 The 2017 ED-Green
Ribbon Schools Director’s Award Goes to Keisha Ford-Jenrette
of Georgia
The Director’s Award recognizes
state education authorities’ exemplary efforts to administer U.S. Department of
Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS). Annually, the Director’s Award
goes to the state education official who does the most to advance sustainable
education in his or her state, by such means as running a robust nomination
process; connecting more schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions to free,
publically-available sustainability resources; amplifying the stories of honorees;
helping schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions connect and learn
from one another; partnering with a variety of state and non- and for-profit
private sector entities; and exhibiting a dedication to exceptional school
facilities, health, and environmental education through activities outside of
the award.
This year,
the Director’s Award goes to Keisha Ford-Jenrette of the Georgia Department of
Education. Ford-Jenrette fosters
collaboration among many government, non-profits, and for-profit partners, and
schools. She supports schools and
districts in the process of applying, including providing feedback and
mentoring so that they can improve for re-application. She partners with Captain Planet Foundation
to offer a significant cash award to honorees in the state and liaises with the
Georgia Lieutenant Governor’s office for state recognition festivities, press releases, and honoree citations each year. Ford-Jenrette has also developed a state-level
honorable mention to broaden recognition and reward promising efforts. Ford-Jenrette will be honored, alongside
school, district, and postsecondary honorees at a summer event in Washington,
D.C. >>>>
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Announcement
of 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Coming Soon!
Participating state education authorities
submit their nominations to U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) annually by Feb.
1. ED announces honorees in the spring; invites selectees to a
celebration in the summer; and conducts a fall tour to spotlight clusters of
honorees, past and present. Stay tuned for more information on the 2017
spring announcement!
Now is a great time to begin preparing for the 2018 application
cycle by using resources and programs on Green Strides and to contact your state
authority if it does not already make nominations. Read some common
misconceptions about the award dispelled in a blog by the ED-GRS director and review Frequently Asked Questions on all three award
categories. Interested colleges and universities should contact state
higher education authorities, while schools and districts should
contact state education agencies. Schools,
districts, and postsecondary institutions are only eligible if nominated by
state authorities. State education authorities can find award criteria and other state
implementation guidance on ED's website and should
contact U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools for
more information. >>>>
Learn From the 2016 Honorees
Want to make some sustainable improvements on your school? 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.
 West Caldwell Tech students garden at the Montclair Historical Society.
The West Caldwell Tech
(WCT) campus of the Essex County Vocational and Technical School District,
serving 78 percent free and reduced price lunch-eligible and 52 percent special
education students, began its sustainability efforts five years ago with an energy
audit to develop comprehensive energy conservation and retrofit measures.
WCT replaced its boilers with energy-efficient ones, and implemented a
one-to-one laptop initiative to reduce paper usage. The school, with an
enrollment of 343, also created partnerships with county and state officials
for financial support to update lighting fixtures and add alternative energy
sources to the school building. To improve health, WCT offers a full year
of physical education and health courses. While New Jersey requires 3.75
credits of physical education and health each year, WCT provides students with
five credits, and has established a Health and Wellness Family Fun Day.
The school cafeteria sources all seasonal fruits and vegetables from local
farms. The school requires an environmental science course. As a
vocational school, WCT incorporates sustainability practices into career
majors. For example, Horticulture and Agriscience students raise trout
from eggs, monitor tank water quality, and engage in stream habitat
study. Its Construction Trades Academy incorporates a sustainable
construction curriculum, and a WCT teacher served on the statewide development
committee for green career pathways for Sustainable Design, Construction, and
Energy. >>>>
 MBUSD students fabricate their own safe, healthy cleaners.
In Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) two
non-profit organizations, Grades of Green and Growing Great, began as groups of
MBUSD parent-volunteers working to reduce waste while helping students understand
the role of gardens and nutritious food. Students and parents have led
efforts in waste reduction, cutting the number of trash bins the district needs in
half. Students, dressed up as recycling clowns, starred in films doing
the dirty, yet fun, work of waste audits, and positioned themselves at campus
recycling centers to help fellow students know what to deposit in waste,
recycling, or composting containers. A single employee’s efforts to thank
teachers and staff who changed their habits ensured that lights were turned off
at night, the swimming pool was properly covered, and electronics were
unplugged while schools were not in session. One parent created a clever
lunchbox that promotes trash-free lunches. Now every first grader in
MBUSD receives a free trash-free lunchbox, sponsored by Waste Management.
A walking school bus and edible school garden are in place at all five
elementary schools in the district. MBUSD has documented a 33 percent
reduction in energy use over six years. Each of the seven schools in the
district is ENERGY STAR certified, and six of the seven scored 100. Solar
panels installed at the high school provide a whopping 30 percent of the
facility’s energy needs. Students have meaningful outdoor learning
experiences at every grade level. Forty MBUSD students in grades three through
eight initiated a successful citywide ban of single-use plastic bags and
Styrofoam. >>>>
 The Elon University Forest is a 56-acre protected natural area just north of campus that serves as a teaching resource and research site, as well as a service learning site and quiet place for reflection and observation.
