Community Elementary School in Cumberland, RI is a very special place. We have wonderful teachers and administrators, over 600 enthusiastic students in grades K-5, and very supportive parents. As the name suggests, we are a tight-knit community. When we suddenly lost a fifth-grade girl four years ago due to illness, however, we were filled with sorrow. As a community, we wanted to do something special to remember her. A fifth grade teacher, Dianne Boisvert, spearheaded the “My School Color Run” in the fall of 2016 to raise money that could be used in memory of the little girl we lost who loved being outdoors.
With the “My Color Run” event as the impetus, the idea of an Outdoor Classroom was born. Not only would it be a beautiful place of remembrance, but it had the potential of becoming a wonderful learning environment. When we researched about outdoor classrooms, we discovered they could be places for science experiments, group work, reading, writing, and a place for children to connect with nature. We soon learned that there are many benefits to having class outside, such as: increased student engagement, a rise in student motivation, and improved student behavior. We also learned that overall student achievement can be enhanced when students learn in nature. Furthermore, children begin to form a sense of place and begin to develop stronger environmental attitudes and civic behaviors when they go outdoors.
At Community School, we are lucky enough to have a beautiful outdoor space. We have 3 distinct areas that are open space, including a wooded area, a hillside area (which is now our amphitheater seating), and a sunny, more private area (which is now our butterfly garden). These areas are almost natural outdoor classrooms anyway. They just need some structure, development, and cleaning up.
Another burst of inspiration came from a GEMS-Net teacher-leader meeting at Exeter-West Greenwich Jr./Sr. High School last April. Teachers toured the amazing STEM Park created at the school and took copious notes and lots of pictures! Seeing the potential of what could be done was invigorating.
Last summer (2017), we used some of the money from the “My Color Run” to pay for outdoor amphitheater seating on the hillside. A construction company, Digger’s Landscaping, Inc. in Cumberland, RI, completed this work for us. Additionally, a family member of one of the teachers at Community School created a beautiful outdoor white board and cabinet that was placed at the foot of the amphitheater. I have actually brought my classes out to the amphitheater for math class this year! The students love being out there, and ask about it regularly!
The next step in our Outdoor Classroom was to develop a small group work area and garden in the sunny, more private space behind the school. For this, we knew we needed some help! Luckily, this past fall, Community School was awarded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Grant for the Schoolyard Habitat program. We have had the pleasure of working with Cindy Corsair of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Lauren Parmalee of RI Audubon Society in the planning of an outdoor garden for our school. The garden must provide a habitat for local species of animals, and therefore, native plants must grow in the garden. We were very fortunate to have the guidance of a local master gardener, Theresa Melvin from Cumberland. She was able to give us tips, suggestions, and reassurance that we were going in the right direction when choosing plants for the project.
The grant is for three years, helping out with three phases of the project. Year 1 is for $2,000 to help construct the schoolyard habitat, which in our case, is the butterfly garden. In Years 2 and 3, we will receive $500 each year to help maintain and add to the existing schoolyard habitat. Some ideas we have for the next two years are adding birdhouses, a bat box, and a rain barrel. We would also like to create a nature trail in the wooded area behind our playground. Each member of the committee has had an important role in each piece of the project. We also involved other members of the school community, as well as local businesses.
The final aspect of the garden is the very reason we decided to create it - the remembrance of a very special little girl. Sadly, last year, we had another tragic loss, as one of our sweet, kind Kindergarten students passed away. How could we pay tribute to both girls? Our amazing leader, Dianne, had a very touching idea - to plant a flowering tree in between two benches in the corner of our garden. The husband of one of our first grade teachers designed and created the benches for the girls.
There will be a ceremony on June 13 to unveil our new Schoolyard Habitat Butterfly Garden, which will lovingly be called, “A Special Place.” It will indeed be a special place to learn, a special place to remember, and a special place to be outdoors at Community School.
