ADMINISTRATION HONORS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS AND DISTRICT SUSTAINABILITY AWARDEES; AND LAUNCHES FACILITIES BEST PRACTICES TOUR

White House CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley, EPA Administrator Bob Persiacepe, and Deputy Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Janey Thornton joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter to congratulate the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools and District Sustainability Awardees on their achievements at a ceremony in Washington, DC.   At the event, sixty-four schools were honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including STEM, green careers and civics. In addition, 14 districts were honored for the first-ever District Sustainability Award.

Representatives from honored schools and districts received sustainably crafted plaques and banners in recognition of their achievements.  “Together, healthy, safe and modern facilities combined with wellness practices like outdoors physical activity, nutritious food and hands-on environmental learning form a strong foundation for a quality education.  These schools and districts exhibit best practices to reduce costs and increase achievement, health and equity, for all schools, not just aspiring green schools,” said Secretary Duncan.

“The schools being honored today are taking smart, innovative steps to reduce environmental impacts and energy costs, promote healthy learning environments, and teach students sustainable practices that they can carry with them into their homes and future careers,” said Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley.  “These leaders are models for how schools nationwide can achieve healthier classrooms, lower their energy bills, and set their students up for success.”

“The Green Ribbon Schools and District Sustainability Awardees are preventing harmful pollution that leads to illnesses like asthma and creating healthier learning spaces for our children. Thanks to the efficient technology and energy-saving practices that help them achieve their goals, the awardees are also saving money,” said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. “As we see time and time again, sustainability is good for our environment, our economy and, most importantly, our children’s health. And because the students who attend these schools have a firsthand understanding of the link between environmental protection and public health, sustainability is also good for our future; it helps empower the next generation of environmental stewards.”

“I am proud to see schools and districts across the country making changes to set up America’s children for a lifetime of success, both in the classroom and out in the real world. Improving the nutrition of our young people is a top priority for USDA and this Administration,” said Thornton, deputy under secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Giving children the tools they need to make healthy diet and exercise choices today creates a generational change that will lead to a healthier American future.”

Duncan and Kanter also announced the ‘Education Built to Last’ Facilities Best Practices Tour.  “Because where students learn matters as much as the who and how, the Department will be visiting these honorees to highlight what schools and districts can do now to ensure that their learning facilities promote achievement, health, equity and cost savings.”  ED’s ‘Education Built to Last Facilities Best Practices Tour’ will highlight practices that states, districts and schools use to improve the overall wellness, productivity, and achievement of occupants through health, safety, and educational improvements in school facilities.

The schools were confirmed from a pool of candidates voluntarily nominated by 32 state education agencies, with honorees selected from 30.   The list of selectees includes 54 public schools and 10 private schools. The public schools include seven charter, five magnet and four career and technical schools. The schools serve various grade levels, including 40 elementary, 23 middle and 19 high schools are among them, with several schools having various K-12 configurations, from 29 states and the District of Columbia.  Over half of the 2013 honorees serve a student body more than 40 percent of which is eligible for free and reduced price lunch.

A report with state-by-state summaries of the 78 honorees can be found here.  The list of all selected schools and districts, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here.  More information on the federal recognition award can be found here.  Resources for all schools to move toward the three Pillars in which the 2013 honorees are exemplary can be found here.

The Department is looking forward to a third year of the recognition award, and will be publishing updated competition criteria this summer.  State education agencies are encouraged to indicate intent to nominate schools in 2014 by August 1, 2013. Schools must be nominated by a participating state education agency and cannot apply directly to ED.

