GPISD Outdoor Classroom Newsletter

Arbor Day was founded to celebrate the planting and nurturing of trees and to bring awareness to the way trees stabilize the environment. In Texas, Arbor Day is celebrated the first Friday of November because of the cooler temperatures.

Historically, the City of Grand Prairie hosts a ceremony and celebration at the Nature Center in conjunction with GPISD. Approximately 500 4th graders from our GPISD STEM programs were invited to partake in the celebration, and as part of the celebration, all students in attendance were to be gifted a tree from the City. However, due to this year’s inclement weather, the event was cancelled.

The weather didn’t stop us from celebrating with our students! Nature Center facilitator, Lindsay Reeves, personally delivered hundreds of Shumard and Burr Oak trees, with tips for planting, to our 4th grade students who were to be in attendance at the event. Thank you, City of Grand Prairie, for helping us continue the tradition!

Trees were also available to the high school students that were planning to volunteer during our Arbor Day celebration. (Dubiski & GP not pictured)

1st grade field trips have ended and 5th grade will begin visiting the week of November 28th!

Preview the 5th grade lessons at the GPISD NSEC website linked here: https://www.gpisd.org/Page/48632

Remaining Schedule:

• 5th Grade - November 28 - January 20
• 3rd Grade - January 30 - February 24
• 2nd Grade - March 6 - April 6
• Kindergarten - April 17 - May 12
• Pre-Kindergarten - May 22 - 25

A few 1st Graders from Austin Elementary wrote about their favorite things during their trip to the Nature Center.

Some of the vegetables harvested by our Dubiski Interns!

While reading this newsletter keep a look out for the gnome. He likes to hide! If you find him, click on him to register your readership.

A prize package will be awarded to the campus with the most Gnome registrations each month. Encourage your staff to read the newsletter and use it to grow your campus's Outdoor Classroom!

*For GPISD campuses only*

The campus with the most "Gnome" submissions for October 2022 was Florence Hill Elementary.

Congratulations Florence Hill!

The campus will receive a prize for their outdoor classroom.

Austin has harvested their sweet potatoes.

Florence Hill's Green Team, family & friends worked together to clean up their beautiful garden during their "Garden Day".

If you would like your Garden/Outdoor Classroom featured in the next newsletter, please reach out to Jovan Holder at jovan.tucker-holder@gpisd.org or Lindsay Reeves at lindsay.reeves@gpisd.org.

2022-2023: $500 EDUCATION FOUNDATION MINI GRANTS

Application Due: Monday, November 28th, 2022

https://www.gpisd.org/Page/37301

Mini-Grant Timeline 2022-2023:

• October 18-November 28: Window for submission
• December 6: GPISD Education Foundation Committee meets
• January 6: Grant applicants notified
• January 31: Grant winner reception-GPISD Ed Center Board Rooms
• February 3: Purchase order deadline to GPISD finance office

EarthX 2022 Eco-Art Competition:

Submission Deadline: Tuesday, January 24th, 2023

https://earthx.org/education/art-competition/

• Artists, ages 5-22, create a 2-D or 3-D artwork that illustrates the 2023 theme
• 2023 Theme: Protectors for the Planet
• Competition Goals
  
• Provide students a platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and move others to take action.
• Give students a voice using the visual arts to express their views and showcase their artistic talents.
• Grant students the opportunity to display their artwork on a global scale.

EVENTS

Save the Date to Swap the Seeds -

Saturday, December 3rd,

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Grand Prairie’s First Seed Swap!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Adopt-a-Stream with Trinity Coalition -

Saturday, November 19th, 10am - 3pm

Walnut Creek Paddling Trail at Loyd Park, 3401 Ragland Rd

Register: http://bttr.im/i2cc2

-

Adopt-a-Stream of Cedar Creek -

Saturday, January 7th, 9am - 12pm

Friendship Park, 525 E Polo Rd

Register: http://bttr.im/i2cc2

MEETINGS

KGPB Commission Meeting -

Tuesday, December 13th, 6pm

ESD Training Room (2nd floor), City Hall, 300 W Main St

KGPB Scholarship

Application Deadline – Thursday, March 23rd, 2022

Seniors! You can earn a $750 scholarship by volunteering with KGPB

To qualify –

•Participate in a minimum of 3 KGPB events in the 12 months prior to the scholarship due date

