School Operations

Construction of Solar Panels (Lufkin Rink): The solar panels on the roof of The Lufkin Rink were built in 2010 with a 207kWh SunPower photovoltaic (PV) system—the largest installation of energy-harnessing solar panels at any private school in Connecticut. The solar panels brought a huge benefit to the school and provided electricity for eight dormitories, two gymnasiums, and many other buildings on campus.

Sustainability in the Curriculum 

We incorporate sustainability into our lessons in and out of the class. Through the science and humanities classes and our campus natural surroundings, we teach students a multi-faceted understanding of the environment. For instance, in the Challenge 2020 class, a leadership and service learning elective that strives to find local solutions to one of 20 global problems identified by the Global Issues Network, Upper School students are taught the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Students then choose a goal that they are interested in and dig more into how they can help make a difference.  One group of students even created a water bottle recycling project that prevents plastic from damaging our planet's oceans and waterways. 

The importance of recycling, reusing, and reducing is taught to our entire student body, beginning in the Lower School Kindies program. Students learn about the crucial nature of soil and how farmers utilize the earth's nutrients to grow our food. Lower School students learn about the ecology of our on-campus Bantam River and are taught what they can do to help preserve a healthy river system. A Rocks and Minerals unit is in IInd Form (4th grade) to re-emphasize how important it is to protect the land around us. Both Lower and Upper School students learn how to respect and be responsible towards nature and show care towards the planet.

Student Actions

Our students not only learn about sustainability, they take action! Equipped with the knowledge of their role on this planet as stewards of the precious natural resources on this planet, they embark on projects to make a difference on our campus, and out into the world!

Focusing on community service, Upper-School students impact the environment in a positive way. Students travel to nearby beaches to assist in coastal clean-up ventures.  They also adventure to nearby forested ecosystems to remove invasive plant species in order to make room for native plants and animals to thrive.

Even our smallest students are doing their part to create a healthy environment by raising trout eggs in their classroom. Each year, they free the trout into nearby rivers.

The school has come together as a community to collect bottle caps for the Sound Waters million bottle cap challenge. Instead of making their way into our coastal waters and posing danger to marine wildlife, the bottle caps are melted into useful furniture. After months of collection, they have reached a total of over 46,545 caps!