A complete list of the 2013 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools follows:

Alabama

• Harriette W. Gwin Elementary School, Hoover, AL
• Munford Middle School and Munford High School, Munford, AL
• Fayetteville High School, Sylacauga, AL
• Talladega County

Arkansas

• Fayetteville District

California

• Charles Evans Hughes Middle School, Long Beach, CA
• Journey School, Aliso Viejo, CA
• Redding School of the Arts II, Redding, CA
• Prospect Sierra School, El Cerrito, CA
• Oak Park Unified School District

Colorado

• Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, Ft. Collins, CO
• Douglas County School District

Connecticut

• Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School, New Haven, CT
• Environmental Sciences Magnet School at Mary Hooker, Hartford, CT
• Common Ground High School, New Haven, CT

Delaware

• St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, DE

District of Columbia

• Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School, Washington, DC
• Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School, Washington, DC
• Woodrow Wilson High School, Washington, DC

Florida

• Driftwood Middle School, Hollywood, FL
• St. Paul Lutheran School, Lakeland, FL
• School District of Palm Beach County

Georgia

• Ford Elementary School, Acworth, GA
• Gwinnett County Public Schools

Indiana

• Guion Creek Middle School, Indianapolis, IN

Iowa

• Starmont Community School, Arlington, IA
• Des Moines Independent Community School District

Kansas

• Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School, Shawnee, KS

Kentucky

• Cane Run Elementary School, Louisville, KY
• Northern Elementary School, Georgetown, KY
• Locust Trace AgriScience Farm, Lexington, KY

Maryland

• Cedar Grove Elementary School, Germantown, MD
• Summit Hall Elementary School, Gaithersburg, MD
• Montgomery County Public Schools

Massachusetts

• Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
• Quincy High School, Quincy, MA
• Berkshire School, Sheffield, MA
• Acton Public Schools and Acton-Boxborough Regional School District

Minnesota

• Jeffers Pond Elementary School, Prior Lake, MN
• Heritage E-STEM Middle School, West St. Paul, MN
• School of Environmental Studies, Apple Valley, MN
• Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools

Mississippi

• Watkins Elementary School, Jackson, MS

Nebraska

• King Science and Technology Magnet Center, Omaha, NE

New Hampshire

• Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH

New Jersey

• Bedwell Elementary School, Bernardsville, NJ
• Summerfield Elementary School, Neptune, NJ

New York

• Crompond School, Yorktown Heights, NY
• PS 057 Hubert H. Humphrey, Staten Island, NY
• Rye Country Day School, Rye, NY

Ohio

• Kenston High School, Chagrin Falls, OH

Pennsylvania

• Albert M. Greenfield Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA
• Broughal Community Middle School, Bethlehem, PA
• Nazareth Area Middle School, Nazareth, PA
• Westtown School, West Chester, PA
• Lower Merion School District

Rhode Island

• The Compass School, Kingston, RI
• Providence Career and Technical Academy, Providence, RI

Tennessee

• Ivy Academy, Soddy-Daisy, TN
• Lipscomb Academy Elementary School, Nashville, TN

Vermont

• Reading Elementary School, Reading, VT
• St. Albans City School, St. Albans, VT
• Shelburne Community School, Shelburne, VT

Virginia

• Stony Point Elementary School, Keswick, VA
• Magna Vista High School, Ridgeway, VA

Washington

• Glacier Park Elementary School, Maple Valley, WA
• Sacajawea Elementary School, Vancouver, WA
• Tahoma Senior High School, Covington, WA
• The Evergreen School, Shoreline, WA
• Kent School District

West Virginia

• Hometown Elementary School, Red House, WV
• Petersburg Elementary School, Petersburg, WV
• Marshall County Schools

Wisconsin

• Summit Environmental School, La Crosse, WI
• Westlawn Elementary School, Cedarburg, WI
• Jefferson Elementary-Fox River Academy, Appleton, WI
• Racine Montessori School, Racine, WI
• School District of Fort Atkinson

Celebrate National Environmental Education Week

In a first for a Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan relates how environmental education can be a tool to improve student health and engagement in STEM fields in a public service announcement for National Environmental Education Week. “We know so many of the jobs of the future are in the STEM fields, and there are so many great ties between STEM education and environmental education,” he said.  View the PSA >>>

To celebrate EE Week, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) has released a variety of timely resources.  Its video toolkit demonstrates lessons that use technology to connect students to the natural world. Its 10 Apps for Taking Tech Outdoors and Tech & Our Planet info graphic illustrate the widespread use of technology among kids and adults and possibilities for environmental learning, career pathways and implications for the economy. NEEF is also sponsoring an Environmental Educator Photo Contest running through May 31, 2013.

