This page is intended to inform districts and schools about the Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) Project.
NEW INFORMATION
CLICK HERE for Kentucky's Green Ribbon Schools Application Process webpage. It includes the "letter of intent" indicating your school's desire to participate. It also includes a link to the surveygizmo tool used to submit the GRS application online to KDE.
KDE hosted a webcast on February 14, 2012, for districts and schools to pose questions regarding the application. Please use the following links to view a recording of the webcast.
Summary: Paige Patterson-Grant, Merin Roseman and Sherri Craig present the Green Ribbon Schools Kentucky Application Q&A Session.
Streaming Video mms://video1.education.ky.gov/On-Demand2012/GRS_2-14-2012.wmv
Downloadable video http://media.education.ky.gov/video1/On-Demand2012/GRS_2-14-2012.mp4
OVERVIEW
In November, the Kentucky Department of Education announced to the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) our intent to participate in this pilot year of the Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) Program. This award recognizes the highest performing green and healthy schools in the nation. It is the first comprehensive federal policy by the USDOE recognizing exemplary achievement in environmental impact, health, and education. High standards of nutrition, fitness, and outdoor time for both students and staff are among the qualifying criteria for the award. A key partner in this endeavor with the USDOE is the Campaign for Environmental Literacy.
All of Kentucky's public school districts are invited to participate with a maximum of one school submission per district. It is a THREE step process.
The first step will be to complete and submit a "letter of intent" to KDE to indicate your school's desire to submit an application.
The second step will be to complete and submit an application to KDE to demonstrate your school's progress towards the goals of each of the three GRS Pillars. KDE is using the surveygizmo tool provided by the USDOE.
GRS Pillars:
I. Net zero environmental impact
Element 1A: Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Element 1B: Improved water quality, efficiency, and conservation
Element 1C: Reduced waste production
Element 1D: Use of alternative transportation to, during, and from school
II. Net positive impact on health of students and staff
Element 2A: An integrated school environmental health program
Element 2B: High standards of nutrition, fitness, and quantity of quality outdoor time
III. 100% of high school graduates are environmentally and sustainability literate
Element 3A: Interdisciplinary learning about the key relationships between dynamic environmental, energy and human systems
Element 3B: Use of the environment and sustainability to develop STEM content knowledge, and thinking skills
Element 3C: Development and application of civic engagement knowledge and skills
Participation in Green School Programs and/or Awards for Environmental and Sustainability Efforts will also be considered in the scoring.
Applications will be evaluated by a contingent of Kentucky agencies and programs dedicated to greener schools. If selected as one of the three nominees, your school will be asked to complete the third step by providing additional information for the USDOE nomination package.
Please check for updates as changes are likely to occur during this pilot year.
UPDATED TIMELINE:
* Application form available 02/01/12
(allows 4 weeks for schools to complete and submit)
* Letter of Intent submitted to KDE 02/10/12
* Applications to be submitted to KDE 02/24/12
* Application scoring completed 03/07/12
* Three school nominee packages submitted to USDOE 03/22/12
* Announcement by USDOE of school winners 04/23/12
* USDOE recognition ceremony for GRS 06/04/12
LINKS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
* U. S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools:
www.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools
* Green Ribbon Schools - U. S. DOE (coming soon):
www.greenribbon.org
* Kentucky Green & Healthy Schools:
www.greenschools.ky.gov
* Kentucky Environmental Education Council:
www.keec.ky.gov
* Kentucky School Boards Association:
www.ksba.org
* Kentucky Association for Environmental Education:
www.kaee.org
* University of Louisville - Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program for Schools:
www.louisville.edu/kppc/keeps
* Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Department for Energy Development and Independence:
www.energy.ky.gov
* The Center for Green Schools:
www.centerforgreenschools.org
* Campaign for Environmental Literacy:
fundee.org
* National Energy Education Development Project:
www.need.org
* U. S. Green Building Council:
www.usgbc.org
* 2nd Annual Green Schools National Conference:
www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org
* Let’s Move! initiative:
www.letsmove.gov
* The President’s Challenge:
www.presidentschallenge.org
* USDA’s school garden promotion:
healthymeals.nal.usda.gov
* Agriculture in the Classroom:
www.agclassroom.org
* Farm to School initiative:
www.farmtoschool.org/KY/programs.htm
* Green Ribbon Schools - non-profit:
www.greenribbonschools.org