We are writing to update you about our ongoing environmental work in the district as well as some exciting opportunities for you to help further our efforts.  Over the past year, our district-level Green Team, composed of students, teachers, parents, administrators, and members of the community, has maintained a commitment to improving our sustainability as a district and as a community.  You can read HVRSD’s Environmental Stewardship  Statement here.  Please take a moment to also read the important updates below.

Green Week April 18-24

Our District Green Team has planned a series of school and community based-events from April 18-24 with the theme “Green Week: Creating an Environmentally Just and Sustainable Future Together.”  Green Week will be an opportunity to bring the whole Hopewell community together to explore the many facets of our environmental challenges as well as local, regional, and global solutions.  We hope that you and your families will consider joining us for these events.  You can check for details and register for events on the Green Week website

The student Eco-Warrior program is Back!

One of the goals of Green Week is to recognize the myriad ways our students are taking the lead on environmental issues.  We will continue partnering with FoHVOS (Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space) on the Eco-Warrior recognition program this year as a way to highlight the important work that these students are doing.  If you know of a student who is deserving of recognition, please nominate them before April 19 at 3pm by using this form.

What is HVRSD doing to promote environmental stewardship?

Despite the challenges of the last school year, sustainability in our buildings, homes, and communities has continued to be a focus of our building-based and District Green Teams:

 

  • TMS students Tabitha Webster and Lilian Brennan have been sharing tips for sustainable fashion in their monthly newsletter.

  • Members of the CHS Junior Class and the Re-Imagine Club collected trash as part of Clean Communities Day, an event organized locally by FoHVOS.

  • CHS, Bear Tavern and Hopewell Elementary have been participating in the TREX plastic film recycling challenge, and CHS students have been running a campaign to promote reusable utensils.

  • Every school in our district is currently working with the Watershed Institute to obtain River-Friendly Certification.

  • FoHVOS received a grant through the Xerces Society to implement native plant pollinator gardens at each elementary school.

  • Our District Green Team received multiple grants through Sustainable Jersey for Schools to ensure future school events are low- or no-waste.

We appreciate your support of our district and community environmental efforts and we look forward to sharing more about this work with you in the following weeks and months.