This year’s theme spotlights ways technology can enhance environmental learning.  Secretary of Education Arne Duncan offered his perspective in a new public service announcement to celebrate EE Week. “We know so many of the jobs of the future are in the STEM fields,” Duncan said. “There are so many great ties between STEM education and environmental education. If we really want to keep those good jobs in this country, if we want our students prepared – I think there’s no better way to start to get at that, whether it’s in 2^nd grade or in 11^th or 12^th grade, than to get kids out in the outdoors with environmental education.”

Read more on Homeroom, the Official Blog of the US Department of Education, Celebrating Environmental Education Week.

 

NHSTA Spring Conference Workshop

The Environmental Literacy Group will be presenting at the Spring Conference of the New Hampshire Science Teachers Association on March 11 at Keene State College.

This workshop will explore what the environmental literacy plan and why it is important to have it. We will discuss how it will be implemented as well as topics as student and teacher environmental literacy competencies. This is an opportunity for you to help guide us in planning the implementation of the plan. We will also talk about connections to Common Core and the Next Generation of Science Standards.

NH Environmental Literacy Plan Presentation at the NHSTA Spring Conference from OPEN NH / NH e-Learning for Educators

NEEEA Board Member Needed to Represent New Hampshire

Are you interested in working on the NEEEA Board and representing New Hampshire?

The official expectations of board members are listed below.  Basically, they four meetings and four conference calls each year.  The meetings are on a weekday from 10am to 3pm in a central New England location, which is often in NH or MA.  Everyone must participate on at least one committee.

New England Environmental Education Alliance

The mission of the New England Environmental Education Alliance (NEEEA) is to promote quality environmental education across New England in partnership with the state environmental education organizations. NEEEA provides regional professional development opportunities, recognizes exemplary environmental educators and programs in New England, provides current EE information and resources to educators in the region, and assists state EE organizations’ growth and development.

NEEEA’s Work

The 6 New England state EE organizations support the work of the NEEEA board by hosting the conference, which is the primary means by which NEEEA raises funds every year. The money raised by the conference covers the basic costs of running the organization.  The many hours put in by board members are all volunteer. The board strives to be supportive to the state running the conference, providing the basic framework, while also working on region-wide projects and capacity building. In return, environmental educators throughout New England benefit from the following NEEEA activities:

• A yearly conference (with some conference scholarships available)
• A bi-annual State Organization Leaders’ Retreat
• A bi-annual Administrators’ retreat
• Recognition of outstanding educators through annual awards
• A website and email listserv that serves the New England EE community
• Networking and information sharing between the organizations in the region and state boards
• NAAEE representation for New England
• The electronic publication of NEJEE

NEEEA’s Values

• NEEEA is a forward thinking, unique, multi-state organization committed to practicing and promoting effective change towards a healthy, sustainable world.

•  NEEEA embraces diversity, inclusion, unity and collaboration by reaching out to individuals, organizations and other professions for a common cause.

•  NEEEA values high quality Environmental Education and promotes professionalism and work place equity, bringing increased public value to the field.

• NEEEA operates with integrity, honesty and humility and demands accountability to our mission and the six state organizations we serve.

• NEEEA engages joyfully in hard work, which is good work enriched by community and connection to the environment.

Board Member Expectations

NEEEA has a very strong tradition of operating with a working Board of Directors, augmented by volunteers from the host state for each conference. The following are important expectations for participation on NEEEA’s Board.

