Oregon School District

The Oregon School District Values Statement puts an emphasis on environmental literacy:

"The Oregon School District believes it is critical for the future of our planet to develop learners who are ecologically literate and environmentally responsible citizens and stewards. We believe it is important to model the District’s commitment by establishing these values and developing practices consistent with them:

• The District will continue to develop building and operational practices and procedures that reflect a commitment to environmental sustainability; and
• The District will have an aligned K-12 curriculum that integrates ecological and environmental sciences and issues into the curriculum, including socio-economic aspects. This may include, but is not limited to, experiences outside the classroom, project-based learning, and environmental services projects.”

The Oregon School District makes it easy for students and community members to track the energy usage and solar production at Oregon schools. OSD has installed eGuage Pro devices at all schools and shares the energy data via a web portal.

In 2021 Oregon partnered with three other local school districts (Middleton-Cross Plains, Monona Grove and Sun Prairie) to apply for a planning grant from the Office of Energy Innovation’s Energy Innovation Grant Program. The application was successful and the four entities are currently collaborating to develop comprehensive energy plans. These plans will be a path to increased savings and reduced emissions for the districts.

2018 Green Ribbon School Award

2023 Green Ribbon School Award

Each year the US Dept of Education recognizes up to five early learning through 12th grade school or district candidates and one postsecondary institution in each state for leadership on sustainable facilities, health practices, and effective environmental education.

In 2018, both Oregon Middle School and Brooklyn Elementary School from the Oregon School District were recognized.

• Oregon Middle School 
• Brooklyn Elementary School

In 2023 Oregon's Forest Edge Elementary was recognized.

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Dane County Climate Champion Awards

The Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change recognizes entities that are leading on climate action in a variety of categories. The program recognized OSD’s Forest Edge Elementary first for net zero design in 2020 and then, in 2021 for achieving net zero status (4 Stars/Energy).

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KEEP Energy Educator Awards

The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) annually sponsors the Energy Educator of the Year Award to increase the visibility of the network of outstanding educators across the state of Wisconsin. 2021 winners included Nathan Mahr & Chris Mitchell of Oregon Middle School.

Oregon High School has numerous clubs and student activities including:

• ECOS (Environmentally Concerned Oregon Students)
• Allies in Action
• Black Student Union
• Latinx Student Union
• Model UN
• Multicultural Student Union
• Science Club
• Science Olympia

Multiple Oregon School District facilities have solar installations. The data about solar production is available online. 

• Brooklyn Elementary School, 36 kW solar array installed in 2016
• Oregon Middle School – 62 kW solar array installed in 2015
• Oregon High School  - In 2017 the district installed a 136 kW solar electric system at Oregon High School. The system supplies about a quarter of the electricity used at the school.
• Forest Edge Elementary  - The Oregon School District constructed a net-zero energy elementary school, Forest Edge Elementary. The school features a geothermal heating and cooling system that is powered by a 500 kW AC solar array.  The school is the first net zero energy school in Wisconsin. 

Oregon School District has a school forest, Wild Oak Woods School Forest, at the Oregon Middle School.

• Approximately 320 teachers
• 8 schools