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School Address: 11005 S.W. 84th Street, Miami, Florida 33173

Phone: 305-412-5800

Main Fax: 305-412-5801

Media Center Fax: 305-412- 5816

Treasurer Fax: 305-412-5815

Set to open in August 2009, the new high school in Kendall will be an eco-friendly prototype for schools to come and a green laboratory for students.The main entrance lobby is scheduled to have a real-time display that talks about the energy consumption in the school, stated by Alejandro Silva of Silva Architects.

"You'll be able to look up at that display and see how much energy this building is saving compared to a facility of a typical size," said Mr. Silva. The project will cost about 2 percent more to build than a typical high school, but Miami-Dade officials promised significant money savings once the school is up and running.

"The louvered window, what it does is it kind of acts as many sun shades," Silva said. "So, at the same time you're getting a lot of natural light into the building, you're shading it." There will be motion sensors for lights throughout the building. "It has photo sensors built in so that as natural light on the exterior of the building filters through , it actually dims the lights, so that you use less energy," Silva said. The building will also need less air conditioning. Water use will also be reduced by 20 percent.

To make the experience complete, a specialized curriculum is in development for the high school students. "Environmental Research & Field Studies, Biomedical Research, and Robotics & Engineering Technology," Alonso said. "So, not only are the students going to be studying in a green school, they're actually going to be part of the curriculum and part of the success of the school."

Set to open in August 2009, the new high school in Kendall will be an eco-friendly prototype for schools to come and a green laboratory for students.

TERRA Environmental Research Institute located at 11005 S.W. 84th Street, Miami, Florida is a Miami Dade County Public School.  TERRA Environmental Research Institute is scheduled to open in school year 2009-2010.  TERRA Environmental Research Institute is to be submitted for certification by the United States Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification, the first in Miami Dade County.  This facility will accommodate 1864 student stations with a total of 178,000 square feet.  TERRA Environmental Research Institute will be a comprehensive high school for grades 9-12, providing enhanced quality educational opportunities through extensive and rigorous curricular offerings.

TERRA Environmental Research Institute, a school of Choice, will have three academies.  The first, in Environmental Research and Field Studies will focus but not be limited to seeking solutions to contemporary environmental problems in the community.  Students will perform field studies, observations and laboratory investigations in natural preserved areas in natural habitats including but not limited to the school site.  Students will study current environmental political issues through research, analysis and debate.  The  second academy, Biomedical Research, students will identify current and future human health issues that are impacted by environmental changes.  Students  will conduct research on the potential impact of environmental matter on human health. Also, a mentorship program is evident by providing opportunities for students to work with health care professionals to learn the most current techniques and research in health care.  Finally, students will investigate the positive effects of LEED building on the health of individuals in their communities.  The last academy, for Engineering Technology and Robotics will offer the students a path in order to study and investigate methods to conserve natural resources in order to curb the negative impacts of human involvement.  The use of engineering and robotics technologies will be used to address current and future energy management and conservation needs.  The opportunity for students to design, develop and test robotic inventions as solutions to environmental issues will be tested through local, state and national competitions.

It is anticipated that a strong bond will exist between the school, national and local higher educational institutions, corporations, and local stakeholders.  The impact of the school curriculum and its affiliations to all stakeholders will help to infuse environmentally sound principles and philosophies through problem solving project learning throughout all disciplines in the curricula.  Students graduating from TERRA Environmental Research Institute will have a strong background not only in environmental concerns facing our planet, but its positive solutions for human kind.