EnviroSmart Schools Recognition Program

The EnviroSmart Schools Recognition Program recognizes North Carolina P-12 public and private schools that encourage cultures of sustainability in five designated areas.

The EnviroSmart Schools Rubric is an easy to follow guideline for earning recognition for the work you are doing at your school. You can use the rubric to easily track your progress.

The five components include:

Culture and Community – Creating a school philosophy and culture that embraces sustainability, encourages ongoing professional development and sparks the creativity and engagement of all its members. 20 possible points
School Sustainability – Conserving energy and water, reducing solid waste and increasing transportation options, with a healthy dose student engagement. 24 possible points
Healthy Schools – Creating school grounds that enhance learning environments, planting gardens, and promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle. 24 possible points
Curriculum Integration – Integrating curriculum that helps students experience and understand the natural environment and their place in it. 24 possible points
Innovation – Innovations will be open-ended and will allow schools to document what new initiatives the school is trying to go above and beyond in becoming an EnviroSmart School. 8 possible points.

Resources for Schools

How does the recognition program work?

The EnviroSmart Schools Rubric offers a comprehensive guide for schools to navigate their way to greening their campuses and curricula. Schools will receive recognition and be awarded a certificate of accomplishment for their efforts. EnviroSmart Schools awards recognition for these three levels of participation:

EnviroSmart School of Commitment

A school that is taking the initial steps to improve their sustainability and environmental education curriculum. Must participate in three of five categories and score 40-59 points on the rubric.
EnviroSmart School of Achievement

A school that is taking active strides in improving and maintaining sustainable practices and environmental education curriculum. Must participate in four of the five categories and score 60-79 points on the rubric.
EnviroSmart School of Excellence

A school that shows the highest level of commitment to a sustainable campus and environmental education curriculum. Must participate in all five categories and score 80-100 points on the rubric.

Who is eligible to apply?

All P-12 schools in North Carolina are invited to participate in this program and to apply for recognition.

Apply for Recognition

Learn More

Step 1: Form a “Green Team” at your school and meet regularly to make goals. The application is a lengthy process and you will need support documenting how your school is going green. A high school’s green team could be a student club with a teacher advisor while an elementary or middle school team might consist of more teachers. Organize it however you like, but make sure you have administrative approval. Read these “Tips for Starting your Green Team” by the EnviroSmart Schools Initiative.

Step 2: Gather your “Green Team” and review the Recognitions Webinar. Please allow at least 20 minutes to review this presentation. Your Green Team will begin to understand our rubric, our resources, and our recognition program. Then you will start delegating tasks for your school’s final application.

Step 3: Submit intent to apply form below. This allows us to know that you have reviewed the webinar and that you intend on applying for recognition.

Step 4. Review the EnviroSmart Schools to gain an understanding of the overall components required for the application. The Rubric is divided into 5 components, each one tailored to lead your school through a comprehensive whole-systems review of the elements that make up your campus and support your educational mission. Make use of the EnviroSmart Schools Resources available to you. You may also find the Rubric worksheets in Excel to be a useful tool. See More Resources section below to download.

Step 5: Begin to build your files for the application.

We encourage you to create a shared folder for each of the rubric sections where members of your team can add, edit and review text and photos. When ready to apply, you will create a final PDF and PowerPoint presentation.
Take pictures along the way! You will have to submit 5 high resolution photos in the application.
Collect newspaper articles, lesson plans, workshop agendas, letters from community partners, videos, etc. to be uploaded with your application.

Step 6: When ready to apply, download the NC Green Schools Applications and Instructions and follow the directions! Incomplete applications will not be considered. Don’t forget to include a Power Point presentation with at least 5 photos with captions and the following in a PDF (all included in the Instructions document):

Cover Sheet including Key Signatures and Image Release Consent to confirm that photos are eligible to be shared on RRR media
Narrative Summary and Summaries for each component of the rubric with documentation/evidence.
Rubric Submission Form

Applicants will be notified toward the end of the school year and celebration ceremonies will be coordinated with lead teachers. EnviroSmart Schools will also manage media announcements.

Applications are due by midnight on May 5* (so you can document your activities held on Earth Day!).

*Extension requests considered. Please info@envirosmartschools.org to make a request.

Application Submission

Applications tend to consist of large files. Please email it or share it on Google drive with info@envirosmartschools.org. Thank you!

A school’s recognition is good for the year first recognized (APPLY YEAR) and the 4 years after a school first gets recognized. Then, a school will need to renew its status by submitting a renewal application for that status after the 5th school year (RENEWAL YEAR). Essentially, schools will need to submit paperwork every 5 years.

Example:

Your school applies and is recognized for the 2014-15 school year. APPLY YEAR.
Year 1: 2015-16. Confirm that school maintained activities/ status at end of the year via email. MAINTAIN YEAR.
Year 2: 2016-17. Same as above. MAINTAIN YEAR.
Year 3: 2017-18. Same as above. MAINTAIN YEAR.
Year 4: 2018-19. Same as above. MAINTAIN YEAR.
Year 5: 2019-20. Renewal Application due at the end of the year. RENEWAL YEAR.

We encourage schools to keep documenting accomplishments and green school goals internally every year.

The photos and updates will be very essential for your “RENEWAL YEAR.”

Advancing a Level:

Schools that have gained recognition as an EnviroSmart School of Commitment or an EnviroSmart School of Achievement have the opportunity to advance to the next level any year. This process involves reapplying and documenting all of the ways that the school has reached a higher status in a new application. Once recognized at the next level, a school will consider that year their new “APPLY YEAR” and will not need to renew for another 5 years, as in the example above.