Meetings:

Attendance at quarterly meetings is the most important aspect of participation on the NEEEA Board. NEEEA Board members are expected to attend all meetings. A schedule of meetings will be determined months in advance. Every member of the Board is a leader in our work, and therefore has a premium on time. It therefore is not acceptable to miss meetings because of anything less than poor health or an emergency. We ask current and prospective board members to gain an understanding of this commitment with their employer before joining the board, and to plan work commitments to allow full participation on the NEEEA board.

Work

The axiom that all non-profit board members must provide at least one of the following:

Wealth             Wisdom           Work

is somewhat skewed for NEEEA. We expect every board member to provide just a bit of the first – some sort of financial contribution, at any level – and lots of the second two. If we looked at a chart of the work being done by the board, it should be reasonably even, especially over the two-year term(s) a board member serves. Everyone is expected to take on tasks and projects.

Professionalism:

For NEEEA and, in fact, EE in New England to thrive, the board must conduct itself with the highest level of professionalism. We must balance the fact that participation on the board is a volunteer commitment with the reality of our status as a working board. We must be the model for all state boards and for our profession. To that end we agree that we will:

• Treat every board member and program participant with respect.
• Cultivate an atmosphere of possibility and positive momentum in our work.
• Be honest and act with integrity in all of our dealings with NEEEA and its programs.
• Bring patience to strong differences of opinion.
• Allow for levity in the midst of doing good work together.
• Share our passion for EE.

Call for Workshops Maine Environmental Education Association Annual Conference March 22, 2013

The Maine Environmental Education Association invites environmental educators and enthusiasts to submit proposals for the 2013 Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) Annual Conference in Wiscasset, Maine on Friday, March 22.

“Pathways to Environmental Literacy: Sharing Stories to Inspire our Work”

MEEA is seeking proposals from educators, conservation professionals, entrepeneurs, business leaders, naturalists, artists, health care providers, scientists, state organizations and others who have experiences or resources that relate to our workshop strands. We encourage professionals to join us from a wide range of fields who seek to collaborate toward a common goal of an environmentally literate citizenship.

For more information, visit the MEEA Call for Workshops announcement online.

Three New Hampshire Organizations Awarded Grants to Improve Environmental Literacy

Rising to the top of a highly competitive process, the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire, the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, and Peter Woodbury School/Bedford School District were each awarded $5,000 from the New England Environmental Education Alliance. These programs will contribute to increasing the environmental knowledge and skills of students, teachers, and families in New Hampshire.

Made possible by a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New England Environmental Education Alliance (www.neeea.org), in partnership with New Hampshire Environmental Educators (www.nhee.org), received nearly 100 proposals for educational programs that focus on learning about the environment.

Nineteen projects throughout New England were funded. Ultimately the projects will strengthen the ability of other environmental and community organizations to develop and deliver environmental education programs, helping the public to make informed decisions that affect environmental quality.

The Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire, based in Littleton, will work with partners to develop a replicable model that will help educators integrate learning in the arts, science, and other subject areas. The project will target schools, environmental/nature centers, out-of-school/after-school programs, and community members and organizations.

The Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, based in North Woodstock, N.H., will
bring together a variety of teacher professional development providers, such as
colleges, universities, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations. The purpose is to develop a plan to increase environmental literacy of current and future classroom teachers.

The Peter Woodbury School/Bedford School District in Bedford, N.H., will provide training in environmental topics and curricula to educators of Pre-Kindergarten through grade 3 from the Bedford region. The project will train educators on using the outdoors to enhance student learning in multiple subject areas, including reading, writing and math. The program will be shared with educators in other regions.

Together, the 19 environmental education projects funded in New England will develop and test new educational techniques that address critical environmental issues while advancing the education standards of New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Environmental Educators (NHEE) is a statewide professional Environmental Education organization. NHEE’s mission is to advocate for high quality environmental education in New Hampshire, and to provide environmental educators with a forum for networking and professional development. For more information, visit NHEE.org.

Environmental News from the US Department of Education

Know An Outstanding Environmental Educator? 

