Cherry Hill School District Earns Sustainable Jersey Recognition

Sustainable Jersey for Schools announced the 59 schools that are the first-ever to achieve the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification on Monday.

The Cherry Hill School District was one of five in the state that was recognized for successfully supporting the efforts of multiple schools in their district to achieve program certification.

A total of 18 schools in the district earned certification of some kind.

Bret Harte Elementary School earned silver certification.

The Alternative High School, Cherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill High School West, John A. Carusi Middle, Rosa International Middle and A. Russell Knight, Barclay, Clara Barton, Henry C. Beck, Horace Mann, James F. Cooper, James Johnson, Joseph D. Sharp, Joyce Kilmer, Kingston, Richard Stockton, Thomas Paine and Woodcrest elementary schools all earned bronze certification.

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. Silver-level certification requires that a school reach a minimum of 350 points.

The other entire districts that were recognized included Egg Harbor Township, Medford, Readington and Wayne.

All schools that earned certification will be honored at a reception during the NJSBA Workshop 2015 Conference on Oct. 27 in Atlantic City.

“Becoming certified with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a significant achievement for schools and their school district,” said Donna Drewes, who co-directs Sustainable Jersey with Randall Solomon. “We’re thrilled with the number of schools that achieved certification in this first year of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program and we share this success with the eight partner organizations that have joined us in this effort.”

Workshop 2015 will feature sessions on the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification program along with NJSBA sustainability support programs for New Jersey schools.

Attendees can visit the Sustainable Jersey for Schools’ booths in the Green Command Center and in the NJSBA member services area.

The Sustainable Jersey for Schools program partners include: New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA), New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO), New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), New Jersey Parent Teacher Association (NJPTA), New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA), New Jersey School Buildings and Grounds Association (NJSBGA) and The Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey.

“We are proud of the leadership provided by the boards of education and their superintendents, principals, teachers, education support professionals and parents to make this important milestone a reality,” New Jersey School Boards Association Executive Director Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod said. “We congratulate the schools on achieving Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification.”