HAZLET – Three township schools met the requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification.
The three schools that have achieved certification are: Raritan High School, Cove Road School, and Lillian Drive School, according to a prepared statement from the superintendent office.
These schools join a group of 91 schools that achieved the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification in 2017, according to a prepared statement.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools, a program for kindergarten through twelfth-grade public schools in New Jersey, is voluntary, but achieving certification is not easy. Each school that is certified at the bronze level must submit documentation to show it has completed a balanced portfolio of the program’s sustainability actions, attaining a minimum of 150 points. Silver-level certification requires a minimum of 350 points of sustainability actions.
On Oct. 24, the certified schools and their districts were celebrated at a reception held during New Jersey School Boards Association’s 2017 workshop in Atlantic City, according to a prepared statement.
“The teachers, administrators, board and community members that make up the Green Team should be commended for their hard work and dedication,” Board of Education President William Kolibas said in a prepared statement.
A total of 694 schools and 279 school districts are participating in the program overall, according to a prepared statement.
“As students and teachers head back to school this year, they will learn the good news that their hard work has paid off,” Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon said in a prepared statement. “Becoming certified with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a significant achievement for schools and their school district. The number of schools participating in the program is truly remarkable.”
More than 2,700 sustainability actions were completed by schools and districts participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program, from performing energy audits and boosting recycling efforts to integrating sustainability into student learning and promoting student and staff wellness, according to a prepared statement.
“We are proud of the leadership provided by the boards of education and their superintendents, as well as, the contributions of principals, teachers, education support professionals and parents, that made this important milestone a reality,” Lawrence S. Feinsod said in a prepared statement, New Jersey School Boards Association’s executive director. “We congratulate the schools on achieving Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification.”
For more information about Sustainable Jersey for Schools visit www.sustainablejerseyschools.com/about/.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].