As the largest school division in the region, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
understands the importance of conserving resources and protecting our
environment. Testimony to our commitment, among the nearly 70,000
students and approximately 15,000 full and part-time employees, are the
often unique and innovative conservation efforts that can be found in
every office and school in the division.
Our Three Sustainable Goals
Goal 1: Develop a sustainable building infrastructure.
Any new or renovated building will be designed to achieve a LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver rating at a
minimum. To date, buildings that have earned or are projected to earn a
LEED rating include:
Goal 2: Integrate sustainable practices throughout the school division.
In 2006, a Sustainable School Committee (SSC) was formed to
meet on a regular basis for the purpose of monitoring and making
recommendations regarding sustainability within the school division.
Members serving on this committee are from various departments
throughout the division and are committed to fostering the principles of
environmental, economic and social stewardship through the
incorporation of sustainable practices. Read more about our Environmentally Sustainable Practices policy.
Goal 3: Educate the public about the importance of sustainability.
Each school has a Sustainable School Liaison (SSL)
tasked with increasing sustainability awareness throughout the school
division. Through their leadership, many of our elementary, middle and
high schools have developed programs or clubs addressing the issue of
sustainability.
Making a Difference
Recycling material is collected at each school. Every classroom
and every office has a blue bin for recycling. Recycling is tracked at
each school and listed on an excel spread sheet. Since September 2008,
the school division has diverted more than 11,386 tons from the waste
stream which is equivalent to saving:
- 193,562 trees
- 4.3 million gallons of oil
- 34,152 cubic yards of landfill space
- 45.5 million kilowatts of energy (enough to power 5,693 homes for one year)
- 79.7 million gallons of water
Get Involved
Have an idea for Virginia Beach City Public Schools that will save energy, conserve resources, or protect our environment?