Severn News

Our Green School: Building a Culture of Sustainability

8/18/2023

As a certified Green School and with our close proximity to both the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay, environmental responsibility is essential for our community. We encourage everyone, especially our students, to take ownership over sustainability both in and out of the classroom. From schoolwide initiatives like bike-to-school days and recycling programs to those individual moments when a student makes a connection with his or her place in the larger ecosystem, our goal is to build on these foundational practices and develop a lasting culture of sustainability at Severn.

A Strong Foundation To Build Upon

As a community, we cultivate an appreciation for our environment on every level. The Stine Environmental Center gives our students hands-on, experiential learning with the outdoors. We have robust recycling programs on both campuses and regularly review our practices for opportunities to improve. Our teachers build sustainability into their lessons, teaching about plant growth, taking students on field trips to the many wildlife reserves in our area and bringing conservation home with the Terrapins in the Classroom program. Our students take the lead organizing paper cup reduction drives and annual “Earth Week” events. This is our foundation and from here we will grow.

Watch this video for a look at what sustainability means at our school.

Dive Deeper

Read Severn’s Green School Portfolio for a more in depth look at our many green programs for students and structural features including:

Installation of water and energy conservation tools such as motion activated lights, timed faucets, and hydration stations
Improvements to our natural structures such as removal of invasive plants
Improvements on the nature trails/outdoor education spaces on both campuses
Installation of a rain gardens/bio-swales, and green roof to assist with runoff
Movement to a more paperless program with our one-to-one iPad initiative in Middle and Upper School

You Can Help

Want to learn more about what you can do to support sustainability in your community?

Chesapeake Bay Foundation: saving the Bay through education, advocacy, and restoration
Sustainable Annapolis: resources to become an environmentally, economically, and socially stable neighborhood in and around Annapolis
BG&E Smart Energy Savers: options to save energy, money, and the environment
Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education: resources to get involved, volunteer and participate in local events

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