All 6 Princeton Public Schools Earn Sustainable Jersey Bronze Certification

PRINCETON. NJ – Good news for the school district. All six Princeton public schools have met the requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey for Schools bronze certification, the district announced.

This brings the total number of certified schools across New Jersey to 370. The schools are recognized as leaders in sustainability, providing exceptional learning opportunities for their students while modeling best practices for districts statewide.

The schools earned this recognition through a wide range of green initiatives.

This year, the district partnered with the Share My Meals to collect surplus food and distribute it to community members in need. Other notable efforts included Community Park and Riverside Elementary Schools’ Generation Green outreach to preschool families; Johnson Park Elementary School’s waste audit; Littlebrook Elementary School’s removal of invasive plants along its trail system; Princeton Middle School’s “Souper Saturday” event, designed to help students develop cooking skills and adopt healthy eating habits; and Princeton High School’s Sourdough Science project, an innovative iSTEAM collaborative unit.

“It is a significant accomplishment to acquire Sustainable Jersey certification for every school in our district. Only a small fraction of New Jersey school districts achieve such status each year, and I am grateful for the work of our school staff and our Sustainable Princeton partners, particularly Jenny Ludmer, for all of their hard work and effort to make our schools more sustainable,” Superintendent Mike LaSusa said.

This year, Sustainable Jersey for Schools celebrates its 10th year of awarding certification to New Jersey public schools. Today, 1,223 schools participate in the program, collectively driving change on critical issues such as energy use, waste reduction, climate education, and digital learning.

“Across the nation, many school systems are still searching for ways to meet sustainability commitments. In New Jersey, however, schools are showing what real progress looks like,” said Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey.

“With more than two-thirds of districts engaged and hundreds of schools certified, we’re seeing real momentum. What makes this achievement powerful is that it comes from the ground up—teachers, students, administrators, and parents working together to build healthier, more resilient schools. Certification through Sustainable Jersey for Schools reflects that shared leadership and vision.”

The Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification is good for three program years. To see each school’s complete certification report, visit: Participating Districts and Schools.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com