Sustainability
The Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) is committed to integrating sustainable practices and our work is grounded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as the ORCSD Strategic Plan.
We are taking effective steps to reduce our carbon emissions, educate our students and community about making sustainable choices, and paving the way for a more sustainable future.
The district has identified 7 focus areas for which we have determined goals and strategies to tackle the most pressing sustainability issues. These focus areas are energy, waste, construction and land use, health and wellness, transportation, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and social justice.
Within the past several years, we have made several strides in preparation for a sustainability management plan. This includes composting on our campuses, conducting a greenhouse gas inventory, and completing several energy efficiency projects.
ORCSD has an active Community Sustainability Committee which meets regularly throughout the school year and we most recently completed the construction of a new Middle School building.
To view the Oyster River Middle School building's sytem performance, please click here.
We are proud to say the Oyster River Middle School was the first New Hampshire project to achieve Eversource’s Zero-Net Energy/Deep Energy Savings incentive program. The District estimates it will earn almost $300,000 in rebates once verified. This project is the first in New Hampshire, and the eighth school project in New England, to achieve LEED V4 Gold for Building Design and Construction (LEED BD+C): Schools.
As Superintendent Morse said, “The Durham, Madbury, and Lee communities have again demonstrated their deep commitment to sustainability. The bond for this locally funded project received the support of 76 percent of voters and will enhance our learning environment for generations to come.”
