West Caldwell Tech Named 'Green Ribbon School' For 2016: Environmental Programs Lauded

The U.S Department has released its list of 2016 "Green Ribbon Schools," and Essex County West Caldwell Tech was among the environmentally friendly institutions to earn recognition.

The award is given to schools that demonstrate progress in three categories:

• Reducing environmental impact and costs, including waste, water, energy use and alternative transportation
• Improving the health and wellness of students and staff
• Providing effective sustainability education

“Healthy schools and wellness practices ensure that all students learn in an environment conducive to achieving their full potential, free of the health disparities that can aggravate achievement gaps,” the U.S. Department of Education states.

“The award is a tool to encourage state education agencies, stakeholders and higher education officials to consider matters of facilities, health, and environment comprehensively and in coordination with state health, environment, and energy agency counterparts.”

State participation in the award is voluntary, and not all state education authorities choose to nominate schools, districts, or colleges and universities. Read more about the award’s methodology here.

The nominated schools in New Jersey for 2016 included:

• Whitehouse School - Whitehouse Station
• Egg Harbor Township High School - Egg Harbor Township
• Essex County West Caldwell Tech - West Caldwell
• Triton Regional High School - Runnemede
• Raritan Valley Community College - North Branch

ABOUT WEST CALDWELL TECH

According to its award application, Essex County West Caldwell Tech serves 343 students in grades 9-12.

The public school also:

• Serves 40% or more students from disadvantaged households
• Has a 90.2% graduation rate (minus transition center student retention, a 95.1% graduation rate)
• Has a 92.8% attendance rate

“The West Caldwell Tech campus of the Essex County Vocational and Technical School District has been incorporating sustainable practices and green education over the past five years,” school administrators wrote.

“Our process began with an energy audit by Camp Dresser and McKee to develop comprehensive Energy Conservation and Retrofit Measures. Since then, we have made substantial efforts to improve our energy efficiency, green and sustainable education, health wellness, and community outreach. Some highlights include a Farm to School lunch program, partnerships, a recycling program, family education, and curriculum changes. Through our green initiatives, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions per person, decreased kBTU per person, and also lowered water consumption.

“Additionally, we have developed key partnerships with businesses with strong environmental convictions to improve our local habitats and to provide our students with invaluable experiences. Furthermore, we researched and implemented curriculum changes to expand our students’ understanding of green and sustainable practices.”

Read more about the school’s environmental achievements here.

Photo via U.S. Department of Education: Students plant seedlings at 2015 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools honoree Princeton Day School

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