Community Relations
For Immediate Release
November 17, 2011
Contact:
Jim Henderson
Asst. Supt. for Admin. Services
(434) 245-2400
James.Henderson@ccs.k12.va.us
Media Release
CCS Wins 1st Place as Green School Division
Charlottesville City Schools received the top award for its category in the 2011 Green Schools Challenge, an initiative of the Virginia Municipal League in partnership with the Virginia School Boards Association that encourages implementation of environmental policies and practices that reduce carbon emissions generated by the local school division and the broader community. Winners were announced at the VSBA Annual Convention November 16 in Williamsburg.
The City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City School Division have been active for years as partners in addressing environmental concerns. CCS contracts with the City of Charlottesville for services related to facilities, maintenance, and transportation. The school division has adopted conservation, natural science, and energy efficiency as part of ongoing instruction at all grade levels and a way of life outside of the school day.
In 2009, CCS took second place in the inaugural VSBA Green Schools Challenge, which is currently sponsored by Moseley Architects and several other organizations. Charlottesville competes in the “Less than 5,000 Students” category. Selections are based on 12 categories and 30 action items that describe policies, installations, and activities that conserve energy and increase awareness of “green practices” in schools and community, such as:
- Environmental Management Policies
- Greenhouse gas emissions inventory
- Energy STAR ratings for 7 of 9 schools
- Renewable energy installations
- Environmental education
- "Green fleet" policy for school buses
- Integrated Pest Management
- Outdoor classroom spaces
- Community partnerships to support the environment
For more information, visit http://www.gogreenva.org/ or www.vsba.org.
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