Nominee *
School District of Palm Beach County
Nominee
Christina Crespo
Contact Name *
Title
Recycling & Sustainability Coordinator
School Name *
School District of Palm Beach County
Address
3300 Summit Boulevard
City
West Palm Beach
Zip Code
33406
County *
Palm Beach
Phone Number
(561) 688-7602
*
Email *
christina.crespo@palmbeachschools.org
Website
http://www.palmbeachschools.org
Nominator
Christina Crespo
Name *
Address
3300 Summit Boulevard
City
West Palm Beach
Zip Code
33406
Phone Number
(561) 688-7602
*
Email *
christina.crespo@palmbeachschools.org
Nominee
School or School District
Category *
Project
School District
Category *
Theme

Green Learning Environments

Service Learning

Policy and Partnerships
Project Summary
The Palm Beach County Green Schools Recognition Program (GSRP) began in 2008 as a
collaboration between Florida Atlantic University's Pine Jog Environmental Education
Center and the School District of Palm Beach County, with funding provided by the
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties for the first two years. The
program's main objective is to encourage and support cultures of sustainability within
school communities. In doing so, the GSRP recognizes both public and private K-12
schools that have made strides in:
- Making school grounds enhancements that result in outdoor learning environments
being created and/or improved habitat or restoration areas (e.g., gardens, tree
plantings, wetlands creation)
- Enhancing school sustainability through the conservation of energy and water and
the reduction of
solid wastes
- Integrating curriculum that will prepare students to understand and act on current
and future environmental challenges facing South Florida
- Fostering partnerships within the school building and with local organizations in an
effort to create an awareness of environmental issues between the school and the
community
- Providing administrative support through active professional development and the
creation of a school philosophy and culture that embraces sustainability
The 2008/2009 school year marked the first year that the awards were given, with 21
schools participating in the program. The program has grown steadily each year, with
the 2011/2012 program recognizing a total of 60 applicants. Schools who participate
in the program report decreases in water and energy consumption, increases in the
types and amounts of recycling, more opportunities for outdoor and service learning
projects, as well as less tangible results such as heightened teacher and student
morale and an increased sense of community.
Additional Project Information
The Green Schools Recognition Program culminates in the fall of each year with a one-
day conference called "Learn Green" which provides a unique opportunity for schools
to learn from each other, as well as from industry experts about everything from
starting a hydroponic garden and recycling to energy conservation and incorporating
the environment into lesson plans. All of the schools who participate in the GSRP are
expected to share their successes and challenges at the conference, either through
displays, formal presentations, or panel discussions.
As an outgrowth of the GSRP, the Learn Green conference has been a rousing success,
as well. The first conference boasted an impressive 300 participants and 30 exhibitors
(mainly from Palm Beach County) and grew to almost 900 participants, representing
sixteen Florida counties and four states, 90 exhibitors, and 60 conference sessions in
its third year (2011). This year's conference is planned for October 19, 2012, and is
expected to draw over 1,000 attendees.
Several other states and counties (North Carolina and Broward County, FL, among
others) have implemented their own green schools programs using our specific GSRP
rubric as the basis, so we are confident that this program can be - and indeed, has
been - replicated elsewhere.
The revenues from each year's conference (begotten largely through corporate
sponsorship) helps to fund the following year's GSRP administrative activities and
award monies, so we have built a self-sustaining program.
From the very first days of the program, the staff of Pine Jog Environmental Education
Center, as well as School District leadership, were deeply committed to the success of
this program and have worked diligently to grow, enhance, and expand the program.
Many school-based projects are student driven, especially at the high school level. The
conference also features a track of workshops, facilitated by students, for students.
Evidence of Increased Student Achievement
During the application process, schools are asked to provide information about the
impact of their green school activities and student achievement. Most, if not all,
schools report an increase in student achievement, but none are asked to provide
specific, measurable outcomes. The anecdotal increases in achievement are linked to
higher student morale, more and varied outdoor learning experiences, as well as
students being more excited to come to school and learn about what they consider
"fun" topics - gardening, being outside, environmental literacy, and field trips to new
places.
Number of
6-30
people
DIRECTLY
involved in the
project
implementation
(implementation
team)
Number of
person-hours
spent on the
>200
project.
Number of
31 - 150
people directly
reached by the
project (active
participants and
those were
directly
affected).
Number of
> 1,200
people
INDIRECTLY
reached by the
project (passive
recipients,
those who
heard about the
project).
Project History
Project has existed for 2-4 years.
Alignment to
Activities aligned to NGSSS and integrated into multiple subject
Curriculum
areas.
Next Generation
Sunshine State
Standards
(NGSSS)
Evidence of
> $5,000
economic
benefits: Cost
Savings
(excluding
donations)
Enter actual
$30,000 in energy savings alone
amount of cost
savings.
Evidence of
Anecdotal evidence of increased parental involvement.
social benefits:
Parental
Involvement
Evidence of
Three new community partnerships established.
social benefits:
Community
Partnerships
Evidence of
>200,000 kWh
Energy Savings
Enter actual
4,000,000 kWh
amount of kWh
saved.
Evidence of
Anecdotal evidence of water savings
Water Savings
Evidence of
Anecdotal evidence of waste reduction
Waste
Reduction
Evidence of
25% - 50% of paper, plastic, aluminum are recycled
Recycling
Evidence of
Green cleaning products are required and used
Green Cleaning
Products
Evidence of

