Education and Environment Reconsidered: St. Phillips Academy, Newark

This weekend we attended an open house at St. Phillips Academy in Newark, sponsored by Green Home NYC, an organization dedicated to ‘facilitating the adoption of sustainable building methods and materials by owners of small residential and commercial buildings in New York City [and surrounding areas].’ With vibrant colors throughout the building to emulate the progression of hues from earth to sky, St. Phillips Academy is truly a beacon of light in the midst of darkness. An independent school serving students in grades K-8 throughout Newark, St. Phillips Academy not only sets a high standard for education but also boasts being a LEED Silver Certified facility.

Aeroponic growing system in Science Lab.

The program at St. Phillips manages to marry traditional elementary education with principles of sustainability into the curriculum. One of the most revered features of the St. Phillips Academy building is the PSE&G Outdoor Learning Center. The outdoor learning center is a green roof built on top of the schools’ gymnasium. It features raised beds for growing produce while the entire surface acts a catch basin for rainwater, an important part of the school’s drainage system. With lush green lettuces and hearty turnips growing in the garden, the green roof is a multifaceted learning space. Students learn about the five senses from working in the garden, tending to garden plots also serves to foster a sense of responsibility amongst St. Phillips’ students, and students expand their palates by trying new fruits and vegetables they may not try at home.

Blackboard in Cafeteria

The produce grown on the roof of St. Phillips Academy is just one component of the schools’ closed food system. Food grown on the roof of St Phillips Academy is served as a part of students’ daily lunch. Lunch at St. Phillips is not your standard mystery meat and milk as most U.S public schools serve on a day-to-day basis. Meals at St. Phillips are comprised of largely organically grown foods served family style and each student is designated a task to contribute to cleaning up everyday. Plasma screens in both the cafeteria and the lobby display information about the schools energy uses that are recorded by an internal computer system that is connected to the solar paneling located in the rear of the school, just above the PSE&G learning center.

Entry to PSE&G Outdoor Learning Center (solar panels on left)

St. Phillips' approach to education is second to none; it provides its students with a well-rounded education teaching traditional subjects and life skills using “green” elements to tie it all together. Students who would ordinarily slip through the cracks of the public school system are given a chance to thrive and often go on to some of the nation’s best preparatory schools and colleges. For more information about St. Phillips Academy visit the website: http://www.stphilipsacademy.org/