The three Pillars of this award are:

Pillar One: Reducing environmental impact, such as waste, water, energy, greenhouse gases, and transportation, encompassing the areas of school facilities, grounds, and operations;

Pillar Two: Improving health and wellness by promoting a healthy physical environment (including aspects such as air quality, contaminant control, moisture control, acoustics, daylighting, pest management, and thermal comfort) and student and staff wellness practices (such as healthy school food and outdoors physical activity); and

Pillar Three: Offering effective environmental and sustainability education, including civic learning, green careers, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) connections.

Goshen Community Schools was nominated by the Indiana Department of Education, after review of Goshen’s application and qualifications. Highlights of Goshen qualifications for Pillar One include: Implementing an energy conservation program in 2009 with a full-time Energy Educator to lead the program; In 2012 the district received ENERGY STAR leader recognition; Since the inception of its energy conservation initiatives, GCS has achieved a cost avoidance of $4.4 million, representing a 25% savings on energy costs for the district; Two GCS schools have solar panels, Waterford Elementary has 1,173 solar panels, each with 260 watts of capacity for a total system size of 304,980 watts, and Goshen High School has 1,242 solar panels, each with 260 watts of capacity, for a total system size of 322,920 watts; High school students can access the data from the GHS solar array and use the information as part of their curriculum; The district has installed water-bottle filling stations to encourage students to bring their water bottles from home instead of buying bottles of water from the vending machines; Every school in the district has a purposeful recycling program which includes student involvement and education; and, Students and staff members use designated walkways and trails to walk and bike to school.

Goshen highlights for Pillar Two include: The custodial staff using eco-friendly cleaning solutions and microfiber cloths to reduce the use of chemical cleaners; When needed, the grounds crew uses fertilizer that is 2/3 organic; A coordinated school health committee addresses and evaluates ways to improve the health and wellness of students and staff; A health and wellness center for those on the school’s insurance, staffed by a physician, nurse practitioner, nurses, and medical assistants; Wellness screenings and health risk appraisals for all employees in each school/building each year; Free nutritious snacks are available during after-school hours to students in all grades attending any after-school activity; Middle School students planting, tending, and harvesting a community garden sponsored by Goshen Health; IU dental school comes to the elementary schools yearly to check the teeth of 2^nd and 3^rd graders and offer sealants as needed; Run the Halls, which encourages students to track their time and/or miles in after-school running and walking; and, GCS has used its purchasing power to advocate for healthier lunch options from vendors, showcasing local foods.

Pillar Three highlights include: The opportunities provided to students by local businesses and local government, to work on real-word sustainability problems and search for solutions; Through Greenpower, students have built an electric car; In conjunction with the City of Goshen, GHS students addressed sediment from stormwater runoff as a major cause of pollution in local waterways; GHS students designed prosthetics for a calf born with malformed hooves; At GHS, the development of a super-mileage car and a solar-powered automatic chicken coop door for a local veterinarian; Learning about marine life during the Spring Break Marine Biology trip to the Florida Keys; Participation in a carbon footprint reduction challenge; Partnering with Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College for field trips and study days; Partnering with Northern Indiana Public Service Company to provide every 5^th grader with an energy-reduction kit as part of their curriculum; 8^th graders partnering with the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District which provides an outdoor learning day at the nearby Environmental Center and River Greenway Trail; and, The optional 8^th grade trip to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, where students camp, hike, and explore the great outdoors.

According to GCS Superintendent Dr. Diane Woodworth, “This award is a great honor for GCS!  We are very pleased to receive this. The students and staff deserve the recognition, as much of the drive toward recycling and other environmentally friendly practices are from them. Our Energy Educator, Judy Miller, also deserves much credit as she is always working behind the scenes to keep our momentum going.”

Judy Miller, GCS Energy Educator said, “I’m so pleased that our district has been chosen to receive this coveted DOE Green Ribbon Schools distinction. There were so many components in this application that basically fit into the three required growth pillars of:  reducing environmental impact and costs; improving health and wellness; and providing effective environmental and sustainability education.  If it “takes a village” to raise a child, it certainly takes “a whole corporation” to educate a student.  We are being recognized with this distinction because of this “whole corporation” approach.  Our corporation is enhanced by an active community, our students, the Coordinated School Health Committee, our Green Team, the custodial and maintenance departments, teachers, administrators, school counselors, support staff, and school nutrition staff—all are essential participants in our approach to wellness, and growth as a healthy and sustainable organization.”

