State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2026 California Green Ribbon Schools Award Winners

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that 26 schools, 12 school districts, and one County Office of Education have been honored with 2026 California Green Ribbon Schools (CA-GRS) awards. Among these recipients, five have earned the highest distinction, “Green Achiever.” These honorees are recognized for their outstanding efforts in resource conservation, health promotion, and environmental literacy.

“Our California Green Ribbon Schools reflect the very best of what is possible when innovation, equity, and environmental stewardship come together,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “I congratulate this year’s honorees for their leadership in creating healthy, sustainable learning environments—particularly in communities that have been historically underserved—and for empowering students with the knowledge and skills to address climate resiliency and critical local challenges. Your commitment ensures that California’s students are prepared to be thoughtful, creative, and responsible stewards of our shared future.”

California’s 2026 CA-GRS Green Achiever honorees are:

• Captain Leland F. Norton Elementary, San Bernardino City Unified School District, San Bernardino County
• Joaquin Moraga Intermediate, Moraga School District, Contra Costa County
• National School District, San Diego County
• Ravenswood City School District, San Mateo County
• Lycée Français de San Francisco (Private), San Francisco County

The CA-GRS Award program evaluates applications from public schools, districts, and county offices of education to recognize outstanding achievements in environmental excellence. Private school awards are conferred by the California Association of Private School Organizations.

More details on CA-GRS Green Achievers and a full list of CA-GRS honorees are below. For more information, please visit the CDE Green Ribbon Schools Award Program web page.

2026 CA-GRS Green Achiever Honorees

Captain Leland F. Norton Elementary, San Bernardino City Unified School District, San Bernardino County

Captain Leland F. Norton Elementary School (Norton ES) in San Bernardino exemplifies excellence in environmental stewardship and sustainability in a community facing significant socioeconomic and environmental challenges. Serving a student population that is nearly 100% economically disadvantaged, Norton ES stands out not for wealth but for its innovative, hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum and its commitment to fostering environmentally literate, community-minded leaders from preschool through sixth grade. The school’s success is rooted in extensive collaboration among staff, students, families, and community partners, including the district’s Facilities Planning and Development Department and sustainability partner Cenergistic, as well as participation in programs such as the Whole-Earth Program. Through project-based learning, energy conservation initiatives, recycling, water-saving practices, and wellness-focused programs, Norton ES instills a culture of responsibility, health, and environmental awareness that extends beyond the classroom. By integrating sustainability into daily operations, student learning, and community engagement, Norton ES not only equips students with the knowledge and skills to protect and improve their environment but also ensures long-term, meaningful impact on the school and its surrounding community. The school serves as a model of resilience, collaboration, and enduring environmental stewardship.

Joaquin Moraga Intermediate, Moraga School District, Contra Costa County

Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School (JMIS) exemplifies environmental leadership and sustainability in action. Serving a diverse student body in the Moraga–Walnut Creek Watersheds, JMIS integrates sustainability across academics, operations, and community engagement and distinguishes itself through rigorous environmental literacy standards; Collaborative for High Performance Schools/Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (CHPS/LEED)-aligned facilities; and innovative programs such as Jan Term capstone projects that connect STEM, civic action, and sustainability. The school fosters deep community collaboration by leveraging cross-sector groups, professional development partnerships, and local agencies to provide hands-on, place-based learning—from creek restorations to biodiversity monitoring and waste-reduction campaigns—while engaging students as active environmental leaders. Sustainability is embedded as a lived experience through outdoor classrooms, edible gardens, renewable-energy projects, and civic engagement programs spanning all grade levels. Students gain practical knowledge in energy, climate, and ecological systems while participating in service projects that strengthen community resilience and environmental stewardship. Through its comprehensive approach to curriculum, operations, and civic partnership, JMIS cultivates environmentally literate, socially responsible, and community-conscious students prepared to advance long-term sustainability and lead in a changing world.

National School District, San Diego County

National School District (NSD), serving 90% low-income, English Learner, foster, or homeless students and 95% Latinx/Filipino students, exemplifies how high-impact sustainability can thrive in high-need communities. Over the past decade, the district has achieved measurable gains—including over 1 million gallons of annual water savings; 1,000-plus tons of waste diverted; a 13% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; and improved energy efficiency—through comprehensive operational upgrades, student-led initiatives, and Sustainable Development Goals-aligned projects. NSD leverages robust partnerships with organizations such as Rady Children’s Hospital, Olivewood Gardens, Ocean Connectors, and Tree San Diego and engages families and the community to embed sustainability into daily life. Its multi-year strategy integrates resource conservation, health, and environmental literacy into operations and curricula to prepare students as future environmental leaders. Recognized through the CA-GRS Program (Silver 2024, Gold 2025), America’s Healthiest Schools (90% of schools), and other awards, NSD demonstrates that sustainability, academic excellence, and community engagement can flourish in high-need districts and create a lasting culture of environmental stewardship.

