State Approves Greendale Schools’ School Forest Education Plan

Greendale, WI -- Greendale Schools announced today that its School Forest Education Plan has been approved by the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB).

Approval of the plan allows Greendale Schools to maintain School Forest designation for its adjacent forest land and to seek grant funds and resources to enhance the District’s environmental education programming for students in K5 through 12th grade.

WEEB’s assessment of the new Greendale Schools’ Forest Plan gave it an exceptional rating on multiple aspects. The comprehensive plan outlines how the school forests will be used across the curriculum in multiple course areas and highlights how the District will support teachers with professional development to ensure effective use of the outdoor classroom spaces afforded by the forests.

Greendale’s two, large School Forests are located near Greendale High School and adjacent to Canterbury Elementary and Greendale Middle Schools.

“There are multiple benefits to advancing outdoor environmental education for our students,” said Dr. Gary Kiltz, Superintendent of Greendale Schools. “The forests offer a practical teaching tool that enhance our students’ sense of place and provide service learning and academic learning opportunities. This work aligns with our District’s and community values of educating Greendale students to be critical and creative thinkers with exceptional communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills.”

“These experiences help our youth to make important connections between what they are learning in the indoor classroom and practically apply those lessons in the outdoor classrooms,” He added. “We are fortunate to have these resources nearby and to have the commitment of our community in support of our local green spaces.”

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