
Prince
William
County
Public
Schools
(PWCS)
is
the
2020
Virginia
School
Boards
Association
(VSBA)
Green
Schools
Challenge
Winner
in
the
student
population
10,001
and
up
category.
PWCS
previously
won
the
top
award
in
2015
and
since
then,
has
earned
a
platinum
certification
as
a
VSBA
Certified
Green
School
Division
annually.
As
per
VSBA
rules,
a
division
cannot
win
top
honors
more
than
once
unless
they
implement
significant
new
actions
and/or
adopt
new
policies
that
would
in
turn
earn
"green
points."
In
June
2020,
with
the
passing
of
the
PWCS
School
Board's
Resolution:
Sustainability
Initiative,
and
ongoing
conservation
policy
and
regulations,
PWCS
met
the
criteria
to
win
the
top
award
for
the
second
time.
The
Green
School
Challenge
award
recognizes
school
divisions
that
implement
specific
environmental
policies
and
practical
actions
that
reduce
the
carbon
emissions
generated
by
both
the
local
school
division
and
the
broader
community.
School
divisions
earn
"green
points"
by
documenting
30
different
actions
in
11
categories
including
policies,
energy
efficiency,
green
buildings,
waste
management,
vehicles,
indoor
environmental
quality,
employee
incentives,
education/community
participation,
schools,
student
involvement,
cooperation
between
school
division
and
local
government,
and
innovation.
The
maximum
points
that
a
school
division
can
earn
is
200
and
PWCS
has
earned
a
minimum
of
175
points
since
2015.
"PWCS
students,
staff,
and
community
have
a
strong
commitment
to
actions
that
help
maintain
Prince
William
County
as
a
clean,
sound,
and
healthy
environment.
Every
year
I
feel
privileged
to
share
school-based
activities
that
accomplish
the
Division's
goals
of
environmental
stewardship,
energy
efficiency,
and
sustainability.
This
year
PWCS
took
a
giant
step
toward
identifying
measurable
standards
for
environmental
literacy,
decreasing
our
carbon
footprint,
and
creating
resiliency
in
our
facilities.
I
am
excited
to
witness
and
chronicle
the
actions
our
students
and
staff
will
take
with
this
new
initiative,"
shared
Jeanne
Jabara,
energy
education
coordinator,
in
the
PWCS
Energy
Management
Office.
This
award
not
only
showcases
the
commitment
PWCS
has
to
the
environment
and
sustainability,
but
also
shows
the
depth
of
commitment
with
actions
supported
across
Division
departments
including
leadership,
construction,
student
activities,
student
learning,
food
and
nutrition
services,
and
human
resources.
The
Energy
Management
and
Sustainability
Program
encourages
schools
and
the
community
to
get
involved
in
being
"Green."
To
find
out
more,
visit
the
PWCS
Energy
Management website.