News Release: PGCPS Leads State in Certified Green Schools

April 30, 2024
For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Office of Communications
301-952-6001
communications@pgcps.org

Three out of four PGCPS schools are ‘certified green,’ outpacing all other Maryland districts

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) continues to lead the state in Maryland Green School certification, with four schools earning first-time certification and 47 schools recertified, raising the total number of green schools to 150.

“It takes a concerted effort by students and staff to keep Prince George’s County in the forefront of the Maryland Green School program,” said Superintendent Milton House II. “This achievement supports the goals outlined in our nationally-recognized Climate Change Action Plan and highlights our work to reduce carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency and build a culture of environmental stewardship.”

PGCPS schools earning Maryland Green School certification for the first time include Brandywine, Francis T. Evans and Mary Harris “Mother” Jones elementary schools and Imagine Andrews Public Charter School.

The William S. Schmidt Outdoor Education Center — which has played a key role in both growing PGCPS school certifications and helping schools maintain Green School status — earned Maryland Green Center Sustainable Bronze status for maintaining certification for the past 18 years.

Schools earning recertification include:

High Schools (7) – Academy of Health Sciences, Bowie High School, Crossland, Non-Traditional Program 9-12 North, Non-Traditional Program 9-12 South, Oxon Hill and Suitland
K-8/Middle Schools (8) – Benjamin D. Foulois Creative & Performing Arts Academy, Benjamin Tasker Middle School, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ernest Everett Just, Hyattsville, Stephen Decatur, Thomas Johnson and William W. Hall Academy
Elementary Schools (22) – Capitol Heights, Carmody Hills, Carrollton, Cherokee Lane, Doswell E. Brooks, Heather Hills, Hillcrest Heights, Hollywood, James Ryder Randall, Judge Sylvania Woods, Magnolia, Mattaponi, Mount Rainier, Panorama, Phyllis E. Williams Spanish Immersion, Pointer Ridge, Port Towns, Rosa Parks, University Park, Vansville, Whitehall and Woodridge
Public Charter Schools (3) – Chesapeake Math and IT North High School, Chesapeake Math and IT North Middle School and Imagine Foundations at Morningside
Early Childhood Centers (1) – Chapel Forge

Schools must recertify every four years to maintain Green School status. Bond Mill and Rockledge elementary schools achieved Sustainable status after 14 years of consecutive certification. Berwyn Heights Elementary, Dora Kennedy French Immersion, Patuxent Elementary and Robert Goddard Montessori achieved Sustainable Bronze status having maintained certification for 18 years.

In addition to having the most schools apply for certification, PGCPS tied with Montgomery County Public Schools for the highest number of new Maryland Green Schools.

Schools will be honored during the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education’s (MAEOE) Annual Youth Summit on Thursday, May 30 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Schools will also receive a Maryland Green School flag, statewide and local recognition and special gifts.

Sponsored by MAEOE, the Maryland Green Schools program is among the most rigorous and comprehensive Green School certification programs in the nation. It encourages educational opportunities, increases environmental awareness and promotes environmental stewardship practices for students at all grade levels. Through a non-competitive application process, schools must demonstrate their green activities and culture in eight criteria areas.

For more information about the Green School Program, visit the MAEOE website.

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