Juliette Morris Elementary School, located in the Cypress School District, has been recognized by the California Department of Education as a Green Ribbon School for its excellence in resource efficiency and environmental education. Awards are based on demonstrated progress towards reaching the goals of reduced environmental impact and effective environmental education, which incorporates STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) instruction, civic skills, and green career pathways.
Teachers and staff at Morris develop environmental literacy through a variety of school programs and hands-on experiences that include recycling, gardening, and composting. Working with parents and community, the staff is committed to empowering and educating responsible 21st century learners who will become tomorrow’s engineers and policy leaders.
“This award represents the hard work of innovative Morris teachers and committed parent volunteers who always go the extra mile for our students,” said Lori Hernandez, Principal.
In addition to the environmental education program at Morris, facility features including centrally controlled heating and cooling, motion sensor lighting, automatic toilets, and low flow faucets were also contributing factors in the school’s award. These energy efficiency upgrades were all made possible through Cypress community support for Measure M in 2008.
Green Ribbon Schools are recognized in three levels: gold, silver, and bronze. Morris was awarded the Green Ribbon at the silver level and was the only school in Orange County to receive this noteworthy recognition.
Superintendent Anne Silavs said, “We are extremely proud of Principal Lori Hernandez, her staff, and the local community for all they do to inspire students and promote environmental education and energy conservation efforts at Morris.”