09/03/2026
Over the past three days, I made unannounced visits to the grounds of 40 public schools across Halifax and Dartmouth to see how clean—and how free of visible litter hazards—they were as students returned to school.
Each school received a letter grade based on:
• The quantity of litter observed
• The estimated difficulty of cleaning it up, including foliage, ditches and embankments
• The severity of the problem, including broken glass, hazardous items and illegal dumping
Two schools earned A+ grades: Ian Forsyth Elementary and Sir Charles Tupper Elementary. Both had exceptionally clean grounds with no visible litter hazards. Great job—and a gold star for each! ⭐
Citadel High, Rockingstone Heights School, Halifax West High, Park West School and St. Agnes Junior High received failing grades. I counted more than 250 pieces of litter at each property. That is far too much for school grounds, and I plan to return to see what changes.
This project isn’t intended to shame schools, staff or students. Its purpose is to make the problem visible and encourage parents, educators, administrators, community members and elected officials to take litter on school grounds more seriously.
Over the next few days, I’ll share detailed report cards with photos and practical recommendations. If you’re connected to one of these schools, consider raising any concerns with its administration.
Need help getting school grounds cleaned up—or keeping them clean? Last Ditch Litter Services is ready to help.
Important: Each grade reflects one unannounced visit. These litter grades do not assess the overall quality of a school, its staff or its students.
What are litter conditions like around the schools in your area?