Across the country, 35 schools, 14 school districts, and four post-secondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education. Goshen Community Schools was among the 14 school districts recognized across the nation and was the only honoree in the State of Indiana.

The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 28 states. The selectees include 25 public schools, including three magnet schools and two charter schools, as well as 10 nonpublic schools. Thirty-six percent of the 2019 honorees serve a disadvantaged student body.

The list of all selected schools, districts, colleges, and universities, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. A report with highlights on the 53 honorees can be found here. More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. Resources for all schools to move toward the three Pillars can be found here.

A huge THANK YOU to all members of the GCS community who help to make GCS an efficient, healthy, more sustainable place!

8^th grade students who chose to took the test are (from left to right): Madaline Hershberger, Elizabeth Chupp, Grant Miller, and Caden Hodge

7^th grade students who chose to took the test are: Aiden Hapner, Anton Alstrom-Brookhyser, Gwyneth Wood, Bryan Panzo-Leynes, Lincoln Clark, Erick Rodriguez, Erich Schramm, Damian Castillo, and Jonathon Flores.

Special Congratulations to Grant Miller and Caden Hodge, who earned the Silver Medal for their performances on the test.  They were in the 80^th percentile of all of the students throughout the country who took the test.

Special Congratulations also to Anton Alstrom-Brookhyser, Lincoln Fisher, Erich Schramm, Gwyneth Wood, and Aiden Hapner, who earned the Achievement Award for their performances on the test. They were in the 60^th percentile or above.

Herzlichen Glückwünsch!

Based on what was said at the evening’s wrap-up, we want you to know that we heard your desire for the community to DO something with community relations. Our joint committee (the CRC and GCS) will continue to meet and will plan more community conversations for the fall. Also, as promised, we have included a report (in both English and Spanish) from the conversations April 25. We hope you will find it helpful.

If you attended the event on April 25, please share with others about your experience, and encourage them to attend the conversations in the fall. If you were unable to participate on April 25, we invite you to attend the upcoming community conversations. The conversations will be open to all Goshen community members who want to learn more about others and who want to make Goshen the best community we can be, for EVERYONE. When we have dates set for the fall, the information will be released in the same manner that this information was released. Stay tuned!

With gratitude for Goshen,

Goshen Community Schools

The Community Relations Commission

CONTACTS

Sharon Hernandez                                             Lori Martin
574-537-3883                                                    574-533-8631
communications@goshencity.com                    lmartin@goshenschools.org

REPORTS:

Community Conversation Report      Community Conversation Report Spanish

GOSHEN, Ind. (17 de mayo, 2019) — Las Escuelas Comunitarias de Goshen y la Comisión de Relaciones Comunitarias de la Ciudad de Goshen (CRC) desean agradecer a todos los que asistieron a la Conversación Comunitaria en Goshen High School el 25 de abril. Apreciamos la asistencia de todos, especialmente de los estudiantes que participaron y ayudaron con la interpretación. Los aplaudimos a todos por su disposición a sentarse y hablar con extraños.

De acuerdo con lo que se dijo en la última sesión de esa noche, queremos que sepa que escuchamos su deseo de que la comunidad HAGA algo para ayudar las relaciones entre la comunidad/razas. Nuestro comité conjunto (la comisión y las escuelas) continuará reuniéndose y planeará más conversaciones con la comunidad para el otoño. Además, según lo prometido, hemos incluido un informe (en inglés y español) de las conversaciones del 25 de abril. Esperamos que le sea de utilidad.

Si asistió al evento el 25 de abril, comparta con otros sobre su experiencia y anímelos a asistir a las conversaciones en el otoño. Si no pudo participar el 25 de abril, lo invitamos a asistir a las próximas conversaciones de la comunidad. Las conversaciones estarán abiertas a todos los miembros de la comunidad de Goshen que quieran aprender más sobre los demás y que quieran hacer de Goshen la mejor comunidad que podamos ser, para TODOS. Cuando tengamos las fechas establecidas para el otoño, la información se dará a conocer de la misma manera que esta información se publicó. ¡Manténganse al tanto!

