 Broughal Middle School educator Ms. Sobrinski shares her classes’ avocado tree growing project with Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera and ED-GRS Director Andrea Falken.
In its
eighteenth state of the Green Strides tour, U.S. Department of Education Green
Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) visited eleven past honorees, including seven school
and three district sites, along with one postsecondary institution site in
Pennsylvania. True to the aims of the Green Strides Tour, it brought more attention to honorees’ practices
and celebrated their sustainability achievements, alongside communities,
partners, and elected officials. Hear
more about this year’s tour in this blog from the Director. >>>>
Take a trip down 2014
and 2013 Green Strides Tour memory lane with blogs from West Virginia, Kentucky, Florida (1 and 2), Colorado (1 and 2), Minnesota (1 and 2), Maryland, New England, New York and New Jersey, California, Oregon and Washington, Wisconsin, Alabama. It’s
also not too late to share tour photos and impressions with us on Twitter (EDGreenRibbon)
and Facebook (EDGreenRibbonSchools) using hashtag #GreenStridesTour.
In this TEDx Herndon, Executive Director of the Green
Schools National Network Jenny Seydel shares her vision for green schools, according to the
three Pillars we know and love, and highlights innovative examples, including
numerous past ED-GRS honorees! >>>>
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A new book entitled Leadership for Green Schools provides educational leaders,
teachers, facility professionals, and community partners the tools they need to
lead and manage greener, more sustainable schools. Authors Lisa A.W. Kensler and Cynthia L. Uline
draw from the fields of sustainability science, built learning environment, and
educational leadership to explain what green schools look like, what role
school buildings play in advancing sustainable organizational and instructional
practices, and why school leaders are "greening" their leadership. The
book uses real life examples of successful schools and leaders, demonstrating
how green schools advance the work already underway to restore engaged learning
within our schools and communities. >>>>
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The
new Green Schools Alliance website includes an interactive member community
designed to make it easier for you and your fellow school sustainability champions to
connect with others, find green resources, and save money. It features blogs, forums, calendar,
resources, and membership interaction. >>>>
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To launch its green schoolyards initiative, the
Children and Nature Network has published four research infographics on the benefits
of green schoolyards and a full report of the findings from the
recent 16-city listening tour: Building a National Movement for Green
Schoolyards. >>>>
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For 2016-2017, states are now seeking school,
district, and postsecondary applicants to nominate by Feb. 1, 2017 to ED-GRS. Applicants can find state-specific contacts here. State education authorities
should contact U.S. Department
of Education Green Ribbon Schools for more information and can find updated criteria and other state implementation guidance on our website.
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Meet the 2016 Honorees
Want to make some sustainable improvements on
your school this year? Take inspiration from the 2016 U.S. Department of
Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary
Sustainability Awardees and learn more about their work on Green Strides.
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Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has
completed eight LEED buildings ranging from basic certification to Platinum,
with more LEED projects under construction and in the design phase. It also has 31 ENERGY STAR buildings. Since November 2008, VBCPS has spent $14
million in performance contract work, resulting in $1.8 million in cost
avoidance each year. Since 2006,
VBCPS has increased in size by approximately nine percent to over 10.6 million
square feet, and yet still has reduced energy use by 24 percent. VBCPS has a full-time energy
manager and an energy management plan.
Many schools offer garden composting and a few have piloted whole-school
composting. The division is home to
several demonstration renewables that serve as learning tools, specifically
wind turbines, solar hot water systems, and photovoltaics. All elementary schools are
irrigation-free. Each school appoints a
sustainable school liaison. VBCPS has 64
schools with outdoor teaching gardens, 72 schools with environmental clubs, and
over 60 schools that partner with third-party environmental organizations. Participation in various programs and
initiatives are promoted through the district’s own Sustainable School
Recognition Award. Sustainability
education includes meaningful watershed experiences -- funded in part by a
grant from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; student participation in an Urban
Tree Canopy project; and LEED design as part of the middle school
curriculum. The district offers an
annual sustainability course as professional development for all VBCPS
employees, as well as other more specific quarterly options. VBCPS also expects all architects, engineers,
and consultants working on building projects to provide an educational
component to their work. >>>>
 Students at Kellam High School in Virginia Beach City Public Schools District participate in a beekeeping club.
Triton
Regional High School, constructed in 1957, received EPA ENERGY STAR
certification with a score of 83. The
school produces 45 percent of its energy onsite with roof-mounted solar
arrays. Triton maintains two functioning
greenhouses that are used to nurture plants from seeds to supply the organic
garden housed at another school in the district, which is maintained by the green
team, AP Environmental Studies classes, and Horticulture classes. Triton has discontinued the use of chemicals
used to strip flooring, improved indoor air quality by installing filters in
HVAC systems, and improved recycling and composting behaviors with the help of
Organic Diversion, a company that mentors students and staff on how to collect
materials, reports on collection quantities, and strategizes to improve
composting and recycling efforts.
Students have taken part in the Thirst Project, which collects money to
establish freshwater wells in historically malnourished areas of Africa. The AP Environmental Science class created
environmentally-sound solutions for unused land in the community, and presented
them to the town council for consideration.
