GREEN SCHOOL OBJECTIVE III:
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Getting the Green News Out - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
While our Green messages to our school community have always gone out in our electronic newsletter, "The Panther Press," in 2010, Mrs. Wilkerson, our Teachers' Secretary took it upon herself to create a special weekly section in the Panther Press specifically for our weekly Green news. Access the document below our Green News heading to see some of our weekly news blurbs over the years. Our community is surely informed!
| green_news_blurbs.docx |
The AES Green Team ROCKS!!! 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Atholton's Green Team is in its sixth year of meeting regularly to brainstorm and put into action exciting and important environmental initiatives for our school and community. Our Green Team consists of teachers, parents, paraeducators, administration, custodial staff and Green Ambassador students. The Green Team meets at least once a month and is broken down into focus groups that meet as needed in addition to whole group meetings. The Green Team is a regular committee at our school, so it has been worked into the staff committee schedule alongside all other staff committees. Our administration supports the Green Team! See an example of Green Team meeting minutes below. You will see we get a lot done!
| gtm_2-9-11.doc |
Third Graders Assisting Local High School Students - March 2013
Third grade teacher, Mrs. Groman has a friend who is an Earth Science teacher at Marriotts Ridge High School here in Howard County. Mrs. Groman's friend is currently working on a project with her science students, as well as the Art I students. After obtaining a NASA grant, her science students did some climate change research, writing an annotated bibliography. They then took their research and created a children's book related to the topic. Art I students are going to illustrate the books, print/make them, and publish them. The high school students decided they would really like to "interview" students prior to the illustrations and final product so they can change and alter their book to fit actual students' needs and misconceptions. After their final product is made, their Teacher Academy students will be asked to write a Public Service Announcement video to share with the elementary schools in the area about what they can do to help save our earth. It will then be shared with Mrs. Groman's third graders using the Google Apps for Educators, and then they can share it with the rest of Atholton's students.
Mrs. Groman's teacher friend came up with questions to ask her third graders (and three other third grade classes around the county). Below are the responses Mrs. Groman's students had for their questions. We can't wait to see the final products once this project is complete! Below the slides of student response sheets is a form with all responses typed in for Mrs. Groman's friend and her students.
Mrs. Groman's teacher friend came up with questions to ask her third graders (and three other third grade classes around the county). Below are the responses Mrs. Groman's students had for their questions. We can't wait to see the final products once this project is complete! Below the slides of student response sheets is a form with all responses typed in for Mrs. Groman's friend and her students.
| groman-responses_01.docx |
School Children in Mexico Care for Our Symbolic Monarch - February 2013
As part of the fifth grade GT Math Monarch unit, students sent their mathematically decorated symbolic Monarch to Mexico through Journey North. It was with great delight that we got to see that our Monarch had made it and was well cared for. See the orange arrow below to see the girl holding our Monarch. The world is our community when we build meaningful partnerships from afar.
Along with our message of ambassadorship, donations were collected in math class and sent along to the Monarch Fund to help in providing protection for the threatened Monarch habitat.
Writing Countywide Curriculum to Include Environmental Instruction - July to December 2012
When Mrs. Young had the opportunity to write curriculum for elementary Common Core GT Math, she knew it was the perfect chance to incorporate environmental instruction for the larger community! Though it seems unlikely that Expressions and Equations have anything to do with native gardening, the entire unit was written around the native plants theme. Students start the unit out learning about the importance of native plants when considering biodiversity and watershed health. All math tasks center around the schoolyard native garden theme. This entry is placed in the "School Community" section of this Green School application, because the curriculum is currently being implemented countywide to all fifth grade GT Math students, so an entire Howard County community of learners will be instructed through this content, concept and theme. Below: 5th graders start the unit with an informative Powerpoint about native plants..
And While Fifth Graders Were Watching Their Powerpoint...
...fourth grade art students right next door came over to show off their beautiful native plant artwork. When we collaborate as educators and as students, we create meaningful community-like connections.