Con gratitud por Goshen,

Escuelas de la Comunidad de Goshen

La Comisión de Relaciones Comunitarias.

CONTACTOS

Sharon Hernández                                             Lori Martin

574-537-3883                                                    574-533-8631
communications@goshencity.com                    lmartin@goshenschools.org

If you have questions, you may call the GCS Administration Center at 574-533-8631.

La secundaria Goshen Middle School seguirá con su horario regular el día de hoy después de una declaración preocupante que ocurrió en la escuela ayer por la tarde. La investigación policíaca continúa. La Corporación Escolar de Goshen está colaborando con la policía para preservar la seguridad de los estudiantes y del personal escolar de Goshen Middle School. Con precaución, hay más policías en Goshen Middle School el día de hoy, así como más administradores escolares.  En caso de que los estudiantes tengan alguna inquietud o desean hablar con alguien, tanto los administradores como los orientadres escolares están disponibles.

En caso de tener preguntas, llame al centro administrativo de la Corporación Escolar de Goshen al 574-533-8631.

The incident is being fully investigated by Goshen Police and GCS administrators. Additionally, to ensure the ongoing safety of students and staff members at GMS, police and GCS administrators are searching the entire school and campus.

In keeping with our tradition of transparency, we wanted to make the community aware of the situation and the ongoing investigation. Further details will not be disclosed because the investigation is ongoing and the student is a minor. We would encourage students and families not to discuss this on social media, but instead to call the Administration Center if they have questions; 574-533-8631.

The community may rest assured that the school district and law enforcement officials will always work together to ensure the safety of all students and staff, and that we will continue to be diligent in our efforts to do so.

Thank you to the entire community for partnering with us for the safety and well-being of every Goshen student.

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Hoy, los oficiales del departamento de policía y los administradores escolares se enteraron de las amenazas de un estudiante hacia la secundaria GMS, luego de que otro estudiante compartiera dicha información con un miembro del personal de Goshen Middle School. La declaración compartida indicaba una amenaza hacia personas en Goshen Middle School.

El incidente está siendo completamente investigado por la policía de Goshen y por los administradores de GCS. Asimismo, para garantizar la continua seguridad de los estudiantes y del personal de GMS, tanto la policía como los administradores de la corporación escolar GCS se encuentran registrando tanto la escuela entera como el campus.

De acuerdo con nuestra tradición de transparencia, deseamos informarle a la comunidad sobre la situación y la investigación en curso. No se revelarán más detalles porque la investigación está en curso y el estudiante es menor de edad. Alentamos a los estudiantes y a las familias a no platicar esto en las redes sociales, sino a llamar a la oficina central de la Corporación Escolar de Goshen, al 574-533-8631, en caso de tener preguntas.

Puede estar seguro de que el distrito escolar y los funcionarios encargados de hacer cumplir la ley siempre trabajarán juntos para garantizar la seguridad de todos los estudiantes y del personal escolar, y que continuaremos siendo diligentes en nuestros esfuerzos por hacerlo.

Gracias a toda la comunidad por unirse a nosotros para resguardar la seguridad y el bienestar de todos los estudiantes de Goshen.

Please avoid flooded areas if at all possible, and/or use extreme caution when moving through standing water.

The city is continuing to post updates regarding flooded areas within the city on their website at: https://goshenindiana.org/

Preservice teachers and experienced teachers are welcome to attend! Learn more about opportunities within GCS and interview with Goshen Community Schools administrators for available positions in 2019-20.

Applications for Goshen Community Schools will only be accepted online. Please visit our website at http://www.goshenschools.org click on JOBS, and follow the directions.

Email Human Resources at hr@goshenschools.org to register.

Schedule of Events

4:30-5:00: Songs performed by Elementary choirs

5:00-5:30: Award Presentations

5:30-7:00: Food, Fun, Games, Music, Tree Planting.

A family festival with a variety of events, entertainment and music. Join us for a spring evening packed full of fun! The event will take place indoors and outdoors at the Schrock Pavilion, 411 West Plymouth Avenue. Come out and celebrate Goshen’s trees! Trees are an important part of what makes Goshen an uncommonly great place to live. They contribute many essential services, and they especially make our city beautiful. Join us as we appreciate trees in our urban forest, from parks to your back yard.

