Fairfield's North Stratfield Elementary Named CT Green LEAF School

The following announcement is from North Stratfield Elementary School:

FAIRFIELD, CT — We are so excited to announce that on December 9, 2022, North Stratfield Elementary officially became a certified Connecticut Green LEAF School. There are currently 146 Green Leaf schools in Connecticut and North Stratfield is now the fourth public school in Fairfield to receive this title including Osborn Hill, McKinley and Mill Hill elementary schools.

Courtney Radosavljevic and Amanda Ingrassia, two North Stratfield parents, started the
Green Team at NSS six months ago with the hopes of introducing more sustainable practices to
the students and staff. With the help of Fairfield Public Schools Operations Director Angelus
Papageorge, NSS Principal Debbie Jackson, head custodian Pat Teto, PTA President Katie
Flynn, and PTAC VP of Sustainability Meghann McKale, they completed the assessment of the
school's indoor and outdoor spaces to set goals that will reduce environmental impact and cost,
improve the health and wellness of the students and staff, and provide effective environmental
and sustainability education.

This certification, granted by the CT Green LEAF advisory board members Abbey Pelko,
Susan Quincy and CJ May, not only unlocks grants for the school, but also provides
professional development opportunities for the teachers and staff. North Stratfield is working
towards becoming a more sustainable community and creating a blueprint for moving towards a
greener future.

Since forming the Green Team at NSS, Courtney and Amanda have reinvigorated the
outdoor ecological learning center in the courtyard, planted a commemorative tree for their
beloved custodian Charlie Dias, collected & recycled 4 pounds of candy wrappers through
Rubicons Trick or Trash Campaign, introduced their first Halloween costume swap, and most
recently diverted 6 tons of food waste from the landfill through the Pumpkin Composting
Program across 7 schools.

They are looking to create a future for their kids that they can be proud of. Their motto is:
“The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.” We are so excited to see what they
do next.

Follow @nssgoesgreen on instagram to track their progress and celebrate their
successes.