Yesterday, Cottage Lane Elementary School Principal Ms. Karen Ramirez, Assistant Principal Rob Schliessman, PTA officers and student representatives celebrated the official opening of the school’s new outdoor classroom. Prompted by the number of teachers who were taking students outdoors for lessons, CLE administrators reached out to the district’s Central Office and SOCES PTA leaders last year with a proposal to create a safe, alternative learning space for students and for staff professional development.
The district’s Facilities Department began construction began last summer and SOCES PTA supported the effort by donating $25,000 for outdoor classroom furniture, which was installed early this spring. Key features of the new learning space include a rock garden filled with “Kindness Rocks” bearing inspirational messages painted by fifth-graders, two life-sized chess boards and benches. Rocks for the rock garden were donated by Ken Olori Landscaping. On the wish list for future enhancement are additional tables, planters and life-sized Jenga and checkers.
Teachers will be able to sign up to use the outdoor classroom, just as they reserve the school’s computer lab. Physical Education Teacher Ms. Sue O’Rourke has used the new space for yoga enrichment during Period 6 lunch and other teachers are eager to work in the outdoor space.
“We are so excited about this outdoor space!” says Ms. Ramirez. “Today is the first day the outdoor classroom is officially open and we saw a class using it for writers workshop, a reading teacher reading with her small group of students, teachers on their lunch break eating and a 5th grade yoga lunch club. We can’t wait to see how teachers and students use this space for learning, for working and for being together to play games and socialize.”
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