HOWELL – Students at Ardena Elementary School were recently gifted a special classroom space for outdoor learning and a natural playscape.
The school announced the inauguration of their brand new “Learning Garden” with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its grand opening.
Ardena’s Learning Garden was devised by the school’s Green Team, led by teachers Allison Weigle and Candace Grande. The two submitted and were ultimately awarded a $10,000 grant through Sustainable Jersey, funded by PSEG.
According to its website, Sustainable Jersey is a network of municipalities, schools and districts working collectively to build a better world for future generations.
The classroom will be used for both academic and social-emotional purposes, according to a statement on the program. An example would be science teachers using the space and the native plants for science lessons. Additionally, the students can use the outdoor classroom as a place to relax or study with their peers
The initial design was crafted by local community member Eleanor James, owner of Sparrow & Brambles Landscape Architects. The Ardena Parent Teacher Association as well as many Ardena families and staff members have been major supporters of the Learning Garden.
During this year’s annual Arbor Day celebration, the school held the project’s ribbon-cutting ceremony which was attended by Ardena’s third grade students. Also joining students were district administrators including Superintendent Joseph Isola, as well as Lauren Skowronski from Sustainable Jersey, and Lisa Doud from the Howell Township Shade Tree Commission.
Since it was Arbor Day, the Howell Township Shade Tree Commission donated a dogwood tree to Ardena’s Learning Garden. In addition, the Shade Tree Commission provided a sapling for every third-grade student and a shrub for each of the six Arbor Day poster contest winners.
“Ardena School is thrilled to accept this grant from Sustainable Jersey and the PSEG Foundation to put toward our natural playscape. An outdoor space for our school has been a dream for several years and this grant brought this dream to life,” said Kathleen Mignoli, Principal at Ardena Elementary School.
“Children benefit from time spent outdoors – fresh air, sunshine, open space, exposure to nature and experiences with natural materials. Ardena’s Learning Garden will serve as an extension of the indoor learning environment, providing students with authentic, hands-on learning experiences that help them grow and learn, positively impacting all areas of child development,” Jane Losinger, Vice Principal of Ardena School, said.