•Complete the provided essay question in one to two pages, typed, double spaced, one-inch margins, minimum 11-point font

•Submit a recommendation letter

•Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5

•www.gptx.org/kgpb/youth

KGPB Award Ceremony – Thursday, April 27th

Plant Ornamental & Wildlife

• Hardy perennials, shrubs
• Trees
• Roses (best time!)
• Winter annuals, including calendula, snapdragon, pansy, viola, dusty miller, ornamental kale and cabbage, alyssum, stock, cyclamen, dusty miller, flowering kale and cabbage
• Avoid planting cold tender plants like Pride of Barbardos, Esperanza, lantana, plumbago

Plant Herbs

• Perennials thyme, oregano
• Avoid planting rosemary
• Cilantro transplants, parsley, dill, fennel , chervil, summer savory, borage, rue, chives
• Be prepared to cover in case of deep freeze

Plant Strawberries

• Give them plenty of sun and a little room to spread out.
• Chandler, Douglas and Sequoia or recommendations from your local nursery
  
• In North Texas, you can still plant strawberries, but your spring yield will be lower. Have patience and you'll be rewarded with more berries the following season.
  

Plant Vegetables

• Spinach, arugula, cabbage, kale, chard, and other lettuce
• Make sure you choose a sunny spot in your garden and create plant tags or markers to remember what variety you planted where.
  
• Consider staggering your plantings so that your greens won't be ready for harvest all at once.

Prune

• Prune freeze damaged plants or not? Best to leave seeds on plants for birds and protect root system. If picky relatives coming, okay to prune
• Avoid pruning shrubs right now unless you see damage
• Do not prune oak trees unless you have damage: paint wound immediately
• Okay to prune trees other than red oaks and live oaks

Prep

• Select spots where you want fruit trees, grapes, or berries to plant in January; for now, prep with compost
• Mulch cold tender plants like gingers, Esperanza and semi-tropicals
• Keep that row cover ready! Do not protect plants with plastic!

Lawn

• Pluck out early weeds.

Other tasks

• Rake leaves into beds to mulch over winter and return nutrients to the soil
• Mow leaves on grass (if not raking to beds or compost) to break them down
• Deeply water new plants; keep new seedlings moist but not drenched
• Clean and oil garden tools. Cleaning them up before they take a winter's rest. Clean off any visible debris and dirt, sharpen blades and oil all moving parts.
  

https://www.centraltexasgardener.org/resource/december-to-do-list/

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/texas-gardener-s-december-checklist-stsetivw-vs~5534134

If you are needing to borrow some tools, please complete the Clean Prairie Beautification Kit Application at the link below.

Clean Prairie City of Grand Prairie (gptx.org)

Whenever you share on social media don't forget to use #GPISDECO.

NSEC Instructional Aide

Email: jovan.tucker-holder@gpisd.org
Location: Natural Science Education Center, Corn Valley Road, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
Phone: 972-522-2539

NSEC Facilitator

Email: lindsay.reeves@gpisd.org
Website: GPISD.org/nsec
Location: Natural Science Education Center, Corn Valley Road, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
Phone: 972-522-2539
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GPISDnaturecenter
Twitter: @GPISD_nature

Director of STEM PK-12

Email: kasie.roden@gpisd.org
Website: gpisd.org/stem
Location: Dr.Susan I Simpson Education Center, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
Phone: 972-237-4010
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gpisdSTEM
Twitter: @gpisdSTEM

Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful Coordinator

Solid Waste and Recycling Department

Email: amaron@gptx.org
Website: gptx.org/kgpb
Location: Grand Prairie City Landfill, Macarthur Boulevard, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
Phone: 972-237-4546