After “Blue Ribbon” Comes “Green Award” for Elementary School

Mendham Township, NEW JERSEY (October 22, 2019) – In addition to becoming a Blue Ribbon School in 2019, Mendham Township Elementary School (MTES) recently received Bronze certification - again - for sustainability!

Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a certification program for public schools in New Jersey. It was launched in 2014 by Sustainable Jersey, an organization that provides tools, training, and financial incentives to support and reward municipalities and schools as they pursue sustainability programs. The New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) hosted a reception for award winners to formally receive their plaques on October, 22, 2019 in Atlantic City, NJ. Mrs. Erica Parke and Mrs. Tracy Newton, both teachers at the MTES, are pictured with Sustainable Jersey’s Executive Director, Randall Solomon, at the event. Mrs. Parke and Mrs. Newton are co-team leaders managing the Green Team at the school and then each teacher individually leads several dedicated sub-teams focused on key areas of recycling, reducing, and reusing. Ms. Julianne Kotcho, Principal, recognized the tremendous effort in achieving this award saying, “Great leadership from our Green Team teachers Mrs. Newton and Mrs. Parke who continually focus our school on sustainability efforts and educating our students, staff, and community on the importance of environmental responsibility."

While Mrs. Parke and Mrs. Newton were happy for the students and staff at MTES to be recognized for their commitment to being “green,” they are already thinking about next steps. The seeds of going green continue to sprout, and now these leaders are eyeing the future with silver in mind! The Sustainable Jersey for Schools Program encompasses three key components:

● People – Contribute to a strong civil society that provides opportunity for all;

● Prosperity – Support local economies and wise use of community resources;

● Planet – Practice responsible environmental management and conservation School participation.

In planning to support the current and future generations, it makes sense to embrace these tenets and align MTES’s sustainability efforts accordingly. The Bronze certification, which is valid for the period 2019-2022, required the school to have a green team and achieve a minimum of 150 points based on projects and actions. MTES surpassed the minimum threshold of 150 points with a total of 205 points through projects such as composting school lunch waste to create nutrient-rich soil for the plants growing in the school’s Outdoor Learning Center, and a school-wide plastic reduction challenge. To qualify for a silver level of certification in the future would require a mandatory green team, implementation of three out of ten priority actions, and a total of 350 points. While this is a significant increase in commitment, MTES is looking forward to the challenge. Mrs. Erica Parke commented, “As sustainability is a large portion of our district’s strategic plan, we should be able to achieve the silver thanks to the support of the administration and board of education.”

Currently, there are 881 schools participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program, with 223 achieving Bronze certification and 18 holding Silver certification. “It is great to see students participating with such energy and enthusiasm in making our school, community, and world a better place. I look forward, with hope and pride, towards the difference our efforts will make in creating a better future,” said Mrs. Newton.