U.S. Department of Education

Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office

400 Maryland Ave., S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202

MEDIA ADVISORY

EVENT DATES: Sept. 4-5, 2014

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

Federal Health and Education Officials to visit South Florida on Second Leg of Annual Green Strides Best Practices Tour – ‘Healthy Schools, High-Achieving Students’

Visit includes two District Sustainability Awardees: Palm Beach and Broward County Schools

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Director Andrea Falken and Richard Hartley, senior program specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), accompanied by numerous state and local officials, will visit five schools and two district education partners during listening sessions in South Florida Sept. 4-5 as part of the second annual Green Strides Best Practices Tour of U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.  Healthy Schools, High-Achieving Students is the theme of this year’s tour, which will focus on school environmental health.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced this year’s tour legs at an annual ceremony honoring 2014 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School and District Sustainability Awardees.  “Healthy, safe and sustainable facilities combined with wellness practices like outdoor physical activity, nutritious food, and hands-on environmental learning form a strong foundation for a quality education,” Secretary Duncan said, adding that U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools are leading the way in incorporating best practices. 

The tours will include visits to school buildings and grounds and conversations with students and teachers regarding environmental education and project-based learning, and discussions with key facilities and health personnel. The listening sessions in each state will allow practitioners and experts to share best practices. After beginning in West Virginia and Kentucky from Aug. 18 to Aug. 22, and continuing later this month in September and into early October, the tour will visit U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools in Colorado, Minnesota and Maryland.

The U.S. Department of Education 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. View the list of all selected schools and districts and summaries of each of the 57 honorees.  More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. Resources for all schools to meet the criteria for the award can be found here.

An agenda of tour sites and participants follows:

Thursday, Sept. 4: Palm Beach County Public Schools

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.        Tour Pine Jog Elementary School, 6315 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach

1 – 2 p.m.                   Listening Session at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, 6301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.          Tour Galaxy Elementary School, 550 Northwest 4th Ave., Boynton Beach

4 – 6 p.m.                   Social hosted by City of West Palm Beach’s Office of Sustainability

Who:

Andrea Suarez Falken, director of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

Richard Hartley, senior program specialist, southeast region, Food and Nutrition Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Mindy Haas, president, Florida PTA

Greg Ira, director, Office of Environmental Education and Sustainable Initiatives, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Jonathan P. Keener, director, STEM Programs, Florida Department of Education

Penny Taylor, director, Healthy Schools, Florida Department of Education

Tim Center, executive director, Sustainable Florida

Faith Oi, director, Florida Integrated Pest Management Program, University of Florida

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson

Florida State Senator Joseph Abruzzo

Florida State Senator Joe Negron

Mark Pafford, Florida state representative

E. Wayne Gent, superintendent, Palm Beach County Schools

John Kelly, president, Florida Atlantic University

Friday, Sept. 5: Broward County Public Schools

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.        Tour Silver Ridge Elementary, 9100 SW 36th St., Davie

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.        Tour Driftwood Middle School, 2751 NW 70th Terrace, Hollywood

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.          Listening Session at South Plantation High School, 1300 SW 54th Ave., Plantation

3 – 6 p.m.                    Hugh Taylor Birch Youth Lodge, featuring New River Middle School and other Broward Model Green Schools, 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

Who:

Andrea Suarez Falken, director of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

Richard Hartley, senior program specialist, USDA

Mindy Haas, president, Florida PTA

Greg Ira, director, Office of Environmental Education and Sustainable Initiatives, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Jonathan P. Keener, director, STEM Programs, Florida Department of Education

Penny Taylor, director, Healthy Schools, Florida Department of Education

Tim Center, executive director, Sustainable Florida

Faith Oi, director, Florida Integrated Pest Management Program, University of Florida

Sandra Whitehead, director, Healthy Community Design, Division of Community Health Promotion, Florida Department of Health

Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools

Kevin Biederman, Commissioner  District 5, City of Hollywood

Patricia Good, School Board of Broward County (SBBC) Chair, District 2

Ann Murray, District 1,  SBBC Board Member

Heather P. Brinkworth, District 3, SBBC Board Member

Laurie Rich Levinson, District 6, SBBC Board Member 

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