Three schools in Marin County have received state environmental awards.
The schools — the Cove School and Neil Cummins Elementary School in the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District, and the private Montessori de Terra Linda in San Rafael — made the list of California Green Ribbon Schools for 2026.
The California Department of Education confers the honors to recognize “resource efficiency, health and wellness, and environmental and sustainability education.”
“What makes this honor especially meaningful is that it is not simply about what we offer,” said Brett Geithman, superintendent of the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District. “It is about measurable outcomes, student leadership and a communitywide commitment to sustainability and wellness.”
The department honored 26 public schools, 12 school districts, one county education office and four private schools this year. The private schools include Lycée Français de San Francisco, which has two campuses in the city and a campus in Sausalito.
“Our California Green Ribbon Schools reflect the very best of what is possible when innovation, equity, and environmental stewardship come together,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a statement. “I congratulate this year’s honorees for their leadership in creating healthy, sustainable learning environments — particularly in communities that have been historically underserved — and for empowering students with the knowledge and skills to address climate resiliency and critical local challenges.”
Kyle Shaw, the principal at Neil Cummins Elementary School, said it is grateful for the recognition.
“Our students lead and participate in meaningful environmental learning through garden education, ocean stewardship and sustainability initiatives, supported by teacher leaders,” Shaw said.
The school has participated in the NOAA Ocean Guardian School program, which promotes activities in ocean and watershed conservation, for two years. Students also are involved with Zero Waste Marin, a garden program and nature excursions through the San Rafael nonprofit WildCare.
Michelle Walker, the Cove School principal, said her students have a “green team” that works on environmental initiatives. The students also do outdoor learning in a garden and engage in “mindfulness” practices, she said.
“We are proud to nurture the whole child while teaching stewardship of our world,” Walker said.
The state honors include gold, silver and bronze categories. All three Marin schools were in the gold category.
The highest honor, “green achiever,” went to Lycée Français de San Francisco, two public schools and two school districts.