Sustainability

Our Reggio-Emilia approach in Pre-K and kindergarten has deep roots in nature. Students are taught not to be wasteful and that beauty can be found everywhere.

At the Primary School, students are encouraged to see “junk” as an opportunity. With Pre-K lessons on ways to reuse materials to create costumes for their in-school performances, kindergarten’s visit to Express Newark to see artist Willie Cole’s repurposing of materials to create art, and third grade lessons on the difference between something one wants versus something one needs, students learn the value of “stuff” and the importance of finding new ways to reuse and repurpose within the classroom, the Outdoor Classroom, and beyond. 

The Outdoor Classroom emphasizes the importance of being outside and teaches students to have empathy for nature, the first step of environmental awareness. This space encourages creativity, play, exploration, and wonder.

Middle School students have curricular and co-curricular opportunities to learn about sustainability and lead several sustainability initiatives. Middle School students begin to think beyond the standard “reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose” messaging to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of environmental justice in our world.

Fourth-grade students learn about the importance of recycling and share this message with the school community. They also learn about sustainable architecture during a hands-on STEM project that includes a visit to the Upper School’s Green Roof to help them while working on their green building designs.

Fifth-grade students learn about where their food comes from and goes to, tend worm compost bins, and grow their food in outdoor garden boxes as part of an interdisciplinary curriculum.

Sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students learn about climate change and strategies for improving our impact on the environment, which frequently lead to students presenting at school assemblies.

As part of their study of air pollution, eighth-grade students watch the film The Sacrifice Zone, which documents the environmental impact and injustice of the trash incinerator in Newark, NJ, where all Essex County waste is sent to be burned. As a result, many students choose environmentally related topics for their science research projects.

Several FLEX offerings have an environmental focus. For example, students in the student-led Green Group collect data and create videos, posters, and assemblies to teach the MKA community about where our waste goes, how we recycle, and steps we can take to make a difference.

As part of the school’s Global Learning Initiatives, interested eighth-grade students have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with members of the science and world language departments to learn about the country’s sustainable practices and needs.

The Green Roof on the roof of the LEED Silver Certified Johnson Academic Center is utilized by members of our community for education, recreation, and as a laboratory area. Environmental Science and AP Environmental Science classes use the green roof to study biodiversity. The student-led Environmental Action Club (EnAct) uses the green roof to grow vegetables for the cafeteria, compost, and hold events.

Sustainability and climate change are interwoven into the Upper School curriculum. Environmental Science and AP Environmental Science classes study the environment and how humans are changing living conditions on Earth. Physics classes study energy production and its impacts, thermodynamics of natural systems, and do a home energy audit. French classes do a project studying pollution in various parts of the world. Art classes create a sculpture using found pieces, demonstrating the concept of upcycling. All classes can use the Green Roof as an outdoor classroom to collaborate and be inspired by nature.

Several student clubs have an environmental focus. The Environmental Action (EnAct) Club works to raise awareness, inspire more eco-friendly personal habits, and help make the school more environmentally sound. They have twice earned the Green Flag Award from Eco Schools USA. Student leaders present environmentally topical information and recommendations for action to the student body via weekly communications. The Carbon Neutral Commitment Committee (CNCC) is a group of students working to move the school to a low or no carbon future. The Surfrider Club organizes beach cleanups in the fall and spring and educates the community about the importance of reducing plastic use and protecting our oceans.

Students participating in the Iceland Global Experience trip study how Iceland is impacted by climate change and utilizing clean energy solutions by powering 85% of the country with geothermal energy and hydroelectric power.

In 2012, MKA installed occupancy sensors (see photo) in all classrooms to automatically turn off lights when rooms are not being used. In 2014, MKA began replacing incandescent and fluorescent lights with energy-efficient LED lighting. Today, over 90% of our lights are LED. These improvements in energy efficiency are helping MKA to reduce its carbon footprint and save money on electricity.

 MKA tripled existing insulation when replacing the Upper School gym roof (2021). Additionally, the school installed maximum wall insulation during the Middle School gym renovation (2021).

In 2020, electric vehicle charging stations were installed at all three campuses to encourage and support the use of electric vehicles. The stations are available to employees and the public. There is a growing presence of electric vehicles in our parking lots and car lines, which reduces emissions from idling.

We are committed to reducing our waste stream. Installing refillable water bottle stations throughout our campuses has encouraged the use of reusable water bottles and reduced the use of single-use plastic bottles. The stations show students the number of 20oz bottles that have been saved.

Double and triple bins (instead of single wastebaskets) can be found throughout MKA’s three campuses and athletic facilities. By increasing our recycling, we are sending less trash to the incinerator in Newark, NJ, which is where all Essex County waste is sent to be burned. This reduces our fingerprint on the air pollution caused by the incinerator in the Ironbound section of Newark, which is an environmental justice issue.

School documents and communications (e.g., student handbook, family directory, report cards, enrollment contracts, and letters from school administrators) are shared with parents/guardians electronically rather than in print via the mail. Campus printers use a “print management system” that only allows a job to be printed after entering a print release code. This practice has reduced the number of printouts that are never picked up.

To measure, compare, and track our energy and carbon consumption, MKA has conducted energy benchmarking via the NJ Clean Energy Program and energy audits via the NJ Clean Energy Program. Better understanding our consumption allows us to make informed decisions and track the effectiveness of changes we make.