EWING, NJ — Sustainable Jersey for Schools recently announced that 91 schools achieved the prestigious Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification in 2017, including the South Mountain Elementary School Annex, which achieved a bronze rating. The 91 schools, spanning k-12, come from 43 different school districts across 18 New Jersey counties. In three years, 194 schools have achieved Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. A total of 679 schools and 273 school districts are participating in the program overall.
“As students and teachers head back to school this year, they will learn the good news that their hard work has paid off,” Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon said in a press release. “Becoming certified with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a significant achievement for schools and their school district. The number of schools participating in the program is truly remarkable.”
Sustainable Jersey for Schools is voluntary, but achieving certification is not easy. Each school that is certified at the bronze level must submit documentation to show it has completed a balanced portfolio of the program’s sustainability actions, attaining a minimum of 150 points.
In addition to South Mountain School, the only other Essex County school to receive bronze status this year was West Caldwell Technical School, part of Essex County Vocational Technical Schools. Jefferson, Seth Boyden and Tuscan elementary schools have bronze status as well.