St. Thomas School in Medina has received recognition for its new campus. The U.S. Green Building Council has certified the newly constructed building and campus as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold for Schools.

St. Thomas School is the first school to achieve Gold level accreditation under the LEED for Schools program in Washington and second in the nation.

On Friday, October 2 at 9 a.m., a special event at the school will publicly honor the achievement. The glass plaque memorializing the achievement will be presented to the school.

Bassetti Architects, the architecture firm that, in partnership with St. Thomas School, provided leadership in winning accreditation, will be honored along with school leaders. Sellen Construction, the general contractor, and The Seneca Group, project managers, will be included in the recognition for the vital roles played by them in contributing to the success of the project.

Construction of the new St. Thomas School building was completed in the summer of 2008, and school year 2008-2009 marked the first year of operation in the new facility, on the same site as the former campus. Significant project elements that contributed to the LEED Gold rating include superior energy performance, abundant day-lighting, and advanced storm-water strategies.

St. Thomas School is a private, non-sectarian school designed to meet the needs of high performing, motivated learners and is an accredited member of the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools and a member of the National Association of Independent Schools.