MCPS Adds 12 New Green Schools; Four Schools Recertify
MCPS continues its impressive leadership in environmental education and stewardship, with 12 additional schools earning the prestigious 2025 Maryland Green Schools designation, bringing the district's total to 113 certified Green Schools. This remarkable achievement signifies that 53 percent of all MCPS schools have now attained this recognition, surpassing the 50 percent target set by Montgomery County’s Climate Action Plan. This success underscores MCPS' proactive commitment and the dedicated efforts of our schools in cultivating environmental literacy and promoting sustainable practices.
The newly recognized schools include: Bayard Rustin, Brookhaven, Cannon Road, Cresthaven, Viers Mill, Washington Grove, Watkins Mill and Woodlin elementary schools, Hallie Wells and Lakelands Park middle schools, and Seneca Valley and Walter Johnson high schools.
Four existing Green Schools successfully recertified this year—Bradley Hills, Gaithersburg and Summit Hall elementary schools and Thomas S. Wootton High School. This demonstrates a deep and ongoing commitment to environmental literacy and sustainability. Notably, Gaithersburg and Summit Hall elementary schools achieved the distinguished "sustainable school" status for maintaining their Green School certification for an impressive 12 years. Read more.
The Maryland Green Schools Program requires schools to develop a comprehensive portfolio demonstrating their fulfillment of criteria across four key areas. A central requirement is the evident integration of environmental education throughout the school year, across all grade levels. Each of this year's newly certified and recertified schools effectively met this high standard, providing compelling evidence of a schoolwide focus on environmental literacy and active student engagement in environmental initiatives.
MCPS' commitment to environmental education is highlighted by the recognition of the Division of Sustainability and Compliance and the Outdoor Environmental and Education Programs (OEEP) as certified Maryland Green Centers. The Maryland Green Center Award acknowledges MCPS' strong support for the Maryland Green Schools Program and its dedication to assisting schools in the successful implementation of environmental literacy. Special thanks to Nature Forward (formerly Audubon Naturalist Society) and Montgomery Parks for assisting several schools in the certification process.
A statewide celebration will be held on May 29 at the Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit at Sandy Point State Park. Staff from the MCPS Outdoor Environmental Education Programs and the MCPS Division of Sustainability and Compliance will attend.