The applications for 2013-2014 ED Washington and Classroom Teaching Ambassador Fellowships are now available and will close on January 29, 2013. Teaching Ambassador Fellows are outstanding teachers, with a record of leadership, strong communication skills, and insight into educational policy based in classroom expertise. All Teaching Ambassador Fellows spend a year learning about key federal programs and policies; sharing their expertise with federal staff; and providing outreach and communication about federal initiatives to other educators on behalf of the Department. More information>>>

3^rd Annual Green Schools National Conference: February 22-24^th 

The 3^rd Annual Green Schools National Conference will take place in West Palm Beach, FL. Breakouts will include health, facilities and environmental education topics. Early registration pricing is in effect through Jan 9.>>>

Mark Your Calendar Now: The Green Strides Webinar Series Continues in 2013

Through the Green Strides Webinar Series hundreds of state, local and school officials and their communities are tuning in to learn how to reduce their schools’ environmental impact and costs; improve health and wellness; and teach effective environmental literacy, including STEM, green careers, and civic engagement.  The Series provides administrators, educators, parents and interested third parties the resources to move toward the exemplary levels of U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools>>>.

Jan. 9, 2013, 4-5 p.m.: Using Remote Sensing to Quantify Changes over Time (NASA)

Jan. 16, 2013, 4-5 p.m.: Food for Thought: Space Food and Nutrition (NASA)

Jan. 23, 2013, 2-3 p.m. Farm to School Program (USDA)

Jan. 30, 2013, 4-5 p.m.  Eyes on the Earth- Global Climate Change (NASA)

Feb. 6, 2013, 4-5 p.m. An Energy Literate Citizenry from K to Grey (DOE)

Feb. 13, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Emerging ʺGreenʺ Technologies (NASA)

Feb. 20, 2013, 4-5 p.m. Climate Time Machine (NASA)

Environmental Education Grant Opportunity: Improving Equity in Magnet Schools with STEM Priority

The Magnet Schools Assistance program provides grants to eligible local educational agencies for magnet schools. Projects must support the development and implementation of magnet schools that assist in the achievement of systemic reforms and provide all students with the opportunity to meet challenging academic content; student academic achievement standards; the development and design of innovative education methods and practices that promote diversity in public education programs; professional development; and the implementation of courses of instruction in magnet schools that strengthen students’ knowledge of academic subjects and their grasp of tangible and marketable vocational skills. There will be a pre-application webinar on January 17^th , the notice of intent to apply is should be submitted by February 1, and applications are due by March 1. >>>

Grant Awards Made for Green Strides

Before the end of the calendar year, the Department announced grants under two competitive programs that have a focus on STEM education and healthy school environments:

On December 18, Secretary Duncan announced that all 20 of the highest-rated applicants in the 2012 Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition have secured their required private matching funds and become official grantees.  Together, they will share more than $140 million in federal funds to expand innovative practices designed to accelerate student achievement and help prepare every student to succeed in college and their careers.>>>

Then, on December 21, the Secretary announced 17 winners of a 2012 Promise Neighborhoods grant.  Launched in 2010, Promise Neighborhoods is a community-focused program that funds local-led efforts to improve educational opportunities and supply comprehensive health, safety, and support services within high-poverty neighborhoods.  The 2012 awards are split between 10 one-year planning grants, totaling more than $4.7 million, and seven five-year implementation grants, totaling nearly $30 million.>>>

Stay tuned for more information on applying to Green Strides programs – grants from all over the Department that help to support healthy and sustainable school environments and effective environmental education.

Find Your School’s Green Week!

Green Education Foundation will be kicking of its Green Week from February 4-8. Participants can choose any week, or day between February 4 and April 30 to be their Green Week. During their designated Green Week, teachers and youth group leaders are encouraged to spend time talking about sustainability issues, conducting one of Green Education Foundation’s free lessons, or undertaking a sustainability project. Sign up at by February 1 to be entered to win eco-friendly prizes and for information on six sustainability themed programs, each with their own 5-day lesson sets, activities, tips and recommended reading to make Green Week as simple as possible.>>>