The Delran Township School District can add another bronze level certificate through the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program for a total of 13.
And Millbridge Elementary School can be proud of their fourth consecutive award win.
The district has been a member of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program since its inception in 2015. All four of its schools are bronze level certified.
Millbridge Elementary School met the requirements to achieve certification with 155 points joining a total of 375 certified schools across New Jersey. As leading examples of sustainability excellence, the certified schools provide outstanding learning opportunities for their students and join an established cohort of recognized schools across the state.
The schools’ certification report details where Millbridge made up their points including the district’s sustainability policy; onsite renewable generation system-solar; their green team; and community education and outreach, which included the Delran StoryWalk and annual STEM fair.
The Breakfast After the Bell program began at Millbridge in September 2012 as a trial run. The March 2024 monthly voucher report shows that Millbridge had a total of 2,873 breakfasts served.
The elementary school also picked up points for building efficiency measures; their school garden area, which consists of a small, raised bed, a composter and a rain barrel for water collection; and their outdoor classroom, which includes a Koi pond.
This year, the second grade students are using the garden as the final piece of their Pumpkin Jack. They weed, plant and harvest for their own consumption and education. The Koi pond is an outdoor classroom are where students can learn about Koi fish. This year students are also feeding the fish and learning about their hibernation state in the winter.
In education for sustainability, second grade students learn about the life sciences from plants to bee pollination.
The school also held a Halloween Costume collection and recycled Halloween candy wrappers.
This is the 13th bronze level certificate for the district, along with its two Collaboration Award wins for the municipal team and schools teams efforts in the community.
In the program’s 2014-’15 inaugural year, Millbridge Elementary became one of 59 schools in the state to achieve the certification. Delran High was certified the following year, and in 2016-’17 came certification for the intermediate and middle schools.
It was during that year when the New Jersey School Boards Convening awarded Delran schools the Green Team Collaboration Award, for work with the Delran Municipal Green Team, according to the district.
“We are incredibly proud … this accomplishment reflects our district’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmental education,” Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Della Vecchia said. “Our students, staff, and community have worked tirelessly to create a greener, healthier learning environment, and this certification is a testament to their dedication. By prioritizing sustainable practices, we are preparing our students to be responsible stewards of the environment and active participants in a more sustainable future.”
Sustainable Jersey for Schools developed the voluntary certification program in 2014 as a roadmap for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade public schools to implement sustainability best practices. To achieve certification, a school must submit documentation to show it has completed a balanced portfolio of the program’s sustainability actions, earning points for each. A minimum of 150 points is needed for bronze-level certification. The more advanced silver-level requires a minimum of 350 points of sustainability actions.
“As school districts across the country struggle to make progress on sustainability goals, New Jersey’s schools are taking action and providing evidence of implementation,” Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey, said. “With 67% of New Jersey public school districts participating and 375 certified schools, there’s an incredible opportunity and potential for change.
“Thank you, teachers, administrators, staff, parents and students, for your commitment and vision for the future. Becoming certified with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a significant achievement.”
For more information visit https://www.delranstem.org/greenteams
