Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: Celebrating IDOE STEM Certification and Green Ribbon District Sustainability Honorees

Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC

Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC

At Infinite Capacity, we wanted to send our congratulations for well-deserved success to this year’s IDOE STEM Certification awardees of the 2022-2023 school year. We are so happy to share in the excitement of your recognition for your hard work and dedication in supporting the STEMcapableness of your students, teachers, school leaders, and school community!

Below are the 2022-2023 awardees of the IDOE’s STEM Certification program (Indiana Department of Education [IDOE], 2023):

■ Barker Middle School, Michigan City Area Schools (Recertified)

■ Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center, MSD of Wayne Township

■ Beveridge Elementary School, Gary Community School Corporation

■ Canaan Community Academy

■ Eastern High School, East Washington School Corporation

■ Edgewood Middle School,Warsaw Community Schools

■ Glen Park Academy, Gary Community School Corporation

■ Graham Creek Elementary, Jennings County School Corporation

■ Helfrich Park STEM Academy, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (Recertified)

■ Jasper High School, Greater Jasper Consolidated School Corporation

■ Kennedy Academy, South Bend Community School Corporation (Recertified)

■ Loogootee Middle School, Loogootee Community School Corporation

■ Maconaquah Elementary, Maconaquah School Corporation (Recertified)

■ Memorial Park Middle School, Fort Wayne Community Schools

■ Mt.Vernon High School, MSD of Mt.Vernon

■ Mt.Vernon Junior High School, MSD of Mt.Vernon

■ The Academy of Science & Entrepreneurship, Monroe County Community School Corporation (Recertified)

■ South Ripley Junior High School, South Ripley Community Schools

■ Union City Junior/Senior High School, Randolph Eastern Community School Corporation

■ Washington High School,Washington Community Schools

■ Weisser Park Elementary, Fort Wayne Community Schools

■ Wes-Del Elementary School,Wes-Del Community School Corporation

■ Wes-Del Middle/High School,Wes-Del Community School Corporation

This year, we are also happy to share that Carmel Clay Schools was nationally recognized as one of the 11 school districts in the country to be a Green Ribbon District Sustainability Honoree! The Green Ribbon Award school program is an initiative that was established by the U.S Department of Education in 2011 to recognize schools that excel in environmental sustainability, health, and education. The program seeks to inspire and challenge schools to improve their environmental and health standards while at the same time promoting a healthy and sustainable learning environment for students and teachers. The Green Ribbon School shares a summary of Carmel Clay’s Achievements:

“Carmel Clay Schools (CCS) has a comprehensive and distributed model of responsibility that infuses a sustainability ethic into every aspect of the district culture. The District Strategic Plan prioritizes the expansion of environmental initiatives through continuous improvement in the design, construction, and maintenance of all facilities; ongoing refinement of the efficiency of daily operations; and the implementation of energy-saving measures in each department that produce positive results for the environment and save money. Smart technology includes auto shutoff for lights, water, and computers throughout the district. Environmentally preferable cleaning products are used in every building. To date, the transportation department has replaced 24 gas-powered buses in its fleet with alternativefuel vehicles and recently added the first total-electric school bus in Indiana. School campuses include native plants and grasses, bike trails, water features, rain gardens, water collection barrels, community gardens, and outdoor learning labs. School cafeterias compost meal preparation waste. Since 2005, the district has supported the CCS Green Team, a network of parents, staff, and students at each of the 15 school campuses who have a passion for encouraging habits and initiatives that protect the environment. In its 11th year, the annual community wide holiday lights recycling drive has collected over 11 tons of light strands for recycling. The K-12 curriculum includes opportunities for students of all ages to explore the impact of humans on the natural environment through courses from Project Lead the Way to AP Human Geography. The district Wellness Center provides a convenient, no-cost option to employees for acute, preventative, and wellness-focused primary care” (U.S. Department of Education, 2023, p. 24).

If you are interested in pursuing Green Ribbon, schools and districts are evaluated based on three criteria:

■ environmental impact and energy efficiency,

■ student and staff health, and

■ environmental education.

Under environmental impact and energy efficiency, schools are evaluated on their ability to conserve energy, reduce water usage, and minimize waste. The program seeks to promote the use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy. The second criterion, student and staff health, focuses on ensuring that schools provide a healthy and safe learning environment. This includes measures such as ensuring that the school’s drinking water is safe, providing healthy meals and snacks, and promoting physical activity among students and staff. Finally, the environmental education criterion evaluates the school’s efforts to integrate environmental education into their curriculum. This includes incorporating sustainability themes into classroom learning, organizing environmental events and activities, and promoting outdoor education. Schools that meet these criteria are recognized with the Green Ribbon Award, which serves as an endorsement of their commitment to environmental sustainability, health, and education. In addition to the award, schools receive national recognition and support from the Department of Education and other partners.

Again, congratulations to these Indiana schools and districts for pursuing a rigorous application process with the Indiana Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. We hope that these programs continue to evolve their high quality programming to support STEM-capableness of their students!

Infinite Capacity LLC is dedicated to inclusively fostering personal and professional growth for educators, leaders, and community partners through innovative educational practices. Consulting services to assist with IDOE STEM Certification are available for school and district-level support. Please e-mail us at contact@infinitecapacity.com for more information. Our book, Leadership in Integrative STEM: Strategies for Facilitating an Experiential and Student-Centered Culture, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Rowman & Littlefield

References:

Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). (2023). STEM education. https:// www.in.gov/doe/students/stem-education/

U.S. Department of Education. (2023). Highlights from the 2023 Honorees. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/index.html