Parkway School Designated as a Connecticut Green Leaf School

Parkway Elementary School has earned the designation as a Connecticut Green Leaf School in recognition of the promotion of the environmental sciences, energy conservation and wellness programs for the school community.

Parkway students celebrated their work to date by presenting a play, “Parkway’s Great Green Leaf Adventure,” on Nov. 17. The play was written by teachers and students, and highlighted the work of the school community to ‘grow green.’ The skits performed included a group of student scientists utilizing the Parkway pollinator garden as an outdoor classroom, models of recycling, and the promotion of the many ways we can all make the ‘little changes that make a big difference’.

Surprising Parkway students at the end of the show, Energy Education Specialist, Laurel Kohl, presented the Connecticut Green Leaf banner in recognition of the school’s work as environmental stewards. Kohl applauded the efforts of the students and commended them for being necessary agents of change. She also said that the school is “well on the way” to receiving a nomination for the national award given by the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon program.

Parkway is the 66th school in the state to be included in the Green LEAF program, a collaborative effort between the Connecticut State Departments of Education, Energy and Environmental Protection, and Administrative Services and Public Health, among others to support schools in “growing greener.” The Green Leaf program focuses on, “Leading, Educating, Achieving and Fostering healthy green schools for all.” The three goals of the program are to provide education in environmental sciences and sustainability; improve health and wellness of school community, and reduce environmental impact.

Parkway also is pursuing a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon, which recognizes schools that reduce environmental impact and costs; improve the health and wellness of schools, students and staff, and provides environmental education especially by incorporating STEM, civic skills and green career pathways.

Contributed photo: Parkway fifth-graders perform a skit about recycling.

Have a news tip? Email barbara.heins@patch.com. You can also post your own news, events and announcements on Patch by following these directions. Curious about how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your neighbors on Patch.