U.S. Department of Education

Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office   

400 Maryland Ave., S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202                 

MEDIA ADVISORY

EVENT DATE:  Monday-Friday, Sept. 16-20, 2013

CONTACTS:  Press Office (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov, and

Green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO VISIT SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA, OREGON AND WASHINGTON AS PART OF 'EDUCATION BUILT TO LAST' FACILITIES BEST PRACTICES TOUR

ED-Green Ribbon Schools Director Andrea Falken and other senior Department officials will visit 16 green ribbon award-winning schools in California, Oregon and Washington, Sept. 16-20 on the next leg of the ‘Education Built To Last’ Facilities Best Practices Tour to see and discuss ways that school facilities can enhance the conditions of learning.  Falken will be joined by Hal Plotkin, senior advisor to the under secretary; Helen Littlejohn, western states regional director of communications and outreach; Linda Pauley, public affairs specialist for the Northwest; and Tom McKenna, teaching ambassador fellow.

Education Department officials will be joined by Ronna Bach, division director of special nutrition programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Michael Ladd, regional public affairs director, USDA, at Journey School in Aliso Viejo, Calif.  State and local officials are expected to join them at other stops as well.

The Department’s ‘Education Built to Last Facilities Best Practices Tour’ features schools that exhibit best practices in school building and grounds design, construction, operations and management to support health, equity, educational outcomes, energy efficiency and cost savings in our nation’s public schools. 

On Sept. 16-17, the team will visit schools in California: Journey School in Aliso Viejo, Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale and Grand View Elementary School in Manhattan Beach on September 16; Longfellow Elementary School and Charles Evans Hughes Middle School, both in Long Beach, will be visited on Sept. 17.  In Oregon on Sept. 18, they will visit Willamina Elementary School in Willamina, Catlin Gabel School and Sunnyside Environmental School, both in Portland, and Gladstone High School in Gladstone.  On Sept. 19-20, they will visit schools in Washington: Sacajawea Elementary School in Vancouver, Camelot Elementary School in Auburn and Millenninum Elementary School in Kent on September 19: Secondary Academy for Success in Bothell, Tahoma High School in Covington, Tahoma Jr. High School in Ravensdale and Glacier Park Elementary School in Maple Valley on Sept. 20.

The visits will include 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.  In addition, during the tour, all state and district facilities personnel from the region are invited to attend and participate in listening sessions in which they share best practices on school facilities and provide input to the U.S. Education Department.

The ‘Education Built to Last’ Facilities Best Practices Tour began in mid-July with visits to several schools in rural Alabama.  At the end of July, the tour team wound its way through the New England area, stopping at schools in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. On Aug. 13, the tour made stops at four schools in New York and New Jersey, then visited schools in southeastern Wisconsin Aug. 22-23.  Schools in Washington, D.C. will be visited Sept. 25 on the final leg of the tour.

The ED-Green Ribbon Schools and District Sustainability Awardees are recognized for reducing their environmental impact, including energy use, waste and water; creating healthy learning environments and fostering wellness practices; and providing effective environmental education that prepares students to succeed in the 21st century, including STEM, green careers and civics.  A report with highlights on the 78 honorees can be found here.  More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. 

WHO:   

Andrea Suarez Falken, director, U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools and Facilities, and Health and Environment Liaison

Hal Plotkin, senior advisor to the under secretary, U.S. Department of Education

Helen Littlejohn, western states regional director of communications and outreach, U.S. Department of Education

Linda Pauley, public affairs specialist for the Northwest, U.S. Department of Education

Tom McKenna, teach ambassador fellow, U.S. Department of Education

Ronna Bach, division director of special nutrition programs, USDA

Michael Ladd, regional public affairs director, USDA

WHAT:  

‘Education Built to Last’ Facilities Best Practices Tour of schools in California, Oregon and Washington

WHEN:

CALIFORNIA

Monday, September 16

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Tour of Journey School, 27102 Foxborough, Aliso Viejo

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Tour of Environmental Charter High School, 16315 Grevillea Ave, Lawndale

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tour of Grand View Elementary School, 455 24th Street, Manhattan Beach

Tuesday, September 17

9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. Tour of Longfellow Elementary School, 3800 Olive Ave, Long Beach

10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Tour of Charles Evans Hughes Middle School, 3846 California Ave, Long Beach

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Listening Session

OREGON

Wednesday, September 18

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Tour of Willamina Elementary, 1100 NE Oaken Hills Dr, Willamina

11:45 a.m. –1:00 p.m. (including lunch) Tour of Catlin Gabel School, 8825 SW Barnes Rd, Portland

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Tour of Sunnyside Environmental, 3421 SE Salmon St., Portland

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tour of Gladstone High School, 18800 Portland Ave., Gladstone

WASHINGTON

Thursday, September 19

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Tour of Sacajawea Elementary, 700 NE 112th St, Vancouver

9:30 a.m. –12:00 p.m. Travel to Federal Way (2.5 hour drive)

12:30 p.m. – 1:30, p.m. Tour of Camelot Elementary, 4041 South 298th Street, Auburn

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Tour Millennium Elementary School, 11919 SE 270th Street, Kent

4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Listening Session Panel and Reception, McKinstry, 5005 3rd Avenue South, Seattle

Friday, September 20

8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Tour of Secondary Academy for Success, 22107 23rd Drive Southeast, Bothell

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tour of Tahoma High School 18200 Southeast 240th Street, Covington

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Tour of Tahoma Junior High 25600 Southeast Summit Landsburg Road, Ravensdale

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Tour of Glacier Park Elementary, 23700 Southeast 280th Street, Maple Valley