District receives congratulations from its sustainability partner organization

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District receives congratulations from its sustainability partner organization

April 3, 2018

The Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) has extended its congratulations to the Warwick Valley Central School District, which has been recognized by the New York State Education Department for its outstanding efforts to create energy efficient and sustainable school environments.

The Warwick school district and CELF have worked together closely since 2015, when the district selected CELF to provide its environmental literacy Professional Development and Curriculum Design.

“It has been an honor to see sustainability become deeply embedded in the district and to see CELF’s curriculum come to life through the passion of teachers and students throughout all the schools in WVCSD,” said Katie Ginsberg, CELF’s founder and executive director.

Recognizing the success of the WVCSD initiative, the state nominated two of their schools, Park Avenue Elementary School and Warwick Valley High School, for the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award.

The State Education Department selected the Warwick schools in recognition of their high achievement in meeting the three pillars of Green Ribbon Schools:

I. Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs
II. Improved Health and Wellness
III. Effective Environmental and Sustainability Education

CELF partnered with Warwick on a two-year initiative specially designed to increase their students’ environmental literacy and advance sustainable development in the school district. Warwick teachers also benefited from a three-day Summer Institute where they learned from CELF educators how to incorporate sustainability learning goals across all subject areas and grade levels.

“CELF helped introduce the teachers at Warwick to backwards design curriculum mapping,” said James Yap, Warwick’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instructional Services. “This was on top of showing the teachers the power and benefits of sustainability.”

Among the reasons for selecting these two schools, the state Education Department cited Park Avenue Elementary School’s curriculum units on sustainability. It applauded Warwick Valley High School for providing effective training that enables teachers to incorporate sustainability and environmental topics into all subject areas.

“These remarkable schools deserve to be recognized for their efforts to decrease their environmental footprint,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said in a release. “Not only do the students benefit from participating in environmentally sustainable practices at school, they will carry these sustainable practices throughout their lives and contribute to a better future for our planet. I commend and admire these schools that have been nominated for this great honor.”

The national honorees will be announced this fall in Washington, D.C.

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