Flight of the Butterflies iMax - MD Science Center - November 2012
After an amazing experience raising, tagging and releasing Monarchs, a culminating activity was to join together on a weekend at the MD Science Center in Baltimore to watch the 3D version of "Flight of the Butterflies." This movie was certainly the icing on the cake, bringing even more meaning to the amazing miracle of the Monarch. Just as amazing was the story behind the original scientist who spent a lifetime figuring out where in the world the Monarchs went each Fall. Several entire AES families attended, including past students of Atholton. What a meaningful community gathering it was!
Fourth Grade Takes a Trip to the Robinson Nature Center - October 2012
In October, it was fourth grade's turn to head on over to the Robinson Nature Center to make environmental connections with their science curriculum. A nature walk down to the old mill was great!
New "Just for Dads" Group Welcomed to Our Green School - October 2012
It was a new school year with many new dads to welcome. Our first "Just for Dads" meeting allowed our new dads to be introduced to our Green School. A slide show was shown to the dads, covering the last school year of Green School initiatives, and then it was time to request their help for some Green School maintenance and repairs. Pictures were displayed, showing bird blind stumps needing installing, a new mount needed for the outdoor classroom dry erase board, and two trees removed that had fallen in front of the entrance to our stream. The response to get involved was amazing once pictures were shown of each area needing some maintenance. Dads were put into repair groups to divide and conquer. Over the course of the school year, they have managed to get the work done to keep our Green School GREAT!
Howard County Soil Conservation District Poster/Coloring Contest - June 2012
Atholton's guidance counselor, Mrs. Liebesman, and school psychologist, Dr. Schmid, headed up a poster and coloring contest, sponsored by the Howard County Soil Conservation District to raise awareness of the importance of conserving our natural resources and to provide creative opportunities for kindergarten through fifth graders at AES. We ended up with multiple winners! It was great to see such involvement, especially at the end of the school year!
Marylanders Plant Trees...and So Does Atholton! - June 2012
Once Atholton's second native tree was planted on school grounds, both of them were registered with the state through Governor Martin O'Malley's Marylanders Plant Trees program. Our trees are official!
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Building Partnerships Within Our School - May 2012
At the school year's end, these amazing letters and thank you cards are clear proof that our fifth grade Green Ambassadors had built positive relationships, both with teachers and with other students in the school. We're all in this together - as one community - and it shows in the pictures and letters below. Please take a moment to read the amazing words in the letter below.
Organic Lawn Care Workshop for AES "Just for Dads" - May 2012
Monthly "Just for Dads" meetings at Atholton look a little different than most meetings at our school. Relevant topics of interest are chosen for AES dads. May's meeting brought our business partners, Garden Gate Landscaping, to our school again - this time to talk about the benefits of using organic lawn care. The biggest treat was that two AES fourth graders who had studied the effects of fertilizer on the watershed presented their finding to the group of dads. Dad's took their words quite seriously, and then they engaged in meaningful discussion about Garden Gate's "Bee Safe" natural lawn care services.
Taking a Trip to the New Robinson Nature Center - April 2012
It didn't take long after the beautiful new Robinson Nature Center opened up for Atholton students to take advantage of its environmental offerings. First graders took a field trip to the center, enjoying all there was to see and learn about wildlife and the new facility.
AES Beautification Day Brings Out the AES Community - April 2012
Getting our families together on a weekend to take care of our schoolyard is a wonderful experience. Everyone working together to care for their school makes for a great day. As part of our Earth Day Week activities, many families and staff members came out to work together.
Live Green Howard County's 20-Minute Cleanup - April 2012
As part of an initiative to get Howard County folks outside for a countywide spring cleaning, Mrs. Groman took her third graders out to the AES schoolyard so they could do their part!
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Brownies in our Community Working Hard at Atholton - April 2012
The second grade Brownies Troop 76 gang was at it again at Atholton! Once again, they decided to make a commitment to help beautify our school and keep it green. Hats off to this wonderful group of girls, and their leaders, for providing AES - and the Monarch butterflies - with some Milkweed, the only plant that Monarch catapillars will eat for survival and for growing into beautiful butterflies. Those Brownies truly know what teamwork means; we surely appreciate their efforts!
