Bringing students closer to nature through green schoolyards

MMSD’s Fresh Coast Green Schoolyards

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District selected Greenprint to lead the Fresh Coast Green Schoolyards pilot program for suburban schools within its service area. The initiative aims to improve stormwater management while fostering eco-literacy, boosting student interest in water-related careers and encouraging community engagement.

Greenprint facilitated outreach and selected seven schools to participate Public schools were prioritized based on available municipal funding, EPA environmental justice data and stormwater needs. Final selections considered the feasibility of green infrastructure, proximity to sewer overflow discharge points, key watersheds, park access and school commitment.

Greenprint collaborated closely with school leaders throughout the process, from co-designing our green infrastructure plans to securing construction funding. Students contributed by voting on plants and pollinators for their schoolyards and learning about our green infrastructure and the sewer system through Greenprint-developed videos. The designs not only improve stormwater management but also enrich outdoor learning with features such as classrooms and sensory gardens. Collectively, these schoolyards manage 300,000 gallons of water during heavy storms, supporting MMSD’s 2035 Vision.

“Working with Greenprint Partners was truly a pleasure. They listened carefully to our goals for an outdoor educational space and then came up with a comprehensive plan, complete with ideas for funding sources and upkeep. They were responsive to our questions and concerns and I would not hesitate to work with them on any future projects at Shorewood High School." 

–Timothy Kenney, Principal of Shorewood High School