Ravenswood City School District, San Mateo County

Ravenswood City School District demonstrates that sustainability leadership is driven by equity and vision, not wealth. Serving a community where 90% of students are low-income and 56% are English Learners, the district uses sustainability as a tool for health, resilience, and opportunity despite limited funding and staffing challenges. Through a decade-long Facilities Master Plan and more than $250 million in modernization investments, Ravenswood has electrified campuses; expanded solar energy; reduced water use; planted over 1,300 trees; improved air quality; and created green schoolyards and outdoor learning spaces that integrate environmental literacy into daily instruction. These efforts are strengthened by deep partnerships with energy, environmental, civic, higher education, and wellness organizations to ensure a holistic, community-centered approach to climate action, student well-being, and environmental justice. Together, these initiatives position Ravenswood as a model for long-term, equitable, and climate-resilient transformation in an under-resourced school district.

Lycée Français de San Francisco (Private), San Francisco County

Lycée Français de San Francisco exemplifies a deeply rooted, mission-driven commitment to environmental sustainability, whole-child well-being, and community partnership across its three diverse campuses. Distinguished not by wealth but by decades of intentional practice, the Lycée has integrated sustainability into its identity, curriculum, and operations since the 1960s by blending French educational values with Northern California’s rich ecosystems. From preschool through grade 12, students engage in hands-on learning experiences that explore ecology; Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM); biodiversity; wellness; and climate citizenship across urban, coastal, and bayside settings. Students learn to view sustainability as both a scientific and civic responsibility. This work is strengthened through community collaboration, including the student-led Eco-Delegate program, partnerships with local and international organizations, and strong family and donor engagement, all of which support renewable energy, waste reduction, and environmental education initiatives. Guided by its 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, the Lycée sustains long-term impact through investments in renewable energy, water-wise landscapes, efficient facilities, green transportation, and wellness-centered design to position the school as a model for holistic, enduring environmental excellence and the development of globally minded, environmentally literate citizens.

2026 California Green Ribbon School Awardees

Public Schools

• Captain Leland F. Norton Elementary, San Bernardino City Unified, San Bernardino County (Green Achiever)
• Joaquin Moraga Intermediate, Moraga School District, Contra Costa County (Green Achiever)
• American High School, Fremont Unified, Alameda County (Gold)
• Community Roots Academy, Capistrano Unified, Orange County (Gold)
• Cypress High School, Anaheim Union High School District, Orange County (Gold)
• Laguna Beach High, Laguna Beach Unified School District, Orange County, (Gold)
• Mary Bragg Elementary, ABC Unified School District, Los Angeles County (Gold)
• Marilyn Avenue STEAM Academy, Livermore Valley Joint Unified, Alameda County (Gold)
• Neil Cummins Elementary, Larkspur-Corte Madera School District, Marin County (Gold)
• Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District, Orange County (Gold)
• Oxnard High School, Oxnard Union High, Ventura County (Gold)
• Sandburg Middle School, Glendora Unified School District, Los Angeles County (Gold)
• Sherman Oaks Charter, Los Angeles Unified, Los Angeles County (Gold)
• South Junior High, Anaheim Union High, Orange County (Gold)
• Steven Millard Elementary, Fremont Unified School District, Alameda County (Gold)
• The Cove School, Larkspur Corte Madera School District, Marin County (Gold)
• Charlotte N. Werner Elementary, Rialto Unified, San Bernardino County (Silver)
• E.M. Grimmer Elementary, Fremont Unified School District, Alameda County (Silver)
• Maple Elementary, Fullerton Elementary School District, Orange County (Silver)
• Mission San Jose Elementary, Fremont Unified, Alameda County (Silver)
• Oliveira Elementary, Fremont Unified, Alameda County (Silver)
• Bridges Charter School, Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County (Bronze)
• Cabrillo Elementary, Fremont Unified School District, Alameda County (Bronze)
• Green Hills Elementary, Millbrae Elementary School District, San Mateo County (Bronze)
• Theodore Roosevelt Elementary, Burbank Unified, Los Angeles County (Bronze)
• Tierra del Sol Middle School, Lakeside Union Elementary School District, San Diego County (Bronze)

Local Educational Agencies

• National School District, San Diego County (Green Achiever)
• Ravenswood City School District, San Mateo County (Green Achiever)
• Fremont Unified School District, Alameda County (Gold)
• Fremont Union High School District, Alameda County (Gold)
• San Joaquin County Office of Education, San Joaquin County (Gold)
• Winters Joint Unified School District, Yolo County (Gold)
• Irvine Unified School District, Orange County (Silver)
• Las Virgenes Schools, Los Angeles County (Silver)
• Moorpark Unified School District, Ventura County (Silver)
• Sacramento City Unified School District, Sacramento County (Silver)
• Menlo Park City Elementary School District, San Mateo County (Bronze)
• Rowland Unified School District, Los Angeles County (Bronze)
• San Benito Union High School District, San Benito County (Bronze)

Private Schools

• Lycée Français de San Francisco, San Francisco County (Green Achiever)
• Montessori de Terra Linda, Marin County (Gold)
• Waldorf School Orange County, Orange County (Gold)
• School of the Madeleine, Alameda County (Silver)

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100