Collaboration on the Road to Whole-School Sustainability

Join the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) March 3-4, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, for this year's Green Schools Conference (GSC). We are proud to again be one of over a dozen promotional partners supporting this annual event. This two-day event provides a platform for the green schools community that inspires and facilitates the progress of the green schools movement. Interdisciplinary education sessions at the 2025 conference will be offered over two full days. Sessions will be offered through five education tracks:

• environmental justice and health equity,
• communication for climate action,
• partnerships for sustainable and equitable schools,
• healthy, zero energy schools,
• sustainable school culture and climate.

What is a Green School?

"A green school is about more than curriculum and more than bricks and mortar. It's a school where the community works together to support global sustainability and climate action. A green school prepares students to lead the world toward a healthier, cleaner, more sustainable future."
-The Center for Green Schools

The 2025 Green Schools Conference provides new opportunities to learn and engage with peers on whole-school sustainability initiatives. Staff from Get2Green from Fairfax County Public Schools will participate in a panel discussion about hiring and structuring K-12 sustainability staff roles. Boise School District staff will also join a panel to discuss creating healthy schools through district-wide service learning. Both Boise and Fairfax are EcoSchool U.S. district partners.

As the host of the EcoSchools program in the U.S., the National Wildlife Federation is encouraged to see a growing number of school districts including sustainability jobs as an integral part of their staffing plans. These roles are crucial at the school district level as they help embed sustainability into the fabric of education, ensuring that environmental stewardship becomes a core component of school operations and curriculum.

Sustainability coordinators, energy managers, and green initiative specialists help districts reduce their environmental footprint and create opportunities for students to engage in real-world learning and action experiences. By integrating these positions, school districts can lead by example, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility and preparing students to be future-ready leaders in a rapidly changing world.

As school district collaborations grow and we expand the reach of the EcoSchools U.S. program, the capacity to build environmental leadership among students and staff increases, school buildings' operational efficiency improves, and together increase the number of communities where people and wildlife thrive.

We hope to see you there! Register for the

Green Schools Conference today.