Horticulture students learn how to propagate lemon geranium from
cuttings, which then are used as a natural pesticide. Nutrition and culinary and hospitality
courses discuss nutritional concepts, food contamination, and organic
foods. Marine culminates the course by
studying human effect on the oceans, and sustainable ways to interact with the
ocean’s resources. Students compete in
Envirothon, as well as the Sea Perch competition, whereby students develop a
submarine that can simulate a Navy mission.
>>>>
 Over the course of the last four school years, Triton Regional High School has reduced waste and enhanced sustainability learning through a proactive approach to conservation, recycling, and education.
Prescott Elementary, constructed in 1922, was
renovated with LEED Silver specifications as a guide, and has an ENERGY STAR Portfolio
Manager score of 83. The school has
reduced greenhouse gas emissions 29 percent and energy use 23 percent over just
three years, and features ground source heat pumps. To date, Prescott has diverted over 261,000
pounds of recyclables from the landfill.
The school oversees safe walk and bike to school programs, including a
walking school bus effort. Prescott was
a 2013 HealthierUS Schools Challenge awardee, and offers both cooking and
gardening clubs. Its wellness committee
meets monthly, and the school uses Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for
Schools. In October 2015, Prescott
hosted a districtwide farm to school summit, inviting district staff and
community members to learn more about the farm to school movement and to
explore opportunities for engaging students in outdoor classrooms and garden
spaces. Prescott students experience
instructional units in plants, seasons, animals and habitats, soil, prairie,
ecosystems, and water and wetlands.
Prescott families, staff, and community have collaborated to build and
provide a Nature Explore Certified Outdoor Classroom on Prescott Park. >>>>
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Prescott Elementary includes a walking path, rain garden, bridge, weather station, raised vegetable beds, designated learning areas, an arbor, stage, gazebo, and fossil dig area.
Oct. 11, 2016, 4:00-5:00 pm Parent Advocacy:
School Food Change (CAF)
Oct. 11, 2016, 5:00-6:00 pm NASA Literacy Resources in Earth Science
(NASA)
Oct.
12, 2016, 4:00-4:30 pm Portfolio
Manager - Ask The Expert (EPA)
Oct.
12, 2016, 6:30-7:30 pm NASA Weathering
the Storm – Atmosphere (NASA)
Oct.
17, 2016, 6:30-7:30 pm NASA Weathering
the Storm – Space Weather (NASA)
Oct. 18, 2016, 6:00-7:00 pm NASA
Weathering the Storm – Snow? (NASA)
Oct.
19, 2016, 4:00-4:30 pm Portfolio
Manager - Ask The Expert (EPA)
Oct.
19, 2016, 5:00-6:00 pm NASA
Weathering the Storm –Hurricanes (NASA)
Oct.
20, 2016, 1:00-2:00 pm How to Apply for
the ENERGY STAR
(EPA)
Oct.
20, 2016, 1:00-2:30 pm Campus Food
Recovery Programs
(CURC)
Oct.
20, 2016, 1:00-2:30 pm Funding to Address and Prevent IAQ Issues (EPA)
Oct.
24, 2016, 6:30-7:30 pm NASA Weathering
the Storm—Weather to Fly By (NASA)
Oct.
25, 2016, 1:00-2:00 pm Portfolio
Manager 101
(EPA)
Oct.
25, 2016, 5:00-6:00 pm NASA
Weathering the Storm – Hurricanes (NASA)
Oct.
25, 2016, 7:30-8:30 pm Biomimicry: Innovation for Today’s Students (Green
Teacher)
Oct.
26, 2016, 1:00-2:00 pm Portfolio
Manager 201
(EPA)
Oct.
26, 2016, 6:30-7:30 pm Weathering
the Storm –Meteorology Educator Guide (NASA)
Oct.
27, 2016, 1:00-2:00 pm Portfolio
Manager 301
(EPA)
Oct. 31, 2016, 6:30-7:30 pm Cosmology
101 (NASA)
National Farm to School Month was designated by
Congress to symbolize the growing importance of farm to school programs as a
means to improve child nutrition, support local economies, and educate children
about the origins of food. The National
Farm to School Network has developed resources and activities to promote Farm
to School Month in schools, communities, and media outlets. >>>>
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Campus Sustainability Month (CSM) is a
celebration of sustainability in higher education. During October, colleges and universities
organize events on campus and elsewhere to engage and inspire incoming students
and other campus stakeholders to become sustainability change agents. Events include teach ins, sustainability
pledge-drives, zero energy concerts, waste audits, green sporting events,
letter writing campaigns, and service projects. >>>>
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EDspaces is the gathering place for architects,
facility planners, designers, administrators and dealers to learn about trends
and experience the latest products and services to enhance student learning. >>>>
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Connect with Green
Strides
Green Strides:
Resources for School Facilities, Health, and Environment
U.S. Department
of Education Green Ribbon Schools
Facebook:
@EDGreenRibbonSchools
Twitter: @EDGreenRibbon
If you received a forwarded
newsletter, sign up to receive us directly next month.
Toddler Green Ribbon kid tests (and approves!) the truck park at Jenkintown School District while on the Green Strides Tour in Pennsylvania.
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