Princeton Schools Form Green Team to Further Sustainability

Princeton, NJ -- The newly-formed Princeton Public Schools’ “Green Team,” co-chaired by Superintendent Steve Cochrane and Science Supervisor Edward Cohen, met for the first time on Dec. 8, the school district said on Wednesday.

The goal of the Green Team is to move forward with the district’s participation in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification process.

Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a program that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support and reward schools as they pursue actions to promote sustainability. Certification actions were created through a rigorous review process that included state leaders and experts from school districts, state agencies, academia, government, the nonprofit sector and the business community.

The team will advise and support the district’s efforts to study and adopt practices that integrate sustainability education into the curriculum, professional training, and in choices about how the district’s resources are used.

It will also recommend revisions and enhancements to the district’s educational program to ensure that sustainability education is coherent, integrated, developmentally appropriate and aligned with state standards and accepted best practices.

The team is made up of about 20 members, all of whom are staff, administrators, parents, community and board members.

Mia Sacks serves as Sustainable Princeton’s liaison to the team. The town recently attained Silver Certification Status through Sustainable Jersey.

Cochrane called the team’s formation as “a welcome opportunity for the district to actively partner with our community in reducing our collective carbon footprint.”

Cohen described the excitement in classrooms this week as “palpable” and added that he “...can’t wait to see students brainstorming solutions to combat global warming and curb emissions,” following last week’s historic climate agreement in Paris.

One of the team’s primary focuses over the next year will be to “ensure a safe and healthy environment for students and to encourage them to become leaders in making their schools, communities and planet, healthier places in which to live and work,” district officials said.

“The Sustainable Princeton motto is Change A Habit, Change The World, and what better place to start than with the children in our schools,” Sacks said.

“I am looking forward to working with a committed group such as this -- many of whom have long been identified with producing positive, meaningful environmental change in the Princeton community,” Princeton High School Biology Teacher Paula Jakowlew said. “Parents and students should expect to see not only positive changes that will result in a more earth-friendly PPS, but also a deeper connection to the environment that has sustained Princeton.”

The attached image was provided by Princeton Public Schools: (l. to r.): PPS Facilities Director Gary Weisman; Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Bonnie Lehet; Athletics Director John Miranda; PPS parent Jennifer Jang; Social Studies Supervisor (grades K-8) Tim Charleston (standing)