Built to Last Tour - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

Built to Last Tour - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces National Best Practices Tour of California Green Ribbon Schools

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that the California Department of Education (CDE) will co-host the West Coast Tour Leg of the Education Built to Last best practices tour, the national U.S. Department of Education tour of Green Ribbon School facilities.

"I'm thrilled to see these outstanding schools showcased as part of the national tour on best practices," Torlakson said. "The students, teachers, parents, and communities have made countless efforts to improve the environmental sustainability of their campuses, increase school health as well as boost academic achievement."

The school visits are designed to showcase best practices in school buildings and grounds design, construction, operations, and management; school health and wellness; and sustainability education in schools throughout the nation.

The tour was announced this past June at the national Green Ribbon Schools Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C. U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools are recognized or their achievement in the "three pillars," which are: reduce environmental impact and costs; improve the health and wellness of schools, students and staff; and provide effective environmental and sustainability literacy, incorporating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and green career pathways.

The California Leg of the tour includes stops at Journey School (Aliso Viejo), Environmental Charter HS (Lawndale), Grand View ES (Manhattan Beach), Longfellow ES (Long Beach) and Charles Evans Hughes MS (Long Beach). This segment of the tour concludes with a best practices discussion, bringing together facilities experts and community leaders from around the state.

For information on attending the tour or questions regarding U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools in California, please visit the Green Ribbon Schools Award Program Web page or send an email togreenribbonschools@cde.ca.gov.

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100