Each year, the Center for Green Schools gathers decision-makers in sustainability, environmental health and green design and construction for an invite-only School District Leadership Summit. This intensive one-and-a-half-day event serves as a cornerstone for professional development in the field.

Taking place immediately following the Green Schools Conference in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, this year's summit built on the positive energy generated during the conference and gathered attendees in a supportive environment to deepen relationships and explore challenges and successes experienced on shared projects.

The School District Leadership Summit attendees.

One 2024 summit attendee said, "The best part of the summit is being with my people! Laughing and learning together confirms that we are on the right path and feeling encouraged and heard, which doesn't always happen at work back home."

Dynamic networking

Attendees kicked off the summit with an interactive networking activity to get to know the other 55 school leaders and the sponsoring companies in attendance (Carton Council, Delos & SGS, Generation180, Perkins Eastman, Shaw Contract, Zurn Elkay). Then the group departed on local walking and biking excursions to explore the city of Santa Fe’s history, green schools and geological and ecosystem features. The day closed with a group dinner, adding to the nurturing environment for learning and sharing.

Summit participants took part in off-site excursions in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Scaling best practices

The final day of the summit commenced with a series of dynamic presentations featuring proven efforts to scaling district programs while prioritizing equity.

In one inspiring session, attendees delved into an ambitious new initiative taking place in Fairfax County, Virginia. The initiative infuses sustainability across the county's 200+ schools, leveraging a robust framework of teacher leadership and sustainability coaching.

Meanwhile, Portland Public Schools shared their decarbonization planning efforts, which started with an assessment of greenhouse gas emissions at each school and has led to proposed enhancements to reduce emissions, thereby fostering healthier and more productive environments for students and staff alike. Participants also learned about Santa Fe Public Schools pioneering their Safe Routes to Schools program, designed to foster safe, wellness-focused opportunities for underserved communities with limited infrastructure.

These presentations not only showcased tangible progress, but also spurred reflective discussions among attendees.

"Scaling district programs with equity in mind was a really great session," said an attendee. "I was able to put together several key threads that I can tie into our programs."

Throughout the day, an array of breakout panels and presentations delved into key sustainability topics, including zero waste strategies, solar energy deployment, electrification of bus fleets, climate-resilient school infrastructure and initiatives to ensure access to healthy drinking water and monitor indoor air quality. Attendees also collaborated in small groups, employing a sustainability compass model to strategize and emphasize the fundamental components essential for realizing green schools.

The summit culminated with a walk-and-talk wellness break and full-group reflections.

Teachers participate in group table activities.

Small-group activities at the event.

Ongoing networking and learning

For those unable to attend this year’s event, there’s no need to wait until the next summit to connect with like-minded peers. The Center for Green Schools extends an invitation to all school district personnel involved in sustainability projects—spanning energy, waste management, air quality, curriculum development and green building initiatives—to get connected to our professional learning networks and access a wealth of free resources and opportunities for collaboration!

If you’re particularly excited for in-person connections, we have three upcoming summits taking place across the country that will focus on decarbonization, resilient schools and healthy materials. These events provide invaluable platforms for networking, sharing best practices and collectively driving positive change within our educational institutions.

Register for an upcoming in-person summit

Reflections from the 2024 School District Leadership Summit