Swansfield Elementary School: A Sustainable School at Heart!

Swansfield  Elementary School students are responsible and concerned about our environment.  The Green Beanz, the student green team at SES was the initial force behind Swansfield's Green School movement, "It's Great to be GREEN!" However, being GREEN has become second nature to the staff and students at SES, and we have changed our everyday habits, both within the walls of our school and throughout the Swansfield community.  We have programs in place that conserve energy and reduce solid waste.  As a result, we have changed the lunchroom habits of our community.  We have expanded programs that encourage a healthy environment, both through exercise and transportation.  We have continued habitat restoration through our native species garden and our earlier wetlands initiative.  We have  improved the quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed by participating in the Trout in the Classroom program and by creating a biorentention area on our school grounds.  Finally, we teach pertinent environmental issue lessons at each grade level in our the school.  Now that our renovation is complete, our physical building is also green. Swansfield Elementary has applied and is under review to be a certified LEED school. We will know by the end of the year if Swansfield has achieved this status. The Green Movement is evident throughout SES.  The majority of the work is driven by students' voices and efforts, and because of them, it is GREAT  to be GREEN at Swansfield Elementary!