Fairfield, CA – The U.S. Department of Education announced today that Suisun Valley K-8 School is among the 2022 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees. The honor comes after the school was named as a 2022 California Green Ribbon School.

Suisun Valley was nominated for the award by the California Department of Education for its extensive work to create a campus and school community focused on environmental sustainability and education. Award honorees were recognized for their innovative efforts and leadership in reducing environmental impact and utility costs, improving health and wellness, and ensuring effective sustainability education. Suisun Valley is one of only 27 schools, five districts, and four postsecondary institutions that are being honored across the country.

At the heart of the school’s effort has been the creation and maintenance of a two acre laboratory farm. The farm represents a holistic, well-rounded approach to agriculture science where all students learn the origins of food, how it is grown or produced, and the vital role that agriculture plays in human survival. Led by a full time agriscience teacher, the farm includes an outdoor kitchen classroom, a greenhouse, a quarter-acre of field crops, 104 raised beds, 29 fruit trees, a vineyard, a quarter-acre permaculture guild area, an eighth-acre California native garden section, eight egg-producing chickens, and
seed/cutting production areas.

Remarking on the recognition, Suisun Valley K-8 School principal Jas Bains Wright said, “Growing up the daughter of a teacher and a farmer, I have always felt the responsibility of teaching sustainability to our children. To nurture the earth is to nurture our future. Our staff, students, and entire community embrace that responsibility and this award reflects their hard work.”

Additional highlights of the school’s work include a well-developed composting system, innovative and effective approaches to energy and water conservation, considerable waste reduction, and high quality nutrition and health education programs.

Suisun Valley K-8 School serves students in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. Located in the Suisun Valley region of Solano County, the school was established nearly 100 years ago as a small, four classroom school. It now serves 450 students from across surrounding neighborhoods.