We LOVE Chesapeake Bay Foundation!!! - April 2012
Sadly, funding for DNR's Bay Grasses in Classes program was cut, so Atholton's annual trip to plant Bay Grasses was threatened...until CBF agreed to allow us to bring our grasses along on a field trip to their headquarters at the Phillip Merril Center. After an amazing tour of the center, fourth graders got to get into the chilly waters for some seining and planting. Everyone brought wastefree lunches. What a day!
Howard County Library - Impact on the Chesapeake Bay - February 2012
While fifth grade students learn about the impact humans have on the Chesapeake Bay in science class, it is great to get community members to come out and show it to the students in a slightly different way. All fifth graders attended this informative and relevant assembly provided by experts at our local library.
Atholton's Got Sole! Soles for Souls, That Is! - February 2012
And now many less fortunate folks who did not have shoes have sole, too! GREAT WORK, AES families! Would you believe we successfully collected 572 pairs of shoes to deliver to Soles for Souls in order to get shoes on the feet of those in need?! Big thanks to Atholton's Green Ambassadors, the AES Green Team and the PTA for working together to make sure our shoe drive was a success! Special thanks to two of our moms for driving our shoes up to New Jersey to make sure they get to their next destination.
Support from the Howard County Arts Council - December 2011
Sometimes extra funds are necessary in order to provide our students with a supplementary learning experience. Our PTA worked hard to obtain grant funds for our Artist in Residence Program, Earth Voices. Find a letter of support included in our grant application below. Thank you, Atholton PTA, Mrs. Stewart, Howard County Arts Council, Howard County Government, the MD State Arts Council, the Columbia Foundation, and Target. We love our "Hands of Nature" mural.
| earth_voices_letter_of_support.docx |
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Wildlife Authority Partners With AES For the BIRDS! - August 2011
When Atholton needed a place to turn to for bird feeders and year-long bird seed supplies, they went to Wildlife Authority, an independently owned and operated retail store specializing in wild bird supplies in Ellicott City, Maryland. Mr. Cassidy, owner of the store, was very kind to allow us to start an ongoing account so we could use our grant funds to purchase the seed we needed without having to take it all with us, knowing the seed would get stale and bring in some unwanted furry friends if we took a year's supply! It has been a pleasure dealing with Wildlife Authority for our bird supply needs. Thank you, Mr. Cassidy!
AES Alumni's Testimony as Fourth Graders at AES Supports Robinson Nature Center's Construction & Opening - August 2011
One of the highlights of Atholton's original application for Green School certification was the testimonies that students had written in support of the construction of the Robinson Nature Center. Isabel and Colin so beautifully described the need for community nature centers to support environmental learning and to model best management practices. The testified before the County Council in April 2008. They were shown appreciation and gratitude when they were invited for a private tour of the grounds and shown the proposed plan by project lead, Mark Raab. Well, three years later, Isabel and Colin were once again reaping the benefits of their efforts. Not only did the Robinson Nature Center become a reality - Isabel and Colin were invited to a special tour just before the grand opening. They were some of the very first students to get a close-up look at the center and all its amazing exhibits. By that time, Colin and Isabel had graduated from Atholton, and they were successful middle school students, each at a different middle school. It was incredibly heartwarming to see them come together again to celebrate their achievements!
Below you will see Colin and Isabel pictures with Mr. Delarme, Howard County Rec and Parks Chief of Capital Projects, at the Howard Building for their testimony. On the right is a photo of the special tour of the grounds prior to the project's approval, led by Mark Raab, Superintendent, Natural Resources Division at Howard County Recreation & Parks. Below these photos, you will see Colin and Isabel in August 2011, at the newly constructed Robinson Nature Center for a special preview. What a PROUD day it was!
