Sustainability

Go Green at Sanford School

Environmental responsibility and sustainability have always been a part of Sanford’s philosophy and functioning. Whenever possible, we make green choices that are good for our school, good for the planet, and model environmentally minded decision-making for our students. Cost savings from many of these initiatives make us better stewards of our fiscal resources, as well!

Our Green Scene

The examples below are just some of the ways Sanford has made investments in environmental stewardship.

We have a Green Roof

The Nancy C. Sawin Math/Science Center building has sported a “green roof” since 2007—the first for a Delaware school.

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We learn from our campus

Sanford’s earliest students connected with their environment in practical ways—growing food, caring for farm animals, or picking apples in the orchard to help sustain the school. The farm may be gone, but today’s students still use Sanford’s woods, ponds, streams, trails, gardens, and greenhouse, which enhances the curriculum and the whole Sanford experience in countless ways.
We use less paper

We communicate via email and our website as much as possible. Families securely sign and submit beginning-of-the-year forms electronically and have easy, private, online access to: division handbooks, school and athletic schedules, teacher newsletters, course syllabi, report cards, lunch menus, and much more. Electric hand dryers replace paper towels.
We recycle

It’s easy to find recycling bins for paper, plastic, and glass all around campus. Our dining hall provides compostable utensils. We recycle batteries and ink cartridges, as well.
We conserve water

We’ve installed many automatic faucets; waterless urinals; and auto-flush, low-flow toilets throughout campus. We also use water collected in a rain barrel to care for our lower school friendship garden.
We conserve energy

Sanford has:
-Programmable thermostats in most campus buildings.
-Energy-efficient light fixtures, including motion-controlled lights in many spaces as well as some solar-powered lighting.
-Cleaner-burning natural gas replacing oil heat in newer buildings and as equipment in older buildings requires replacement.
Students take action!

Through clubs and projects, students commit to environmental awareness and action, both on campus and in the larger world. Their initiatives ensure we do more and more each year. We love working with them to implement their research and visions whenever we can.