Green School

Wicomico Day School has been a certified Maryland Green School since 2007.  The Maryland Green Schools Award Program, developed and administered by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), challenges schools to integrate the environment into all aspects of the school culture including professional development for teachers, curricular integration, modeling of the best management practices inside and outside the school, community involvement, and of course, celebration.

On average, it takes a school 2 years to effectively fulfill the requirements associated with certification.  Students in Wicomico Day School’s K4 through 8th grade attend weekly Environmental Science classes in which outdoor education and environmental stewardship are the focus.  Students also help maintain a school-wide habitat and manage “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” projects.  Academically, Maryland Green Schools have been proven to outperform non-Maryland Green Schools in math and reading even when socio-economic factors are removed.  Additionally, the environmental education initiative prepares students for becoming environmental stewards as adults as well as for 21st- century “green” jobs. The projects that are implemented within the school buildings and on the school grounds contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, reducing pollutant export to the Chesapeake Bay, reducing solid waste disposal and increasing wildlife habitat.

For more information about the Maryland Green School Program, please visit the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education’s website.