Dear HSES Community,

 

Welcome to the High School for Environmental Studies, the first school of its kind in the nation. HSES opened its doors in 1992 with 150 ninth graders. This year, there will be approximately 1200 students, grades 9 – 12.

 

We utilize the visual of a tree to ensure we flourish and grow as a community. Our tree is grounded by three big roots: knowing every student well, rigor and equity in the classroom, and environmental and climate justice. Our faculty uses these roots to ground our work and to ensure that students are receiving the best high school experience possible. We prioritize infusing social emotional learning and culturally responsive-sustaining education into our curriculum, to ensure that every student is known and seen. Furthermore, our environmental mission lives and breathes in the curriculum, as well as outside of the curriculum through our rooftop garden, hydroponics labs, chickens, and much more.

 

As an HSES student, you are tasked with becoming an active participant in your school, your community, and your city. We have many opportunities for you to become involved: student council, the internship program, Eagle Leaders, and after school clubs are just a few of the options available. Your experiences at HSES will help you

to develop necessary skills to make informed decisions for your future and for the world’s future.

 

Our community needs care and nurturing, just like a

garden would. It is important that we treat our

community well, making sure that we all take care of

ourselves and one another. I welcome you to the HSES

community and look forward to working with you to

ensure that you have a successful high school experience

that prepares you for your future.

​

Sincerely,

Heather DeFlorio,  Principal