Monday, April 26, 2021
Holly Lawson
Deputy Director of Communications
(317) 232-0536
hlawson2@doe.in.gov
INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today congratulated Discovery Charter School in Porter and Paramount Brookside School in Indianapolis for being honored as U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.
“By bringing together community partners and leveraging the environment around them, Discovery Charter School and Paramount Brookside School are providing an innovative approach to learning that promotes student creativity and inquiry,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “These schools are fostering a unique hands-on environment that takes learning well beyond the classroom and is helping to develop Indiana’s critical-thinkers and problem-solvers of tomorrow.”
Discovery Charter School and Paramount Brookside School are two of just 27 K-12 schools nationally receiving this honor, which recognizes innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education. Across the country, the honorees also include three early learning centers, five districts and five postsecondary institutions.
Discovery Charter School is located adjacent to Indiana Dunes National Park, and works to serve as a positive environmental steward. By taking learning outside whenever possible, the school is integrating interactive environmental lessons into its curriculum while positively supporting students’ mental, physical and emotional health.
Paramount Brookside School in Indianapolis, meanwhile, has embraced neighborhood revitalization and engagement as part of its mission. The school operates a small park and a 3.5-acre working farm, and integrates these environmental resources into its curriculum and extracurricular opportunities.
More information on the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award program and a complete report highlighting award recipients is available here.