Below you will see Colin and Isabel pictures with Mr. Delarme, Howard County Rec and Parks Chief of Capital Projects, at the Howard Building for their testimony. On the right is a photo of the special tour of the grounds prior to the project's approval, led by Mark Raab, Superintendent, Natural Resources Division at Howard County Recreation & Parks. Below these photos, you will see Colin and Isabel in August 2011, at the newly constructed Robinson Nature Center for a special preview. What a PROUD day it was!
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August 2011
Partnering with BG&E - May 2011
We love our partners in education! Big thanks to BG&E for providing two cable spools for our Outdoor Classroom. Why spools? For tables, of course!
Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant! - May 2011
Atholton was so lucky to obtain a grant from Lowes to put toward the construction of our outdoor classroom. They were absolutely wonderful community business partners, and we can't thank them enough for their involvement in our outdoor classroom project - from start to finish - they were there with materials, labor and expertise. Thank you, Lowes!
Our Continent is Our Community - May 2011, 2012
Each year that Atholton participates in the amazing Journey North program, a symbolic Monarch is sent to us in the spring to symbolize the return of the Monarchs from Mexico. This helps to reinforce that the Monarchs we see in the fall heading to Mexico are not the same Monarchs that return north the following spring. In 2012, our Monarchs came to us from Mexico, but they originated in Elk River, Minnesota and Columbia, South Carolina. What a great way for the kids to feel like their global community is not so large at all! Once the butterflies are received, AES emails the classes whose butterflies they received to let them know who we are and that their butterfly is "safe." Second graders identify the locations on the U.S. map, and they each get to take a smaller "cluster" butterfly home, which is also included in the packet. The cluster butterflies come from all over the U.S. and Canada, so there is even more geography to learn!
Questions For Our Friends in Mexico
Monarch students even had the opportunity to ask questions to the school children in Mexico who cared for their symbolic Monarchs. Access the document below to see the questions and answers.
| monarch_answers_from_mexico.doc |
Reaching Out to Governor Martin O'Malley - May 2011
When Mrs. Young found out funding was cut for DNR's Bay Grasses in Classes program, she was very sad, since she had spent five years raising and planting Bay Grasses with her students. She decided to do what she always encourages her students to do - write a letter to the governor. Though she received a letter back from Governor O'Malley stating that Maryland was in a desperate financial state, and he was sorry the program's funding had to be cut, Mrs. Young knew in her heart she had done what she could to speak up in support of meaningful environmental programs. She shares this practice with her students so they know they have the right and the power to do the same when it comes to environmental needs.
| gov_bay_grass_support.pdf |
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..."We cannot afford to let these meaningful environmental experiences get away from us. This future generation NEEDS to be immersed in the value of caring for our waters and understanding the role they play in our watershed. PLEASE do what you can to ensure the Bay Grasses in Classes program can continue. Teaching won't be the same without this invaluable experience, and that meaningful real-world connection will be lost."
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Bartlett Tree Experts - Partners for our Outdoor Classroom - May 2011
Thank goodness for Bartlett! The folks at Bartlett Tree Experts dove right in when they heard we were in need of tree stumps. At no charge to AES, Bartlett donated and delivered approximately 45 Cypress tree stumps for our use in constructing benches for the outdoor classroom, as well as single seats for our bird blind. They were a pleasure to work with, and we appreciate their partnership!
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Polling, Informing & Quizzing the Community - April 2011
During Energy Conservation Week, Atholton families were able to participate in an electronic enrgy poll as well as a quiz accessed online. One of our amazing Green Team parents put together the quiz, and along with our tech teacher, Mrs. Muir, the quiz and survey were both posted on our website and featured in our electronic newsletter. In addition, another wonderful Green Team parent put together an energy conservation fact page for Friday folders. It was great to see that our families cared enough to take the time to participate! Correct answers to energy conservation quiz were later posted for families to see how they did with their energy awareness.