Evening festivities include:

• Food court (cash only)
• Children’s activities, interactive booths, crafts, and hands-on demonstrations.
• Songs by Chamberlain 3^rd grade and Prairie View 2^nd grade.
• Special presentations & awards
• Live music
• Tree giveaway
• Tree planting
• Raffle
• Tree climbing
• Games
• Live animals

http://goshenarborday.com

CELEBRACION DEL DIA DEL ARBOL, VIERNES 26 DE ABRIL, GRATIS PARA TODAS LAS EDADES

Horario De Eventos

4:30-5:00: Chamberlain y Prairie View Actuaciones del coro

5:00-5:30: Presentacion de premios

5:30-7:00: Comida, Diversión, Juegos, Musica, Siembra de arboles.

Un festival familiar con variedad de eventos, entretenimiento y música. Ùnete con nosotros para una tarde de primavera llena de diversión. El evento se realizará dentro y fuera del Schrock Pavilion, 411 West Plymouth Avenue. ¡Venga y celebre los arboles de Goshen!  Los árboles son una parte importante de lo que hace Goshen un lugar sorprendente para vivir. Ellos contribuyen muchos servicios esenciales y hacen ver especialmente bella a nuestra ciudad. Ùnete con nosotros para apreciar nuestro bosque urbano, desde los parques hasta su patio trasero.

Las actividades de la tarde incluyen:

• Plaza de comidas (pago solo en efectivo)
• Actividades infantiles, incluyendo puestos interactivos con manualidades, demostraciones prácticas y actividades
• Actuación especial del coro del Escolar.
• Presentaciones especiales y premios
• Música en vivo
• Regalo de arboles
• Siembra de arboles
• Rifa
• Trepar arboles
• Juegos
• Animales vivos

http://goshenarborday.com

As a part of this joint project, the two agencies will host a pilot community conversation on Thursday, April 25, 2019. Things learned from that pilot event would be used to design, propose, and implement a series of events in the fall of 2019.

If you would like to be a part of this exciting conversation, please contact Lori Martin at Goshen Schools by emailing lmartin@goshenschools.org or calling 574-533-8631 to RSVP and register your interest. To learn more and register online, go to: goshenindiana.org/GrowingTogether

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Creciendo Goshen Juntos es una serie de conversaciones que serán organizadas por la Corporación Escolar de Goshen y le Comisión de Relaciones Comunitarias con el objetivo de reunir a los miembros de la comunidad, aprender entre todos y adquirir aprecio y comprensión por los demás. Aspiramos a que los miembros de la comunidad reflexionen sobre las magnitudes de raza, etnia, género, orientación sexual, estatus socioeconómico, edad, habilidades físicas, creencias religiosas y creencias políticas que existen en nuestra comunidad.

Como parte de este proyecto conjunto, las dos agencias organizarán una charla de prueba con la comunidad, el jueves, 25 de abril de 2019. Las cosas asimiladas de ese evento de prueba serán utilizadas para diseñar, proponer e implementar una serie de eventos en el otoño de 2019.

Cómo puedes involucrarte:

Si te gustaría ser parte de esta emocionante charla, comunícate con Lori Martin a la Corporación Escolar de Goshen, enviándole un correo electrónico a lmartin@goshenschools.org o llamando al 574-533-8631, para confirmar tu asistencia y registrarte. Para aprender más y registrarte en línea, visita goshenindiana.org/creciendojuntos.

GHS student Allan Garratt – Selected to the Indiana All-State Band and seated as first chair (#1) bass clarinet for the state of Indiana

GMS teacher Annika Miller – Has had two presentations accepted for the 2019 Summer Van Andel Education Institute STEAM conference

GCS Assistant Superintendent Tamra Ummel – Named the Indiana Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Administrator of the Year

GCS Executive Director of Finance Kelley Kitchen – Named the 2019 School Business Official of the Year for Region 2

GHS students Maria Murillo, Ashley Reyes, Destiny Watson-Bermea, Kim Wilson – GHS students who passed the state Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) test to become certified nursing assistants. Maria and Kim are pictured below, along with their teacher, Ken Cross.