Yes
Health and
Nutrition
(Healthy
Schools) - Does
the school or
school district
have a health
and/or green
school goal
included in the
School
Improvement
Plan?
If yes, please
Each school participates in the District's Wellness Promotion
provide the goal Program, which is supported by a Board policy. The policy is based
and a brief
on a goal of promoting student health and safety and reducing the
description of
incidence of childhood obesity through nutrition education and
activities that
standards, as well as physical activity.
have occurred
related to this
goal. (50 words
max)
Evidence of
>180 bus idling minutes / >10% GHG emissions
improved
Outdoor Air
Quality by
reducing bus
idling minutes
(number of
buses x number
of minutes of
idling =
reduced bus
idling minutes)
or using
cleaner-burning
alternative fuels
Reductions in
Miles Driven to
School:
Anecdotal evidence
Reductions in
the number of
car miles driven
to school by
students and
teachers
walking or
biking or using
‘walking’ school
buses
Evidence of
>500 sq. ft. of area improved / >50% schools improved
Improved
Schoolyard
Environment /
District-wide
Improvement
Litter Removal:
Anecdotal evidence.
Miles of river,
coastline or
roadway cleared
of litter.
Evidence of
Increased
Productivity
(reduced
Anecdotal evidence of reduction in student and staff sick days.
absenteeism,
visits to clinic,
sick days)
Evidence of
Anecdotal evidence
student
Volunteerism
arising from,
but not directly
related to, the
Green School
activities.
Service
Anecdotal evidence
Learning:
Service Learning
Hours (# of
students x # of
hours of direct
service per
student)
Evidence of
increased
student
achievement.
Describe how
student
Anecdotal evidence
achievement
gains were
measured
Does the school Yes
or district
involve one or
more school
buildings
meeting the
requirements of
an approved
green building
standard THIS
school year?
If YES, describe
As of 2012, the School District has achieved LEED certification for six
how many
schools by the U.S. Green Building Council and one school was
buildings, what
certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC). Of those six
third-party
schools, four are LEED Gold, two are LEED Silver, and one is certified
certifier (e.g.,
(with 51 points) by the FGBC.
US DOE, USGBC,
Florida Green
Building
Coalition, Green
Globes, etc.)
was used and
what
designation
level(s) (e.g.,
basic, silver,
gold, platinum)
the buildings
were rated.
All information
was correct at
the time of
submission and
is provided in
good faith. *
Christina Crespo