduced its total energy and water consumption with upgrades
such as 85 percent efficient boilers, occupancy light sensors, water barrels,
and energy efficient lighting. Westlawn students
conduct audits and collect data such as temperatures in classrooms,
number/types of light bulbs and windows throughout the school, appliances used
in classrooms, and evaluate the school’s heating and cooling costs. Westlawn implements a robust recycling program
and includes recycling bins in every classroom.
The school grounds, including a wildlife habitat, amphitheater-style
learning space, and an adjacent wooded area for outdoor learning and
exploration, were recognized through the Mayor’s Beautification Award. Westlawn actively employs practices to ensure
healthy air quality in order to reduce asthma triggers and eliminate mold,
dust, and pet dander.
Date for States’
Participation in 2014 ED-Green Ribbon Schools Recognition Award
State
education agencies are encouraged to indicate intent to nominate schools in
2014 by September 1, 2013 by emailing green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov. States
pictured in green have indicated their intent to nominate in 2014. Public
and private K-12 schools and public school districts must be nominated by state
departments of education. Applications
for states’ nominations are devised and disseminated by participating
states. Schools cannot apply directly to the US Department of Education.
State education agencies' participation is voluntary. You may locate contact
information for state education agency selection committee contacts, who
nominate schools to the U.S. Department of Education here. If a contact is not listed on the ED-GRS site, you
may locate the main number to a state department of education here. School
nominations from state education
agencies are due to ED-GRS by February 1, 2014.
State education agencies can obtain more information by emailing green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov.
In the News
U.S. Department of Education Concludes Let’s Read! Let’s Move! Summer Series with HGTV’s “Property Brothers” at the National Building Museum
ED’s summer enrichment series, part of the Corporation for National and Community Service's United We Serve: Let's Read! Let's Move! initiative, engages youth in summer reading, physical activity, and healthy, affordable eating. The goal of the series of summer events, featuring guests such as NBA star Jeremy Lin, Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan, and astronaut George Zamka, was to highlight the importance of access to high-quality early learning programs and to keep students reading, moving, and active over the summer months The fifth and final event held on August 6th featured Drew and Jonathan Scott, hosts of HGTV’s hit show “Property Brothers.”
Events and Opportunities
ED’s Green Strides Webinar Series continues with the tools to reduce schools’ environmental impact and costs; improve health and wellness; and teach effective environmental literacy, including STEM, green careers, and civic engagement. Find more sessions for educators, facilities managers, and advocates weekly.
August 22, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Recycle-Bowl Competition and Educational Resources (KAB)
Aug. 27, 2013, 2-3 p.m. A Teacher's Role in a Successful Green Cleaning (HSC)
Aug. 28, 2013, 3-4 p.m. Outdoor Activities in Nature for Health (NEEF)
Sept. 4, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Food Day in Schools: How to Get Involved (CSPI)
Sep. 11, 2013 2 p.m. Green Purchasing for Schools (GSI)
Sept. 25, 2013, 3-4 p.m. Cleaning and Maintenance for Healthier Schools (EPA)
Also find more resources on the Green Strides Resources Page!
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