Global Learning Charter Public School Selected for the DOE Program

Global Learning Charter Public School (GLCPS), ), a tuition-free public charter school that currently services 500 students in grades 5-12, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for participation in the 2024-2025 Energy Champions Leading the Advancement of Sustainable Schools (Energy CLASS) program.

This initiative aims to equip agencies with the training and support necessary to develop and implement strategies that enhance energy efficiency, foster healthier learning environments, and optimize costs within their school districts. GLCPS was one of 60 local educational agencies (LEAs) selected nationally and one of only 8 selected in Massachusetts.

Commencing in November, energy champions from each LEA will engage in a six-month program that includes a wealth of resources, training sessions, and personalized expert guidance tailored to align with their sustainability objectives. Participants will delve into topics such as strategic energy management, project development, and funding pathways, while also benefiting from collaboration with their peers in the Energy CLASS network to share resources and insights.

The upcoming cohort for 2024-2025 reflects a diverse representation of school districts across the country, serving over 1.7 million students across 2,922 schools in 31 states. It is noteworthy that 41% of these LEAs currently do not have dedicated sustainability personnel, which underscores the vital role of the Energy CLASS program in providing the necessary training and resources to empower schools in their pursuit of scalable energy efficiency and sustainability goals.

“We are pleased to have been selected and are excited to participate in this energy efficient program,” said Stephen Furtado Jr., Executive Director of GLCPS. “Smart management, sustainability and cost efficiency in our buildings enables us to put our resources into our students. We look forward to the opportunity to join our peers in the Energy CLASS network and share resources and insights.”

About Global Learning Charter Public School

Open to New Bedford residents, Global Learning Charter Public School (GLCPS) is a tuition-free public charter school that currently serves 500 students in grades 5-12. Launched in 2002 as a Horace Mann charter school, GLCPS became a Commonwealth charter school in 2006. In order to generate a culture of personalization, the school setting and class sizes are deliberately small. Students, faculty and administration know each other well and teachers are able to tailor the curriculum to the needs and level of each student. GLCPS offers an exciting and challenging interdisciplinary curriculum that follows and builds upon the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Students learn to work collaboratively in teams, use technology meaningfully in their coursework, strengthen all elements of their communication skills, as well as develop the necessary skills to become engaged and ethical contributors to a global society. GLCPS capitalizes on the exceptional resources of the region (for example, marine sciences), and ties these resources to their curriculum and instruction. Additional information is available on the school’s website at www.glcps.org or call 508-991-4105.