Green Schools: Information

Edgewater Schools
Senn High School (Solar Panels)
Steven K. Hayt Elementary
Goudy Elementary
Helen Peirce International Studies Elementary
LakeShore Schools
Sacred HeartSchools 
NorthSide Catholic Academy
Swift Elementary
Chicago Waldorf Shool
Chicago Friends School
Families Together Nursery Cooperative 
All the above schools have robust recycling programs and have improved their lighting for energy efficiency.  Some have special gardens or monarch habitats.

Sustainability News for Schools

The Chicago Public Schools have joined with New York, LA, Dallas, Miami-Dade & Orange County (Orlando). These school districts were determined to eliminate polystyrene service-ware and replace it with a greener, "healthier" tray that was also cost neutral. Their joint purchasing power gave them sufficient leverage to drive the cost down to a feasible point. A compostable, pulp-based tray was phased into the schools in 2016.

Student Involvement

Loyola Incoming Freshman work on greening projects in the community

Senn High School students volunteer for Earth Day projects and receive credit for community actions.

Loyola professors include community projects as part of the learning environment for students. Specific environmental or sustainability projects are promulgated with the help of EESP partners who help supervise the process.

Planning for the Future

Energy Efficiency saves money for the schools. Recognizing this CPS has changed their light systems and implemented lights off at night policies.  Now they are exploring the use of solar power.  More details will be forthcoming as the process proceeds.

Through a grant from Walmart, Senn High School already has17 solar panels, but more are needed to provide more than a minimum percentage of the power that is used.

Education on Sustainability

Monarch & Other Pollinators was the focus of a hands on education project starting 2015-16 and led by Monica Garcia, a Loyola University student.  She  worked with local public and private schools to educate, plant and propagate the types vegetation that monarch butterflies, bees and other pollinators need to survive.

Follow up on this project was continued with the cooperation of teachers, parents & the students themselves.

 Edgewater Campus Examples 

Senn: Green Spaces & Solar

Loyola's Sustainable Campus