10 more Henrico schools earn 'Virginia Naturally' recognition from Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
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The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has recognized 10 more Henrico County schools for environmental education as part of the commonwealth’s “Virginia Naturally” recognition program, bring to 34 the number of schools in the county to earn the recognition since the program was created in 2000.
HCPS’ total is the second-highest among Virginia school divisions. Recognition by the Virginia Naturally program highlights a school’s ongoing efforts to incorporate environmental literacy in its curriculum and to increase environmental awareness and stewardship among students.
The efforts also support the school division’s Henrico Learner Profile, and the Virginia Department of Education’s “Profile of a Virginia Graduate,” which emphasizes communication, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, and civic responsibility.
“Henrico’s schools are leading the way in hands-on, meaningful environmental learning,” said Amy Cashwell, HCPS superintendent. “This recognition is a reflection of the creativity and passion of our educators and the enthusiasm of our students for becoming responsible stewards of Virginia’s natural resources.”
Schools are evaluated on two criteria:
• hands-on learning, including implementation of real-world learning experiences in the classroom that emphasize environmental and sustainable education, such as civic engagement and STEM connections;
• experiential learning beyond the classroom, including opportunities for meaningful field experiences that connect back to classroom learning.
HCPS schools recognized for the first time in 2025 are:
- George Baker Elementary School
- Chamberlayne Elementary School
- Jackson Davis Elementary School
- Henrico Virtual Academy
- Elizabeth Holladay Elementary School
- R.C. Longan Elementary School
- Raymond Pinchbeck Elementary School
- Shady Grove Elementary School
- Skipwith Elementary School
- Tuckahoe Elementary School
HCPS officials broke ground Sept. 29 on the school system's Living Building environmental education center at Wilton Farm in Varina, a 15,000 square-foot building on the James River that will be among the world’s most sustainable K-12 public education construction projects.
Among other initiatives, rooftop solar systems are being installed on most new HCPS buildings, and the HCPS Transportation Department recently added propane-powered buses to its fleet.
