Sustainable Jersey for Schools Announces 115 Certified Schools

on Sep 13, 2021

First Recipients of Digital Schools Star Named; New Milestone for Silver-Level Certification

 

Sustainable Jersey for Schools announced today the 115 public schools that achieved certification in 2021. Thirty-two schools received the more challenging silver-level certification with 21 of these schools reaching silver-level certification for the first time. This cycle marks a milestone for the largest increase in the number of schools certified at the silver-level in an application cycle since the program began in 2015.

Review the 2021 Sustainable Jersey for Schools certified schools: 2021 Sustainable Jersey for Schools Certified Schools.

New: Digital Schools Star Recognition

Thirty-seven schools from nine school districts were the first schools in New Jersey to earn Digital Schools Star recognition as part of their Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. Laurence Cocco, senior program consultant for Sustainable Jersey Digital Schools said, “The importance of digital remote and hybrid learning to sustainability and resiliency has never been more evident. To help strengthen support for schools, educators and students in navigating the opportunities and challenges of digital learning, the Digital Schools program was created, integrating new content into Sustainable Jersey for Schools.”

A Digital Schools Star embraces the mindful implementation of effective digital learning and communication tools, resources and practices – a commitment that is evident in its mission, culture, classrooms and interactions with its stakeholders. Star schools document their successful digital learning strategies in the action areas of leadership, learning practices, technology access, school culture and climate and student learning in order to qualify for star recognition.

Sustainable Jersey for Schools, a program for pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade public schools in New Jersey, is voluntary, but achieving certification takes commitment and collaborative effort. “Participation in Sustainable Jersey for Schools demonstrates a commitment to sustainability. Becoming certified is a significant achievement,” explained Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “Thank you to the teachers, administrators, staff, parents and students who are doing the hard work every day to make a sustainable future.”

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. The more advanced silver-level requires a minimum of 350 points of sustainability actions. To see each school’s complete certification report, visit: Participating Districts and Schools. Currently, 1,025 schools and 373 school districts are participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program overall, and 335 of these schools have unexpired certifications. Once a school is certified, the certification is good for three program years.