Our Schools
Connecticut Green LEAF Schools has welcomed more than 145 schools to the program (see map below).
The following participating districts have most/all of their schools signed on to CT Green LEAF and support the three core areas of action in their districts.
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West Hartford
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Stamford
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Guilford
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Wolcott
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Windsor Locks
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Wilton
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Amity Region 5
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Westport
Keep in touch! Despite our best intentions we may lose contact with participating schools. Please email us to update your contact information and let us help you get back on track.
Green Ribbon Schools
Green Ribbon Schools is a U.S Department of Education recognition program for K-12 schools that have made significant progress in:
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reducing their environmental impact
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improving student and staff health
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providing effective environmental education
This recognition award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security.
How to Become a Green Ribbon School:
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Connecticut can nominate up to four Green LEAF schools and one district yearly for the Green Ribbon Schools award. CT Green LEAF Schools is the designated state education authority for Green Ribbon School nominations. As such, in order to be nominated for national Green Ribbon recognition, all CT Green LEAF Schools are required to submit their applications to us for review and nomination.
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This year, the first draft of your application is due by January 10, 2022. Please send a copy of your application as an attachment to ctgreenleaf@coeea.org. At this time, please also arrange for Green LEAF Advisory Council members to visit your school or schedule a Zoom meeting in January. During this one hour meeting, we would like to meet with representatives of your school’s Green LEAF Team to review your application, share the steps towards improvement that your school has made (using your completed self-assessment as a guiding tool), and identify areas that you may still need to work on. Your final application is due by February 1, 2022. We will notify you in early March if your school has been nominated for national Green Ribbon recognition.
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Green Ribbon applications are scored based on demonstration of schoolwide and/or school culture impact within each of the three pillars:
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Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs
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Improving Health and Wellness
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Effective Environmental and Sustainability Education
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Please see the Sample Pillar and Element Checklist and Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) Pillars and Elements for a thorough explanation of this.
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Connecticut’s nominees to the Green Ribbon Schools program will be recognized at the Connecticut Outdoor and Environmental Education Association annual conference.
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Green Ribbon Awards will be announced by the US Department of Education on Earth Day (April 22). Awardees are invited to attend the ceremony in Washington D.C., typically held in July.
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We look forward to working with you during your Green Ribbon nomination process!
CT Green Ribbon Honorees
The US Department of Education has honored the following Connecticut schools with the Green Ribbon School designation. These schools were part of a very select group chosen from around the nation.
Click on a school below to view their successful application. For more information about the nomination process, please see the How to Become a Green Ribbon School section above.
Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy Green Ribbon Awardees
Year | School | Town | Press Release |
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2023 | Mill Hill Elementary School | Southport | |
2022 | Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy | North Windham | |
2020 | Middlebrook School | Wilton | |
2019 | Weston High School | Weston | |
2018 | Western Connecticut Academy for International Studies Elementary Magnet School | Danbury | |
2017 | Moriarty School | Norwich | |
2016 | King School | Stamford | |
2016 | CREC Two Rivers Magnet High School | Hartford | |
2016 | CREC Two Rivers Magnet Middle School | Hartford | |
2015 | Academy of Engineering and Green Technology | Hartford | |
2015 | Greens Farms Academy | Westport | |
2015 | Parkway Elementary | Greenwich | |
2015 | Rogers International School | Stamford | |
2015 | Stamford Public School | District | |
2014 | Discovery Interdistrict Magnet School | Bridgeport | |
2014 | Greenwich Academy | Greenwich | |
2013 | Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School | New Haven | |
2013 | Common Ground High School | New Haven | |
2013 | Environmental Studies Magnet School at Mary Hooker | Hartford |
Case Studies
The following case studies feature some of the innovations and ideas of U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School Honorees since 2012. These practices and more can be found in their Green Ribbon Nomination Packages.
