2017 NJ School and District Sustainability Awards Announced
on Oct 24, 2017
Award recipients from Delran Township Schools, Lawrence Township Public Schools and Long Branch School District
Today, Sustainable Jersey for Schools announced the three schools and two school districts that are the recipients of the 2017 Sustainable Jersey for Schools special awards. Awardees are from Delran Township Schools, Lawrence Township Public Schools and Long Branch School District.
Three schools from Long Branch School District in Monmouth County were recognized as Sustainability Champions for making significant progress toward sustainability and earning Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification with the highest point level in their category. The 2017 Champions are: George M. Catrambone Elementary School, Long Branch Middle School and Long Branch High School. Dr. Michael Salvatore, the Long Branch Superintendent of Schools said, “It is truly an honor for our school community to be recognized for actively engaging our stakeholders in sustainable practices. Our children are learning important lessons that will have a lasting positive impact upon our world.”
2017 SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION AWARDS: Three Schools from Long Branch School District (Monmouth County)
- George M. Catrambone Elementary with 485 points (silver-level certification)
- Long Branch Middle School with 355 points (silver-level certification)
- Long Branch High School with 285 points (bronze-level certification)
2017 SUSTAINABILITY MAKES $ENSE AWARD: Lawrence Township Public Schools (Mercer County)
Lawrence Township Public Schools in Mercer County received the Sustainability Makes $ense Award that recognizes a district that has made exemplary progress in sustainability resulting in cost savings to the school district. Dr. Crystal Edward, Superintendent of Lawrence Township Public Schools said, “We were delighted in 2008 when our Board of Education proposed and the Lawrence residents supported a referendum to place solar panels on the roofs of all seven schools. Since that time, revenue generated and savings earned by energy usage offset by the panels is passed to Lawrence residents in the form of tax relief. To be recognized by Sustainable Jersey for Schools with a Sustainability Makes $ense Award for this green initiative is the icing on the cake.”Since 2010, the district has earned over three million dollars in revenue from energy generated by solar panels on all school buildings. This revenue is in addition to the energy usage offset by the panels. The total solar panel revenue plus cost of energy offset by the panels totals over four million dollars.
2017 GREEN TEAM COLLABORATION AWARD: Delran Township Schools Green Team and the Delran Township Municipal Green Team (Burlington County)
Delran Township Schools in Burlington County received the Green Team Collaboration Award that recognizes municipal and school green teams working together to advance sustainability. Erica DeMichele, Delran Township School District, K-12 Supervisor of Science, Technology, Engineering, STEM Program Co-Coordinator, and Sustainability Program Coordinator said, “Delran Township Schools and the Delran Municipal Green Team began their collaboration at the infancy of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program. That work includes education to the broader community at events like Delran Day, the Delran STEM Fair, planting 1,800 native species in the Millbridge School rain garden and planting wildflowers in the community. One notable success is the biodiversity audit completed by the middle school green team and seventh grade class last year, in conjunction with the Municipal Green Team’s task force on collecting data to stop the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.”
Representatives from these schools and districts will accept their awards tonight at a reception during the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) Workshop 2017 in Atlantic City. To date, 692 of New Jersey’s schools have demonstrated their leadership and commitment to sustainability by registering with the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification program. “The Sustainable Jersey for Schools awards recognize the outstanding work being done at the local level,” said Randall Solomon, the executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “We’re impressed by the sustainability programs and initiatives of these schools and districts. They deserve to be commended for their outstanding accomplishments and we’re looking forward to sharing their work at the awards reception.”