At Washington Montessori School (WMS), caring for nature is more than a lesson, it’s a core component of our education philosophy. In this post, we’ll take you through our ongoing efforts to make our environment more sustainable and explore how WMS empowers students to become passionate advocates for the planet.
The Sustainable Environment
“We must study the correlation between life and the environment. In nature all is correlated. This is the purpose of nature. Nature is not concerned just with the conservation of individual life or with the betterment of itself. It is a harmony, a plan of construction. Everything fits into the plan: rocks, earth, water, plants, man, etc.”
WMS strives to incorporate environmentalism in every aspect of school life, from classroom curricula to school-wide sustainability initiatives and student-led projects connecting WMS to the broader community.
We routinely identify new opportunities to lower our building’s carbon footprint and better protect our natural environment, implementing any changes that need to be made swiftly and efficiently. The result of this approach can be seen in efforts big and small across campus: the solar panels on the roof of the gym, the water bottle filling stations tallying the number of plastic bottles saved, the reusable glass bottles that have largely replaced single-use cleaning products.
In recognition of this holistic commitment to sustainability, WMS was certified as a Green LEAF School by the Connecticut Outdoor and Environmental Education Association (COEEA) in 2020.
What is a Connecticut Green LEAF School?
The Connecticut Green LEAF School is a state-wide program to “plant, nurture and grow the seeds of environmental literacy in a way that builds more sustainable and just communities.” The designation comes from the mission: Leading, Educating, Achieving and Fostering healthy, green schools for all.”
A school is certified as a Green LEAF School when it has made progress across three pillars:
- Reduced environmental impact and resource cost
- Improved the health and wellness
- Effective environmental and sustainability education
What does this look like in practice? Let’s take a closer look.
The Middle School Green Team
For over twenty years, the Middle School Green Team has spearheaded many of the sustainability efforts at WMS. This optional group meets once a week under the guidance of MS Science Teacher and CT DEEP Master Wildlife Conservationist, Nora Hulton. The Green Team’s work is both educational and practical – an ongoing effort to encourage a more communal commitment to sustainability. Thanks to the tenacity of these young environmentalists, the Green Team has successfully implemented several campus-wide measures to improve sustainability.
- Composting — The Green Team established our composting program in 2012, and it has since expanded to become a part of the Middle School and Elementary prepared environments. Every day right after lunch, a dedicated team of students collects organic remnants from the staff room, the PA coffee cart, and each classroom. Once they have made their rounds, they head downstairs to the Jora compost tumblers, where they deposit the day’s take along with a cup of compost-nourishing wood pellets.
- Recycling — In an effort to cut down on waste sent to landfills, the Green Team has implemented several recycling programs on campus, including a Nex Trek plastic bag and film recycling container and a Bay State Textiles recycling bin for used clothing, linens, stuffed animals, handbags, and myriad other textiles.
- Rummage sales — As a result of independent research into the environmental impact of fast fashion, Green Team students have started hosting community rummage sales both at WMS and during the Washington Environmental Council’s annual Earth Day Celebration.
- Cleaner cleaning products — In an effort to cut down on single-use containers, the Green Team began creating refillable, eco-friendly cleaning products distributed to classrooms in refillable glass bottles.
- Reducing printer waste — In response to paper waste generated by excess printing, the Green Team has helped brainstorm and implement guidelines for printer usage such as printing on the back of scrap paper.
- Sustainable Field Day — After observing the amount of accessories purchased for Field Day in 2023, the Green Team successfully lobbied for coveted Field Day points to be awarded to students who brought items in to share. Starting in 2024, students now enthusiastically exchange colorful accessories in a joyful, communal practice that also discourages overconsumption and reduces waste.
Sustainability in the Montessori classroom
In the YCC, environmental stewardship begins with simple actions like cleaning up outdoor play spaces and exploring our campus. These opportunities to care for and interact with the natural environment are designed to instill a deep appreciation of nature in our youngest learners.
On Wednesday afternoons, full-day P2 and P3 students in Lower School participate in an outdoor education program where they explore 48 acres of woods, rivers, and trails. This play-based outdoor program offers children the opportunity to explore and learn outdoors, fostering curiosity, creativity, resilience, and a deep connection to nature.
At the Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary levels, environmental science is a core component of the classroom curriculum. Many signature Montessori lessons — like the first three Great Lessons: The Coming of the Universe and the Earth, The Coming of Life, and The Coming of Human Beings — are designed to deepen the child’s understanding of the natural world. Additionally, elementary students take the lead on monitoring a number of meteorological and atmospheric factors, including:
- Air quality: Lower Elementary students use a Purple Air Monitor to monitor the air quality on campus and have implemented an Air Quality Flag Program to inform our community of their findings.
- Precipitation: Upper Elementary students participate in the Connecticut CoCoRaHS Rain Monitoring network, where they gather real data that informs national research.
By the time they reach Middle School, students are ready to tackle complex, hands-on projects. In addition to the opportunity to join the Green Team, students at every grade level participate in environmental science-driven activities that often take them out into the wider world. Recently, students have visited local stormwater management facilities to learn about water conservation, refined wilderness safety skills during overnight camping excursions, participated in a trash art contest with the Taft School’s Climate Change Team, and traveled to Wilmington, NC to analyze water samples.
Native pollinator planting
As part of our ongoing commitment to making the WMS campus more environmentally friendly, we have recently started removing invasive species and replacing them with pollinator plants native to Connecticut. Informed by the expertise of ecological horticulturist Rebecca McMackin (‘91), students and community members are working side by side to improve biodiversity and restore the health of our local ecosystem. This project has sparked incredible enthusiasm. During the 2024 Give Local fundraising period, our community raised over $25,000 to support our native planting project.
A communal commitment to protecting the planet
One of the most rewarding parts of our sustainability journey has been the partnerships we’ve built with local organizations.
This year, our middle schoolers adopted the Cobble Brook Vista Preserve through the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC). In addition to studying the tract’s natural history, students have helped clean and maintain the trails. As a result of our students’ enthusiasm and growing expertise, the NCLC has invited them to lead tours and conduct field research in the coming months — a wonderful opportunity to put hands-on learning into practice.
Our students also had a chance to share their knowledge with the wider community at Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy’s Duck Day festival. Armed with facts about stormwater management, they set up an educational booth and spoke confidently with visitors. The team at Ripley’s was so impressed with our students that they’ve invited them back for future events!
Another signature event for our students is the Litchfield Hills Road Race. Since 2024, our students have been assisting runners with sorting compostable food waste and bringing it back to WMS to compost in our Jura composting tumblers. The community reception has been enthusiastic, and we plan to continue offering our composting service for future races.
The next generation of environmentalism
At Washington Montessori School, sustainability is a mindset that shapes everything we do. From planting native species and leading community education to building partnerships that make a difference, our students are learning that caring for the planet begins right here, with each thoughtful choice we make together.
