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. 16-17, 2014                                              

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

Federal Health and Education Officials to visit Colorado as part of Annual Green Strides Best Practices Tour – 'Healthy Schools, High-Achieving Students'

Visit includes Douglas County School District and Boulder Valley Public Schools

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Director Andrea Falken, and Abby Hugill, with the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), accompanied by state and local officials, will visit Douglas County School District and Boulder Valley Public Schools, as well as other Denver area schools, in Colorado Sept. 16-17 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.

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, the tour then went to south Florida Sept. 4-5, and continuing later this month and into early October, the tour will visit U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools in 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:

Tuesday, September 16

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. MT           Kick-off event and listening session at Colorado Department of Education, Denver

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. MT         Tour of Denver Green School, 6700 E. Virginia Ave., Denver

12:30 - 1:15 p.m. MT                    Douglas County School District, 620 Wilcox St., Castle Rock

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. MT             Tour of Flagstone Elementary School, 104 Lovington St., Castle Rock

3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. MT             Tour of Larkspur Elementary, 1103 W. Perry Park Ave., Larkspur

Who:

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

Lynn Bamberry, director, Competitive Grants and Awards, Colorado Department of Education

Elaine Gantz Berman, State Board of Education, 1st Congressional District

Erin Brown, director of children’s affairs, Denver Mayor’s Office

Robert Hammond, commissioner of education, Colorado Department of Education

Abby Hugill, healthy homes representative, Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, HUD

Wednesday, September 17

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. MT            Tour of Wellington Middle School, 4001 Wilson Ave., Wellington

9:20 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. MT          Tour of Lesher Middle School, 1400 Stover St., Fort Collins

10:35 a.m. – 11:35 p.m. MT        Tour of Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, 3002 E. Trilby Road, Fort Collins

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. MT            Tour of Boulder Valley Public Schools, 6500 Arapahoe Road, Boulder

Who:

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

Lynn Bamberry, director, Competitive Grants and Awards, Colorado Department of Education

Abby Hugill, healthy homes representative, Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, HUD

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