Dover High certified as eco-friendly school

DOVER (WJER) (Jan. 25, 2022) – Dover’s superintendent is calling the high school’s designation as one of the most environmentally-friendly educational buildings in the nation a source of pride for the community. 

Karie McCrate says she was thrilled to learn that the U.S. Green Building Council had awarded the school silver-level certification.

“To achieve this level, you do have third-party verifiers who come in and really provide our community with the assurance that we have looked at factors like how to reduce waste, negative environmental impacts, decreased life cycle costs, and things related to heating and cooling.”

In addition to being more cost-effective to operate, McCrate says studies have shown that schools designed with the environment in mind have a positive impact on student achievement. She expects that will be the case at the high school once the pandemic and the learning disruptions it brought on are behind us. 

“When you talk with our teachers, what they will tell you is that they definitely do see differences in the students. I think they really appreciate the natural light. They appreciate the use of outdoor space. I think it’s really environmentally friendly, which they appreciate and which does contribute to their learning, their attentiveness. and their engagement throughout the school day.”  

Ohio has 382 educational facilities certified under the council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, but Dover High School is the only one in Tuscarawas County. McCrate credits the citizens of Dover for authorizing and paying for the tax that built the school.

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