On Board Online • September 22, 2025
By Merri Rosenberg
Special Correspondent
Providing a robust environmental curriculum and extracurricular opportunities for students. Improving the health and wellness of students and staff. Reducing the environmental impact and costs of schools' use of energy and water.
Those have long been benchmarks of the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools program, along with waste management and efficient transportation.
Although the Trump administration has paused this program, New York State remains committed to it. "Even if it's canceled, New York is continuing the program," said Kateri Sargen, professional engineer with the New York State Education Department.
In early June, the New York State Education Department recognized Westchester County's Bronxville Union Free School District and Putnam County's Putnam Valley Central School District as Green Ribbon Schools.
Bronxville: "The community buys into it"
Being recognized by the Green Ribbon program was seen as welcome validation for Bronxville, where environmental awareness has been supported by a PTA Sustainability Committee and local environmental groups, as well as students, faculty and administrators.
"We're excited about this," said Superintendent Rachel Kelly. "We're honored."
But there is more to be done, Dr. Kelly added. "Our philosophy is to never rest on our laurels. We're continuing to push the envelope."
Improving the environmental footprint of the campus has been a priority in the district, which has about 1,500 students. For instance, the district embarked on a window replacement program, to be more energy efficient, and passed a capital bond to fund additional steps.
The district uses a rain-sensor irrigation system to maintain its landscaping; pumps and retention tanks prevent flooding.
There are water bottle filling stations throughout the building and at the football field. At school events, the PTA offers water coolers.
On the curricular side, the local Bronx River serves as a laboratory for practical experiences and experiments. Composting offers a practical tool for students to learn about its benefits and strategies to reduce waste. The district also participates in partnerships with local environmental groups to offer students additional opportunities.
The PTA Sustainability Committee, launched by parent Maria Terjanian, helps with the school garden and recycling program for food scraps, which Terjanian called "a great alternative to backyard composting."
Environmentalism is a value of the community, said parent Laura van Tienhoven. "It was spearheaded by students looking for leadership opportunities in sustainability. Students take pride in being part of a school that's doing these initiatives."
The district Health and Safety Committee, which focuses on nutrition, physical activity and wellness, helped launch a later start time for students to give them more rest in the morning and developed a peer-to-peer support program for mental health.
Ann Meyer, a former high school science teacher who taught AP Environmental Science for six years and is the former Bronxville High School principal, now serves as the assistant superintendent for curriculum. She handled the Green Ribbon application.
She recalls discussions with students about doing an energy audit for the district, or "looking for ways to reduce uses of plastic. As the high school principal, I was involved with the Bronx River Research program."
Meyer sees the Green Ribbon as an extension of "The Bronxville promise," which calls for the district to prepare students to be engaged citizens, innovation leaders and critical thinkers. "We want students involved with that community work from the ground up," Meyer said. "The community buys into it. I was so grateful that all these groups helped. Parents were wonderful and went above and beyond."
Putnam Valley: Geothermal energy and air-conditioning
For more than a decade, the 1,500-student Putnam Valley Central School District has prioritized sustainability - in its buildings, operations and curriculum.
The Green Ribbon award is "a recognition of what has really been a tradition of sustainability," said Superintendent Jeremy Luft. For instance, the middle school was one of the first in the state to run on geothermal energy. When the high school was built in 2000, it also relied on geothermal energy.
The district was an early adopter of alternative energy sources, said Facilities Director David Spittal. He credited former superintendent Fran Wills, now a member of the state Board of Regents.
In 2019, the district completed an energy performance contract. LED lighting has reduced electricity consumption, and many rooftop solar panels were installed.
As Dr. Luft noted, Putnam Valley is one of the "few schools in New York that has central air-conditioned buildings." While other districts closed school buildings during a heatwave in June, Putnam Valley was able to keep buildings open.
Environmental awareness is a "large part of our identity and culture," said Luft. "The community is aware of these efforts, and we have received support from the community." The middle school has a "Go Green" club and the high school has an Environmental Club.
The district has a sprawling campus, surrounded by open fields and winding tree-lined roads. Features include a walking trail, a nature walk - including bird houses - and a pollinator garden. "It's a safe and conducive environment for an outdoor classroom and outdoor learning, and for students to be out in nature," said Luft, a former physics teacher.
At the elementary school campus, an outdoor courtyard provides an outdoor learning center, with box gardens for students to plant and nurture. Along the pond, there's a boardwalk, and the district has used a grant to buy a set of 35 muck boots so students can explore the pond.
The work continues. "We are putting in 60 wells of geothermal at the elementary school and added solar panels," Spittal said. "We've saved 13 million [barrels of oil] during the past 25 years and will be down to zero oil in two years. We've also reduced by one-third from the electric grid and my goal is to make it zero. We get sustainability into capital projects and take advantage of funding from the state. Sustainability is embedded in our thinking."
During sustainability week, teacher Jenn Bruno meets with elementary students to explore a particular topic or issue. Kindergarteners focus on composting, first graders on pollinators, second graders on wind energy, third graders on water filters and water cleaning and fourth graders on oil spills. It ends with a community fair.
"I want Putnam Valley to be a model," Spittal said. "You never reach the finish line but keep plowing forward with energy savings and providing our own energy on campus. I'm proud of what we've done."