national green ribbon school
Raintree School’s sustainability efforts were recognized in 2019 with the Green Ribbon School award.
GREEN RIBBON
The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a public engagement initiative for school sustainability. It is a one-time recognition of an institution’s progress in the award’s three sustainability focused pillars.
The first Green Ribbon pillar is Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs. Check out our Facility tab to learn more about how our space allows for reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The second Green Ribbon pillar is Improved Health and Wellness, which you can read about in our Sustainable Agriculture tab.
The final pillar, and a major facet of Raintree School, is Effective Environmental and Sustainability Education. We were founded with the belief that civically-minded outdoor education is a vehicle for community change and personal transformation.
Raintree aims to nurture inner scientists in wild landscapes. We facilitate learning through inquiry-based thinking and student-driven projects within the context of nature. Below is a classroom example of how a passion for sustainability and stewardship is infused into our project work and curriculum.
FOR THE BIRDS
An estimated one billion birds in the United States collide with glass annually, and a great number of the collisions are fatal. As a building boasting many sun-filled, expansive windows, Raintree is no stranger to this issue. Pre-K and Elementary students have witnessed bird collisions firsthand, discovering diceased birds on our patio when running outside to play. This problem immediately grabbed their interest. After one particular bird burial, our students took to asking questions and brainstorming theories. A solution had to be found.
For their Spring 2025 project, the Pre-K classes decided to learn more about this issue and help their avian friends. They began learning about all things birds: nests, eggs, wingspans, habitats, different types of feathers, various species, and more! The students learned that birds were flying into our windows because they believe the reflection is an extension of our forest. Our classes invited local bird experts to share more information and help us reach a solution.
A guest speaker from the Audubon Society paid us a visit. He listened to the children's ideas and shared several solutions that were new to the class. He explained that birds can see ultraviolet (UV) rays, and if the windows are covered in UV dots, it will help the birds realize that the window is there.
The children decided to run with this idea (or should I say, fly?) and invited their families to help them finish this project. The students and their families used UV markers to cover the classroom windows in words, drawings and symbols of appreciation for birds. These 5 year olds were proud of the impact they made in their forest space, and will walk away with a sense of empowerment and a stronger love for wildlife.
Students showed their initial understanding of birds by observing and drawing various species.
A local expert from the Audubon Society visited our classes to help us learn more about bird strikes.
Our windows are now covered in UV markers, helping to prevent birds from flying into the glass. If you use a special UV flashlight, you can see all of our beautiful artwork!
Students showed their initial understanding of birds by observing and drawing various species.