The U.S. Department of Education named Principia School a 2022 U.S. Green Ribbon School on Friday, April 22. Principia School was nominated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in partnership with Missouri Green Schools for its commitment to sustainable practices in leadership, facilities, health, and environmental education.
The U.S. Department of Education honored 27 schools from across the country for their innovative efforts in sustainability, and honorees were selected from a pool of candidates nominated by 19 states. Each state can include up to two schools or districts to receive this recognition. Principia School and the School District of University City were the two selected for this prestigious honor in the state of Missouri.
"We are both proud and humbled by this honor," said Interim Head of School Tami Gavaletz (C’00). "Our school sees this award as both a recognition of our diligent work up to this point and a catalyst to continue to grow, improve, and innovate."
Aerial view of Principia School's 360-acre biodiverse campus.
At Principia School, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are used as a foundational access point for students, faculty, staff, and administration to better understand sustainability. Principia has focused on restoring land to create ecologically viable communities that serve as an important island of biological diversity in suburban St. Louis. Additionally, Principia’s environmental and sustainability education permeates all levels of the school (preschool–grade 12). The students serve as changemakers working diligently towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The 360-acre biodiverse campus makes for a rich and authentic place to learn about and practice these goals.
“We are so thankful to have received this award as it has allowed us to celebrate our accomplishments in integrating sustainability into our curriculum and practices,” said Principia Sustainability Coordinator Lynne Scott (C’01). “This process has also increased our intentionality around ways in which we can improve our practices moving forward as there is always more to learn and to do.”