The Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) announced that St. Michaels Middle High School is one of 58 schools that have been awarded Maryland Green School status. Talbot County now has three Green Schools, Easton Elementary, Easton High, and now Saint Michaels Middle High, representing 57% of the TCPS student population. Maryland Green Schools have demonstrated a continuous effort to integrate sustainable environmental practices, environmental education curriculum, professional development and community engagement into the culture of the school. Green School certification signifies that these schools have made a commitment to developing stewards of the earth and reducing environmental impact.
William Keswick, Secondary Science Curriculum Supervisor said, “While Environmental Education is an integral component of the TCPS science curriculum, it is fantastic to see SMMHS staff and students take the initiative to earn the Green School Status. The work involved in the application process shows a commitment to conservation and environmental education that extends outside of our classrooms and goes beyond curriculum.”
The Maryland Green Schools Program is nationally recognized program that was started in 1999. Today there are over 582 Green Schools certified in Maryland, over 25% of all Maryland schools.
“The Maryland Green Schools program provides a framework for creating sustainable environmental structures at school, home and in the community. The Maryland Green Schools program has encouraged children to become stewards of Maryland’s environmental resources,” says Laura Johnson Collard, MAEOE Executive Director. “Students are involved in projects that save energy and reduce waste. We encourage teachers use the outdoors as an extension of the classroom.”
MAEOE will celebrate with Green Schools, Green Centers and schools that are interested in knowing more about the program at the Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit on May 18, 2017, at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.