These schools will receive NJ funds to teach climate change

Marsha A. Stoltz, NorthJersey.com
Updated ·2 min read
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MAHWAH — Ramapo College of New Jersey has received a $650,000 grant as one of four Climate Change Learning Collaborative Centers being established statewide by the New Jersey Department of Education.

The department has also given 34 recipients a total of $1.1 million in grants to underwrite local climate change education projects.

The announcements are the latest in a series of steps being taken by the department since it adopted new standards in 2020 making New Jersey the first state to require schools to incorporate climate change into all subjects of their curriculum.

The Arch at Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah
The Arch at Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah

Ramapo College will be responsible for instructing K-12 schools in a seven-county area, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren. Other centers are being established at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, Monmouth University in West Long Branch and Stockton University in Galloway Township.

Grants to the four regional centers total $1.9 million.

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Ramapo will establish three regional centers to help oversee its efforts at Bergen County's Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst, Morris County's Great Swamp Watershed Association in Morristown and Sussex County's New Jersey School of Conservation in Sandyston.

Teachers will be instructed how to incorporate climate change into lesson plans in science, social studies and also in art, world languages, math and physical education.

“Preparing teachers and local education agencies will result in increased student understanding of the most critical issues facing the planet,” said Adam Fried, Ramapo's assistant dean for teacher education. “Alignment of the plan with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in all content areas will result in an interdisciplinary, real-world approach to the issues resulting from climate change.”

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Grants for Interdisciplinary Learning Units and Community Resilience Projects were awarded to 34 applicants throughout the state, including:

  • Bergen County: Leonia $31,875, Pascack Valley Regional High School District $31,609, and Ridgewood Village $31,875.

  • Essex County: Bloomfield Township $31,875, Nutley $31,863.

  • Morris County: Mount Olive Township $31,719, Morris Unity Charter School $22,960.

  • Passaic County: Paterson Charter School for Science & Technology $31,875, Ringwood $31,163.

  • Sussex County: Stillwater Township $27,648.

For more information about Ramapo College and teacher education, visit ramapo.edu/te.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: These NJ school will receive funds to teach climate change