Here’s Why Close to 50 Halton Schools Were Recently Recognized

Even though it’s summer vacation for most Halton students, some schools within the Halton District School Board (HDSB) are still being recognized for their efforts regarding the environment.

Even though it’s summer vacation for most Halton students, some schools within the Halton District School Board (HDSB) are still being recognized for their efforts regarding the environment.

According to a recent press release, 47 schools across the board were recently recognized. More specifically, 42 elementary and five secondary schools were recently certified by the Ontario EcoSchools program for the 2018-19 year.

The EcoSchools program, notes the release, recognizes schools (kindergarten to grade 12) for their environmental learning and action efforts. Certification is based on a provincial standard and schools must apply annually to be considered for certification.

And when it comes to the HDSB, 13 schools were recognized at the platinum level, 16 schools at the gold level, 10 at the silver level, and eight schools were recognized at the bronze level for the 2018-19 school year. Some schools, however, according to the release, have been recognized for several years. Abbey Park Secondary School, Hawthorne Village, River Oaks, and Ethel Gardiner public schools have all been certified for 11 years in a row now.

The recent recognition is not something that has gone unnoticed by the board.

“We congratulate all members of EcoTeams, staff, students and community members who have learned about environmental and sustainability issues in and around their schools and taken action to address them,” Suzanne Burwell, the Board’s Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, said in a statement. “Not only are students learning in the classroom, they are extending that learning beyond the walls of the school.”

For more information about the Ontario EcoSchools program, click here.