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Ocean City Intermediate School Achieves NJ Sustainability Honor
111 New Jersey schools take the lead on sustainability in 2018
OCEAN CITY, NJ – The Ocean City Intermediate school has met the rigorous requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey for Schools re-certification. OCIS form part of a group of 111 schools that achieved the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification in 2018. A total of 779 schools and 303 school districts are participating in the program overall.
“We are thrilled to have been re-certified for the bronze award for the second year in a row because of our work to provide and maintain a healthy and safe learning environment and creating a “green” school through programing, enhancements to our courtyard, professional development and support in our curriculum for sustainability,” said Dr. Kathleen Taylor, Superintendent.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools, a program for pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade public schools in New Jersey, is voluntary, but achieving certification is not easy. Each school that is certified must submit documentation to show it has completed a balanced portfolio of the program’s sustainability actions. With most actions worth ten points each, bronze-level certification requires a minimum of 150 points and silver-level certification requires a minimum of 350 points. Over 3,048 sustainability actions were completed by schools and districts participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program-from performing energy audits and boosting recycling efforts to integrating sustainability into student learning and promoting student and staff wellness.
“It is a great honor to have achieved bronze level re-certification through New Jersey Sustainable Schools,” said Ocean City Intermediate School Principal Geoff Haines, “It was a total team effort, which included hard work from our Green Team and the support of our Superintendent, Board of Education, the city of Ocean City and the community. Through these supports, our staff and students have worked hard on conservation, renewable energy, recycling, sustainability, and so much more. We continue to strive towards Silver Level Certification and beyond.”
“We applaud the schools that have achieved certification this year. Their leadership and hard work will help New Jersey continue to evolve through their advancement of equitable, sustainable and innovative practices,” said Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “Becoming certified with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a significant achievement for schools and their school district.”
“Sustainable schools provide a healthy environment, conserve resources and continually improve the well-being of the community. We are proud of the leadership of the boards of education and their superintendents, as well as the contributions of principals, teachers, education support professionals and parents in this effort,” said Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, New Jersey School Boards Association executive director. “Congratulations to the 111 schools that achieved Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification in 2018.” On October 23, 2018, the certified schools and their districts will be celebrated at a reception held during NJSBA Workshop 2018 in Atlantic City. Workshop 2018 will feature Sustainable Jersey for Schools sessions along with NJSBA sustainability support programs for schools.
The Ocean City Intermediate School (OCIS) is made up of students in grades four, five, six, seven, and eight, residing in Ocean City and Sea Isle City. OCIS is a school, like the district, that is “committed to excellence” and our highly qualified, excellently prepared, well-trained, and intrinsically motivated staff allows this commitment to occur. The school is supported by a community that recognizes the effort to focus upon what is best for all of the students in Ocean City. The educators at the Ocean City Intermediate School are focused on respect, hard work, dynamic lessons and modeling that will ensure a school environment that provides instruction to meet the needs of each and every student
Our educational programs are academically challenging; engage each student by making connections to previous knowledge and life experiences; are relevant and involve rigorous curricula; and at the same time are exciting and captivating. Our staff has worked hard to align their curriculum and instruction with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Outside of the classroom, students are encouraged to act locally and globally, that is, to be contributing members of the school community, the local community, and the global community. Whether students are interacting or bringing cheer to the residents of the local senior home, raising money and/or collecting food and supplies for those less fortunate, campaigning for designated drivers, sending well wishes and items to troops overseas, collecting toys for those children without, or simply improving our Ocean City beaches, the entire Ocean City Intermediate School family strives to improve academically and to truly make a difference as human beings.
About Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a certification program for public schools in New Jersey. It was launched by Sustainable Jersey, a nonprofit organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support and reward municipalities and schools as they pursue sustainability programs. To date, 303 school districts and 779 schools are participating in the program.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools is underwritten by the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). The 2018 Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants program is funded by the PSEG Foundation, NJEA, and the Gardinier Environmental Fund. Founding Sponsor contributors are South Jersey Gas, New Jersey Natural Gas and NJM Insurance Group. The Platinum Sponsor is PSEG. The Silver Sponsor is Investors Bank and the Bronze sponsors are BioShine, Gabel Associates and Schneider Electric.
Program partners include: NJSBA, NJEA, New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA), New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO), New Jersey Parent Teacher Association (NJPTA), New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA), New Jersey School Buildings and Grounds Association (NJSBGA) and The Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ).
Website: www.SustainableJerseySchools.com
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