Dooley Elementary Celebrates
'Green Ribbon School' Award

September 16, 2011

Students, teachers and parents at Dooley Elementary School captured a "Green Ribbon School" award for their efforts to "go green" and beautify their campus. Green Ribbon Schools are identified as environmentally-friendly campuses that encourage conservation of natural resources and create green spaces for a healthy, energy-wise environment.

Enjoy this video narrated by Dooley PTA Environmental Chair Jana Morris and featuring students and parents. ~Plano ISD TV Studio Production

Dooley PTA Environmental Chair Jana Morris explained that Dooley submitted 33 projects on the Green Ribbon Schools website this spring and learned that the school won the award in May.

"Our efforts at Dooley began with the idea of encouraging students and families to be eco-friendly as well as to beautify our campus," said Jana. "The award would not have been possible without the strong support of (then) Principal Sue Loomis and the Dooley teachers and staff."

Dooley's Green Ribbon School Activities

Dooley submitted 33 award winning campus activities to the Green Ribbon Schools website. Conducted during the 2010-11 school year by students, faculty, staff and parents, each project was submitted under one of the four cornerstones of a Green Ribbon School: eco-campus, health & fitness, nature adventure and natural classrooms.

Read detailed information about Dooley's environmental projects listed below on the Green Ribbon Schools website here.

Eco-Campus

• SWAP (free garage sale held at Dooley)
• Recycling
• Energy Conservation
• Avoiding Pollution
• No Idling Sign for Carpool Lane
• Nitrogen Cycle and Decomposition
• Book Walk Family Night
• Paper Reduction
• SLANT 45 Quilt Project

Parents, students and staff at Dooley are pictured during the first phase of beautifying the area around the school's flagpole. Pictured at far right is Sue Loomis, former Dooley principal, now principal at Shepard Elementary.

Nature Adventure

• Campus Beautification
• Back-to-School Family Picnic
• Dooley's 30th Anniversary Celebration

Health & Fitness

• P.A.C.K. Week (healthy eating initiative)
• Walk to School Program
• Health/Math/Science Family Night

Natural Classrooms

• Field Day
• Earth Week
• Kids' Inquiry Conference
• Field Trips
• Fifth Grade Outdoor Camp
• Kinder's Garden

Dooley Elementary School students pictured collecting recycled electronic items are Ben Kaplan, Seth Kaplan, Kristin Weir, Candis Graham, Valerie Weir, Lilly Kaplan and Natalie Neiman.

Former Dooley Principal Sue Loomis (2006-2011) congratulated the Dooley students, staff and parents for winning the Green Ribbon Award. "The Dooley students had many valuable experiences in learning about 'going green.' In addition, it was significant to have the Dooley parents to actively participate in the school wide gardening project and the Dooley Kids' Inquiry conference during the 2010-11 school year," she said. "Their leadership and support contributed amazing results as we worked toward being a Green Ribbon School." View a presentation featuring the Dooley Gardening Project, provided by Principal Loomis.

More Information

Find more information about the Green Ribbon Schools initiative here. Read posts by four additional Plano ISD schools involved in the Green Ribbon Schools initiatives here.