Gwynedd Mercy Academy Elementary named Green Ribbon School

The United States Department of Education has named Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary (GMAE) of Spring House as a Green Ribbon School. GMAE was the only school in Pennsylvania recognized. Green Ribbon Schools are defined by meeting the program’s Three Pillars.

Pillar One
reducing environmental impact, such as waste, water, energy, greenhouse gases, and transportation, encompassing the areas of school facilities, grounds, and operations

Pillar Two
improving health and wellness by promoting a healthy physical
environment (including aspects such as air quality, contaminant control, moisture control, acoustics, daylighting, pest management, and thermal comfort) and student and staff wellness practices (such as healthy school food and outdoor physical activity)

Pillar Three
offering effective environmental and sustainability education,
including civic learning, green careers, and STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and math) connections

Below is an outline from the Department of Education of how GMAE earned the designated as a Green Ribbon School:

GMAE has taken great strides to reduce environmental impact and costs. Each classroom is equipped with motion-sensor, energy-saving LED lighting, and valves have been installed on steam radiators to control the temperature more efficiently in each room. The HVAC system is inspected bi-annually, and the filters are changed quarterly. Students are not allowed to place books or papers near the vents to ensure there is proper ventilation. Carbon monoxide detectors are used to monitor the gas-fired boilers and gas-fired water heaters. Carpooling is encouraged.

All water fountains have been retrofitted with water bottle filling stations. The school eliminated plastic utensils and dishware in the cafeteria by investing in reusable plates, bowls, silverware, and commercial dishwashers. Plastic water bottles are no longer sold, and cafeteria waste is composted. Weekly communications and student information systems are now all digital. Announcements are displayed on a large screen instead of on paper and the school has 1:1 technology. Classroom printers have been removed, and teachers have codes to print on commercial printers.

GMAE donates used textbooks, novels, supplies, uniforms, and furniture to schools in need and partners with local organizations several times throughout the year to hold donation drives for used clothing and household items. When the school upgraded its hardwood floors this past year, the school’s development office repurposed the existing floorboards by creating small square wooden keepsakes imprinted with the school shield.

GMAE has made a dedicated effort to improve the health and wellness of the entire school community. In the spring of 2019, the school celebrated the installation of a greenhouse. Students actively participate in the planting of tomatoes, basil, dill weed, kale, Buttercrunch lettuce, Bibb lettuce, carrots, microgreens, and sunflowers. Led by the middle school science teacher, students have held salad parties to share in the bounty of the crops that have matured and to support healthier eating habits.

The director of the greenhouse is responsible for overseeing, managing,
and supervising the environmental education and sustainability initiatives related to the greenhouse. Healthy habits are also taught in our kindergarten- through eighth- grade P.E. and health classes, encouraged by teachers in the cafeteria, and carried over into the athletics program and extracurricular activities.

All cleaning and sanitizing supplies are eco-friendly. No hazardous chemicals are kept or used on campus. The entire school is cleaned and sanitized every night.

GMAE implements an integrated pest management plan and contracts with a local pest control company that assesses building and grounds both for culture conditions that may support pest or fungal populations, such as moisture/water infiltration and issues with food debris. GMAE recently conducted a mold and asbestos assessment.

As part of the school’s strategic plan, a guidance center supports a full-time, certified school guidance counselor who teaches weekly character education lessons to all primary students and provides opportunities for middle school students to participate in mindfulness practices. In addition, the school guidance counselor sees students on a consultative basis, works with teachers and families to best meet the social and emotional needs of students, and assists in the process for students diagnosed with learning differences. Aligned with these efforts, new flexible seating was purchased for several classrooms to best meet the diverse needs of students. The guidance counselor is also a resource for parents by providing speakers and education workshops for parents to learn more about teenage trends in social media, vaping, and other ways to best support their child.

GMAE is home to an exploratorium for inquiry-based learning in kindergarten through fourth grade, two middle school science labs, a STEM Center, and an outdoor learning area next to the greenhouse. In addition to science lessons supported by Life Lab, a garden-based curriculum, as well as Pearson’s Interactive Science series, students develop 21st-century skills in a specialty class called Creative Thinking Skills. Many of these opportunities would not be possible without the support of the GMAE parents’ organization, which provides hands-on, project-based learning initiatives. Various grade levels take field trips to the Morris Arboretum, Perkiomen Valley Water Shed, Longwood Gardens, Camp America, and the Science Center in Harrisburg to support experiential learning. Windmill projects, hatching chicks, sustainable living projects, dissecting owl pellets, plantings in the greenhouse, taking care of class pets, and hatching Monarch butterflies are only a few of the ways students actualize their potential to make a difference.