The PA Green & Healthy Schools Partnership is a collaborative effort formed to promote healthy and high performing places of learning across the Commonwealth.

We seek to bring together a network of non-profits, governmental agencies, and others who are committed to ensuring that all schools are healthy, environmentally friendly and cost efficient places of learning.

We believe that, by assuring our children are sustainability literate and providing their education in a building that is healthy and reduces environmental impacts, we are assuring that our future generations will grow to become successful and caring stewards of our natural resources. By designing, constructing, and operating our school buildings with the environment and health in mind, and educating our students about those features, we are making a bold statement to our youth that we care about where they learn, as well as our planet.

Our Goals

Advocate at a statewide level for executive, legislative and local action to bring about systemic change to advance green and healthy schools in Pennsylvania.
Provide resources and support to school leaders, teachers and students through a comprehensive green schools program and website.
Recognize and celebrate schools that are taking steps towards integrating sustainability principles throughout their school buildings, operations and curriculum.

Our Structure

The PAGHSP consists of an Executive Committee that leads the overall Partnership, as well as an Advisory Council. In addition, there are five task forces described below. Please feel free to directly contact any of the task force chairs if you are potentially interested in becoming a member.

Executive Committee

Function: To lead the Partnership as a whole and vote on all major decisions. Executive Committee members serve a three-year term. Frequency of meetings: Conduct at least one in-person meeting annually. Additional meetings & conference calls will be held at the discretion of the Executive Committee members.

Executive Committee Members and Officers

Advisory Council

Function: To provide an avenue for participation and advice from highly qualified individuals whose association would be beneficial to the partnership, but who may not necessarily be responsible for day-to-day operations. Also included are individuals who are precluded from becoming a voting member due to limitations imposed by their employer. Frequency of meetings: Advisory Council members are permitted to participate in any Executive Committee meetings and conference calls, but may not cast votes.

School Engagement Task Force

Heidi Kunka, Chair

Function: Implement the Eco-Schools USA program within the Commonwealth of PA by providing guidance and recognition of sustainability initiatives taken by K-12 schools.

Education Task Force

Estelle Ruppert, Chair

Environmental Impact & Cost Savings Task Force

Bob Schoch, Chair

Health & Wellness Task Force

Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis and Michelle Niedermeier, Co-chairs

Research/Data Task Force: Kelly Feighan and Lorna Rosenberg, Co-chairs

Fiscal Agency

The PA Green and Healthy Schools Partnership has a fiscal agency agreement with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). The NWF collects and distributes money as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit on the Partnership’s behalf.

Some of Our Partners

Center for Schools and Communities

Delaware Valley Green Building Council

Drexel University

Garnet Valley School District

Green Building Alliance

Moms Clean Air Force

National Wildlife Federation

North Penn School District

Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators

PA Department of Environmental Protection

PA Department of Education

Penn State University

Research for Better Schools

School District of Philadelphia

U.S. Department of Environmental Protection: Region 3

U.S. Green Building Council: Central PA

U.S. Green Building Council‘s Center for Green Schools

Women for a Healthy Environment