Here is a slide show essay about our Outdoor Environment InsideOut classroom project:

Heartwood’s goal has been to transform our school grounds and our outdoor play area into a model Outdoor Learning Environment that not only extends the classroom learning outdoors, but enriches our student’s lives and inspires other schools and the community around us to pursue and achieve environmental excellence.  

Our goals are:

• Support an outdoor learning curriculum in multiple disciplines from science and math to civics and more.
• To educate students on gardening and the importance of stewardship in caring for the earth as the source of our food
• To provide hands-on, participatory learning and assign student and class responsibilities
• To educate students on composting, worm gardening, recycling and sustainability issues
• To beautify and green our school grounds and help children discover the wonders of nature
• To enrich students’ lives with a beautiful natural environment that is a peaceful place for reflection
• To incorporate the fruits and vegetables grown into our snack program and establish a well-maintained edible school yard

Elements of the Montessori Outdoor Classroom

• School Landscaping and Gardening - All children have the opportunity to work their own garden and participate in beautification projects and grounds maintenance.
• Community Beautification - HMS students periodically go off-site to assist in creating gardens for neighborhood schools, and neighborhood organizations.

• Environmental Awareness and Sensitivity - Children are made aware of larger environmental concerns and stewardship practices.

• Outdoor garden and ampitheatre - Children are able to experience the natural outdoor extension of their work for all cultural areas of the classroom.

Past Project Activities & Accomplishments

Established Leadership Team & Successful Fundraising

Upon purchasing our facility in 2006, our project received the full support of our staff, Parent Support Group and the dedicated families who have generously donated funds and volunteered their time and talent to transform our grounds.  Heartwood began raising dedicated funds for our Outdoor Environment Project with our 1st annual Spring Fling in May of 2007 which raised $7,000.  We raised $11,000 with this event in 2008.  Our Spring Fling events are a huge volunteer effort that has been well attended and well supported by the Heartwood community.    Proceeds from ALL fundraising efforts in future years will be earmarked for continued work on the Outdoor Environment and Gardens. 

Established Partnerships to Ensure Science-Based Approach

From the onset of our initiative, there was much work to be done as we had acquired grounds that needed a lot of work – from replacing non-native species shrubs and trees with more suitable varieties to correcting drainage problems to safely renovating a lead-painted shed and more.  To effectively address our drainage issues and to creatively address severe draught conditions we were experiencing in 2007, we worked with the NC State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and specialists from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension to ensure that our plan leveraged leading edge science and modeling to minimize our impact on the Neuse River basin which provides drinking water to our community.  Mitch Woodward, an expert on watersheds and water quality has provided a letter of reference that we have included with our application. 

Established Outdoor Environment Work Days

• With a vision, earmarked funds to spend and a scientifically validated set of plans, it was time to get our hands dirty and begin transforming our school grounds.  At Heartwood, volunteerism is phenomenal and is essential to our project.  We have held numerous Work Days where volunteers (comprised of teachers, administrators, parents and students) have come together and tackled a list of projects lined up for that day.  Below is a list of only some of what we have accomplished:
•  built decking for outdoor class activities
• removed metal fence that currently blocks off space designated for garden
• added fill dirt to old, in-ground swimming pool on property and it is prepared to be transformed into a new vegetable garden site
• replaced the roof on what will become our garden shed
• replaced wire fencing with wooden, picket-type fence
• established composting barrel in permanent place & have established daily classroom involvement
• built benches in garden area
• planted student maintained gardens, three tiered, raised bed for perennials
• students planted pansies in the fall