Elon University’s energy efficiency and conservation efforts
have resulted in a 30 percent reduction in BTUs per square foot, despite the
fact that its footage increased by 104 percent and the student population
increased by 35 percent. Elon adopted a Green Building Policy in 2009, which
states that new construction projects and major renovations consisting of 8,000
or more square feet of conditioned, occupied space will achieve a minimum of
LEED Silver certification. There currently are 26 LEED certified
buildings on campus totaling 624,240 square feet, which is 23 percent of the
university’s total square footage. Campus waste reduction efforts include
yard and food waste composting. About 39 percent of the university’s
fleet is composed of alternative fueled vehicles, which includes the Elon BioBus system
that is free for students, faculty, staff, and community members. The
landscaping and grounds staff incorporates integrated pest management into
their operations to protect human health and the environment. The Sustainability
Faculty Scholars Program provides faculty with resources and support to
incorporate or enhance a focus on sustainable principles and practices in their
lessons. Among the resources on campus for experiential learning, the
Elon Environmental Center at Loy Farm demonstrates the integration of food
systems with the built environment. Its activities and functions include
food and farming systems, a design-build studio for responsible architecture,
the Piedmont Prairie ecological restoration project, and long-term ecological
research. >>>>
The Green Schools Conference and
Expo connects green school champions nationwide for two days of
learning and collaboration to support the shared mission of equitable,
healthy and high-performing schools, where students can learn how to sustain
and improve the world around them. Green Schools National Network members
receive a discount on registration. Learn more about membership. >>>>
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The 2017 Children & Nature Network International Conference and Summit will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from April 18–21. The conference theme, “Kids Need Nature, Nature Needs Kids,” reflects the Network’s goal of ensuring that all children have access to the many benefits of nature — and the need to inspire new generations of environmental stewards. The conference will promote meaningful, cross-sector engagement to create a world in which all children have access to nature in their daily lives. >>>>
The Student Conservation Corps & Congress is a week-long leadership training program for 8th to 11th grade students held annually at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s National Conservation Training Center. Participants spend a week studying and discussing environmental, social, and economic interconnections to address climate change and conservation challenges affecting their generation in an ever-changing world. >>>>
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 The Green Strides
Webinar Series: March and April
The
Green Strides Webinar Series promotes sessions that provide free tools to
reduce schools' environmental impact and costs; improve health and wellness;
and teach effective environmental education. Consult the webinar calendar and
submit your suggestions of free, publically-available webinars related to school,
district, and postsecondary sustainability to ed.green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov for listing. All
times provided are ET.
March 14,
6:30–7:30 p.m. GLOBE
Atmosphere (NASA)
March 15, 4:00-4:30 p.m. Portfolio
Manager – Ask The Expert (EPA)
March 15, 4:00-5:00 p.m. How
to Make School Breakfast Work (Chef Ann Foundation)
March 16, 8:00-9:00 p.m. Astrobiology
and Looking for Life (NASA)
March 21,
4:00–5:30 p.m. LaRC 100 Webinar (NASA)
March 21,
6:30–7:30 p.m. Weather
to Fly By (NASA)
March 22,
6:00–7:00 p.m. Explore
Your Watershed with Underwater ROVs (NOAA)
March 22, 7:30-8:30 p.m. EarthPLAY
for Earth Day 2017 (Green Teacher)
March 23,
6:00–7:00 p.m. From
Earth to the Moon (NASA)
March 27,
4:00–5:00 p.m. NASA
Satellite Mission GPM & SMAP (NASA)
March 27, 5:00-6:00 p.m. Using
Picture Books to Initiate STEAM PBL (NASA)
March 27, 7:30-8:30 p.m. To
Unplug or Plug In (Green Teacher)
March 28,
4:00–5:00 p.m. Looking
at Satellite Images (NASA)
March 28,
4:00–5:00 p.m. Portfolio
Manager 101 (EPA)
March 28,
6:30–7:30 p.m. Space
Weather (NASA)
March 29, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Innovative Bicycling Programs for Youth (Safe Routes to School National Partnership)
March 29,
4:00–5:00 p.m. Portfolio
Manager 201 (EPA)
March 30,
4:00–5:00 p.m. Portfolio
Manager 301 (EPA)
April 3, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Dwarf
Planets (NASA)
April 5, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Hubble
– A History (NASA)
April 04, 8:00-9:00 p.m. Tools for Diverse
Learners (NASA)
April 5, 4:00-4:30 p.m. Portfolio
Manager – Ask The Expert (EPA)
April 05, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Hubble – A History
(NASA)
April 06, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Life on Mars? (NASA)
April 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Hubble Space
Telescope (NASA)
April 11, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Viewing
Your Content Through a NASA Context (NASA)
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Students at Rockford Middle School - Center for Environmental Studies, a 2015 ED-GRS honoree in Rockford, Minnesota, engage in ice fishing.
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
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