91社区

The State Education Department (91社区) today announced Katonah-Lewisboro School District and Williamsville School District have been selected as 2025-2026 Green Ribbon Schools Honorees. The Katonah-Lewisboro School District (Westchester County) was selected for its numerous initiatives in renewable energy and green technology. The Williamsville Central School District (Erie County) was selected for its various initiatives in student education, health, and wellness programs.

Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr.听said, 鈥淚 commend the Katonah-Lewisboro School District and the Williamsville Central School District for their leadership in creating more sustainable and environmentally responsible school communities. These districts exemplify how schools can advance sustainability in meaningful ways while enhancing student learning. Their work reflects a strong commitment to practices that benefit students, staff, local communities, and the planet for generations to come.鈥�

State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa听said, 鈥淜atonah-Lewisboro School District and Williamsville Central School District should be proud of their work to build more sustainable, environmentally responsible school communities. They have developed creative solutions to environmental challenges while actively engaging students in the process. By integrating sustainability across disciplines鈥攆rom science and technology to the humanities鈥攖hese schools have created meaningful, real-world learning experiences that will prepare students to be thoughtful stewards of their communities and the Earth.鈥�

In alignment with the three pillars of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) program, the honorees were selected based on their high achievement within three areas of environmental impact: the reduction of economic and environmental waste; the improvement of health and wellness among students and staff; and the promotion of environmental sustainability education. Although the federal program is currently paused, the 91社区 is committed to the continued recognition of candidates making strides in the ED-GRS Pillars.

The Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) program recognizes schools where staff, students, officials, and communities have worked together to produce energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthy school environments, and to ensure the environmental literacy of graduates. This recognition is part of a larger effort to identify and share knowledge about proven practices that result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, workforce preparedness, and increased energy independence and economic security.

Katonah-Lewisboro School District

The Katonah-Lewisboro School District has made demonstrable achievements in its sustainability initiatives over the past several years. In 2019, the district transitioned to 100% renewable wind-powered electricity, lowering its carbon emissions by about 887 metric tons each year. Katonah-Lewisboro has also been able to offset its energy usage by about 120,000 kWh per year by installing solar arrays on the roofs of the middle and high schools. Additional projects, such as upgraded windows and insulation, a districtwide conversion to LED lighting, and a commitment to cleaner transportation have helped the district make a significant impact in its sustainability efforts.

Katonah-Lewisboro students have also played a role in cultivating a culture of care, wellness, and sustainability across the district. This includes organizing annual food and coat drives that support local families, hosting a Spirit Wear Swap to reuse and recycle clothing items, and donating produce from school gardens to the local community center. Students, as well as educators and community members, have earned regional and national recognition for their projects addressing sustainability topics.

The Katonah-Lewisboro School District is currently in the process of crafting and implementing a three-year sustainability vision and plan that creates the conditions for a whole-systems approach across community, campus, and curriculum. This includes the district鈥檚 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2040, which the district intends to meet by phasing out fossil-fuel boilers and replacing them with geothermal and air-sourced heat pumps, upgrading electrical infrastructure to support full bus fleet electrification by 2035, and placing solar panels on every school roof. These initiatives are estimated to generate 2.1 Megawatts of renewable electricity.

Williamsville Central School District

Williamsville Central School District鈥檚 hands-on sustainability program has shown success in reducing environmental impacts, improving student knowledge, and providing students with real-world experiences. This includes a green technologies program designed to mitigate the negative effects of human activities on the environment, a school-wide recycling program to encourage the students to think about how their actions impact the environment, and the use of the school courtyard as a green learning space lessons in science, technology, engineering, art, math, and English language arts.

The district also focuses on physical health, mental health, and wellness through initiatives that combine environmental sustainability with the school community鈥檚 wellbeing, including Wellness Days, Fun Runs, a Farm to School Program, and a Gardening Club. School-wide celebrations of Earth Day and Arbor Day provide students with the opportunity to develop their understanding of the importance of caring for the environment through special projects, speakers, and activities. Students are introduced to various environmental and sustainability careers through field trips and guest speakers, including farmers, wildlife and habitat educators, and electrical energy producers.

Williamsville, in partnership with the New York Power Authority, monitors and reduces the use of energy through heating controls, lighting upgrades, and ventilation equipment improvements. The district has future goals of having high school students create and maintain a pollinator garden that they can use to teach other students and the community about environmental impacts.