Today’s students are growing up in a time when natural resources are being depleted at an astonishing rate. They will need heightened awareness and sensibility in order to face future environmental challenges. Fortunately, today’s students are also growing up in a time when alternative technologies are becoming more readily available. Even more fortunate are students within the Berkshire Hills Regional School District whose middle school, Monument Valley Regional Middle School (MVRMS), is a model “green” school that exemplifies alternative energy possibilities.

MVRMS incorporates a variety of environmentally-friendly technologies, including photovoltaic panels and a geothermal heat pump and heat recovery system. The heating system uses the earth’s natural temperatures to heat the building while greatly reducing the use of fossil fuels. Each room of the building is also equipped with light-dimming ballasts and photo sensors that, coupled with daylighting (the strategic placement of windows to maximize the use of natural light), reduce energy use and have been proven to increase student achievement. The photo sensors automatically control the lights depending on the amount of natural light entering through the windows, thus reducing energy usage. The building is also equipped with a data acquisition system that measures and monitors the kilowatts generated from the photovoltaic panels.

MVRMS has received a grant from The Jeffrey Cook Trust in order to both heighten the awareness of and to promote the effectiveness of these technologies. The project will do this in two ways. One is to use the school’s green technologies to educate students about energy usage, renewable and nonrenewable resources, efficiency, and the role of technology in environmental conservation. Through a data acquisition system the students will scientifically monitor and collect information on the building’s efficiency. This information will be the basis for the second step of the project – for students to develop an outreach program for the community that will include student-developed brochures, presentations, and public outreach during school events.

MVRMS’ will quickly become a teaching laboratory. The projects and information will include a website, student docents, enrichment program and classroom extensions. Because of the variety of the green education programs, MVRMS will become a valuable resource not only for our students but also for the community.

Designed and focused around the school’s green technologies, the website will contain information and links that will highlight the school and technology used. This website will serve as a primary source of information about the green school and will contain standards-based lesson plans developed around the technologies. The lesson plans will be available so that teachers and other interested individuals can access the material. The website will also contain information from the data acquisition system that monitors the photovoltaic’s power output and efficiency. This information will be up-to-date and be tied into the lesson plans.

As way to connect with the community, student leaders from the student council will be trained as docents for public open houses. They will be able to give presentations and provide information to the public. A brochure will be developed and be made available to visitors of the school.

Through our enrichment program, students will be researching and designing a model of the school’s geothermal heating system. The model will then be used in presentations and displayed within the school for public events.

Through classroom extension projects, each science classroom will be equipped with a solar house that uses photovoltaic panels. These solar houses will provide the students with a hands-on experience of how a photovoltaic panel works. The photovoltaic models include student and teacher information for hands-on exploration.

Our “green” school will be a building that teaches. The rooftop photovoltaic system will provide students with real-life applications and explorations in science, math, and other subjects. Our school will teach students, teachers, and even community members about sustainable construction and environmental conservation. To showcase how the school is a model building for using conservation techniques, features, and design strategies in a wide range of buildings—homes, businesses, and institutions—we will host a display of the student-designed models and green technology information in the lobby. And, in what is surely an important message for students and adults alike, our green school will teach about the value of looking at the big picture—weighing one’s decisions in relationship to their long-term implications. For more information please contact Todd Covert at tcovert@bhrsd.org.