Schools

Claiborne Pell Elementary Wins Green Ribbon Award

The Pell School, which is lodged in a new facility that opened at the beginning this school year, was acknowledged for the many design features.

The environmentally friendly design of the Claiborne Pell Elementary School in Newport, along with the school's environmental and outdoors programs, has won the school a prestigious Green Ribbon award from the U.S. Department of Education.

Green Ribbon Schools are recognized "for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways."

The Pell School, which is lodged in a new facility that opened at the beginning this school year, was acknowledged for the many design features in the building such as reflective roof materials, low-velocity ventilation system and optimal orientation for daylight. In addition, the school was recognized for its environmental and outdoors program including the garden-to-table initiative and Fitnessgram, a fitness assessment and reporting program for youth.

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"The Claiborne Pell Elementary School is the elementary school for all Newport students, so from the moment our students enter our public-school system they are learning about the importance of being environmentally aware," said Colleen Burns Jermain, superintendent of the Newport schools. "With our state-of-the-art school building and our environmental programs we are helping to make our children environmental stewards of the future. I thank RIDE and the community for their support."

Nationally, only 39 public schools received Green Ribbon awards. With these awards, six Rhode Island public schools have won Green Ribbon awards over the three years of the program. The previous winners are Classical High School, the Nathan Bishop Middle School, and the Providence Career and Technical Academy, all in Providence; and The Compass School, a charter public school in South Kingstown.

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