Year round, the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) and its Green Strides outreach initiative share promising practices and resources in the areas of safe, healthy, and sustainable school environments; nutrition and fitness; and environmental education. Each fall, we have the pleasure of visiting school communities and highlighting their efforts. This year, the Green Strides Tour will return to the state of Washington for the first time since 2013, with the theme Whole Child, Whole School Sustainability.

The 2019 Green Strides Tour will highlight how rebuilding schools with sustainable infrastructure cuts costs and creates healthier and safer learning environments that support the needs of the whole child. Modern, educationally adequate green schools, and grounds facilitate hands-on learning about sustainability, natural resources, the environment, design, construction, and agriculture – preparing students for life-long success and professions not yet imagined.

Sustainability education includes broadly transferrable and versatile educational competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and cultural competence. Green schools offer learning environments that are agile, relevant, and exciting. By updating school facilities and grounds for sustainable operations and environmental education, the entire community can get involved and reap the benefits.

Past Green Strides have included over 100 events in 20 states:  Alabama; New England;  California; Boulder and Fort Collins, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Palm Beach and Broward, Florida; Georgia; Kentucky; Maryland; Prior Lake Savage and Waconia, Minnesota; Missouri; New York and New Jersey; Oregon and Washington; Pennsylvania; Wisconsin; and West Virginia.

We welcome anyone and everyone to join us on the tour to learn more about sustainable schools including:

  • Federal, state, and local governments and agency officials
  • Neighboring schools and districts
  • Members of the press

Agenda

This year’s tour will take place October 28-30, according to the following schedule: 

Monday, Oct. 28

8:00 a.m.—10:00 a.m. Oak Harbor School District

12:30 p.m.—2:15 p.m. Lake Washington School District

2:45 p.m.—3:45 p.m. Carnation Elementary School

Tuesday, Oct. 29

8:30 a.m.—10:15 a.m. Issaquah School District

11:15 a.m.—1:30 p.m. Northwest School

1:45 p.m.—3:00 p.m. Bertschi School

3:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m. Panel and Networking Event

Wednesday, Oct. 30

8:45 a.m. —10:30 a.m. Bethel School District

10:50 a.m.—11:50 a.m. Weyerhaeuser Elementary

12:10 p.m. —1:10 p.m. Eatonville Elementary

1:30 p.m.—2:30 p.m. Columbia Crest A-STEM Academy

Carpooling and other means of alternative transportation is encouraged. If you have any questions, please contact ED.Green.Ribbon.Schools@ed.gov.  Follow @EDGreenRibbon on Twitter for tour updates.