Sustainability

Under the guidance of our mission and core beliefs, Carolina Day School purposefully promotes environmental sustainability through our daily actions and long-range planning.

Carolina Day School defines environmental sustainability as meeting our needs today in a manner that does not limit the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Everyone deserves access to ample natural resources and healthy ecosystems.

We challenge the hearts and minds of our students as we expose them to complex issues of environmental sustainability. They are taught the skills to comprehend these issues and are given guidance in clarifying their position amidst often opposing viewpoints.

We hope to inspire our students to seek innovative solutions and to show personal responsibility as they witness the creative and courageous actions we take at Carolina Day School.

Carolina Day School has been a North Carolina Green School of Excellence since 2015.

The NC Green Schools Recognition program recognizes North Carolina PK–12 public and private schools that encourage cultures of sustainability in five designated areas: culture and community, school sustainability, healthy schools, curriculum integration, and innovation. The NC Green School of Excellence designation is the top level of recognition awarded to schools showing the highest level of commitment to a sustainable campus and environment education curriculum. 

“The faculty at Carolina Day School is open to environmental stewardship through activities like free play in nature during recess, educating with hands on experiences, and responsible resource management via recycling,” said NC Green Schools Program Director Katie Cavert Ferrell. “What I observed in the school's application is a commitment to sustainability far greater than I had imagined. We are very proud to recognize Carolina Day as a NC Green School of Excellence."

Carolina Day is committed to working together to implement sustainable practices.

Carolina Day created a sustainability committee to represent all four divisions, parents, and administration. This committee meets each trimester and works on green goals for the whole school.

In 2009, Carolina Day made it a priority in its school improvement plan to focus on environment and sustainability. The school has made tremendous progress in this area, as shown by creating the sustainability committee, providing professional development for faculty, serving with local environmental groups, and committing to daily recycling and composting.  

Environmental issues are discussed in many venues, not just in science classes, though students can go more deeply in the sciences. Students work on solar and hydroponic gardens. They make solar ovens and help sea turtles in Costa Rica make it back to the ocean. They plant vegetables from seed and nurture the plants until they bear fruit. This past year, they created a phenology lab and a salamander study area on campus. Annually, Pre-K students watch monarch butterflies grow from caterpillars to adult butterflies, and recreate their migration to Mexico by “flying” around campus collecting nectar. 

Carolina Day also uses innovation in capital projects and campus improvements.

Instead of constructing a new Lower School from scratch, the original 1956 building was “up-cycled.” With innovative ideas to save energy and improve air quality, construction on the new building was completed in June 2016.

"Thanks to the dedication of our sustainability committee, and input from all areas of CDS, we were able to document the wonderful things we are doing to try to be a greener place and educate everyone in ways to appreciate our natural world, and take care of it,” said Marbie Kollath, CDS faculty and past chair of the sustainability committee. “We hope to further this work in the future."