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Below is the document with the two questions on the at-home energy conservation poll:
| aes_energy_poll.doc |
Below is the energy conservation fact page, composed by a wonderful Green Team parent:
| how_many_kilowatt.docx |
Below is the energy conservation quiz and answers, composed by another amazing Green Team parent:
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Partnering with Garden Gate Landscaping - April 2011
After a successful experience installing our brick teaching patio and native garden with Garden Gate Landscaping, we were happy to partner up with them again for getting the outdoor classroom planned and built. We could not have done it without our local business partners, Garden Gate Landscaping!
Garden Gate Landscaping has supported AES with:
-Collaboration/planning for our native habitat garden -Constructing brick teaching patio -Providing discounted plants & trees -Providing labor/materials for our native garden -Providing labor/materials for our outdoor classroom -Providing labor/materials for AES Beautification Day |
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POPs Lay the "Groundwork" - April 2011
Assistant Principal Mr. Tark established P.O.P.s, Panthers on the Prowl, a group of Atholton dads who volunteer and get involved in our school in multiple ways. In order to introduce the newly created open space for our soon-to-be-built Outdoor Classroom, Mr. Tark and a couple of P.O.Ps (and a son!) got together to create a make-shift temporary seating area so that kids could "Turn em' Out and Get Outside" during Energy Conservation Week.
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AES Brownies Serve Our School - Columbia Cleans Day - March 2011
Troops 703 and 73, Atholton's very own, participated in Columbia Cleans Day. What better place to choose to beautify than their own school. We are so pleased they care about both the Earth and our school!
Howard County GT Showcase - March 2011
Second Grade Monarch Migration students got to show off to the community what they learned and created during the HCPSS GT Showcase. Interested browsers stopped to listen to the connection the students had made with schoolchildren in Mexico while learning about the miraculous journey of the Monarch butterfly.
Building a Partnership with our Feeder Middle School - February 2011
The concept of a wiki was something very new, but Atholton Elementary and its partner, Hammond Middle School, decided to team up to compare data and communicate over the internet about best practices with raising Bay Grasses. Students from both schools communicated weekly by posting pictures and data regarding each school's grasses. In the end, the two schools even shared a bus and the field trip to plant the grasses with DNR. You don't often find that fourth and seventh graders are willing to communicate so well, but they did! Now this is building community through environmental issue instruction and technology!
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Billy B. Assembly - January 2011
Atholton's P.T.A. finds environmental education important. For a cultural arts presentation, they chose to bring Billy B. to the school to educate our students about the importance of taking care of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
"Sticking" with the Community as Partners 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Green Ambassadors used shoe boxes donated by Atholton staff and families to provide used glue-stick collection boxes for each classroom. Wal-Mart will be our partner in getting the empty glue sticks back to Elmer's rather than allowing them to go to the landfill. Update: Terracycle is now our glue stick partner.
Connecting AES to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed - December 2010
As a supplement to the fifth grade science curriculum, fifth graders got a close look at how they really ARE a part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Our Master Gardener guest speaker showed Atholton's actual relation to the rest of the watershed to really "bring things home" for us. She also taught us about things we can do to preserve our watershed.
Following a Buddy School's Lead - November 2010
Mrs. Speelman, from Holifield Station Elementary, was very kind to share her school's newest jewel, along with how to go about working with the community to make an outdoor classroom become a reality. After meeting with Mrs. Balter and Mrs. Young, Mrs. Speelman allowed AES to use photos of Holifield's site in order to promote building an outdoor classroom at Atholton. Mrs. Speelman acted as a consultant, making things go much more smoothly.
Alicia Moore Checks on Atholton's 3 Rs - October 2010, September 2011
Howard County's school recycling specialist spent several hours at Atholton during ALL lunch shifts from Kindergarten through fifth grade, speaking of the proper way to ensure the appropriate lunch items make it into recycling before leaving to recess. Though we did learn some important new information from Ms. Moore, she was impressed with the systems that we do have in place at Atholton.
Back to School Night - Informing the Community - September 2010
Fifth Grade Green Ambassadors slipped right into their newly appointed positions by representing the AES Green Team during Back to School Night. Their mission was not only to inform our community of our Green School dynamic, but to interest parents in signing up to serve on our Green Team committee. See our parent sign-up form below the photos.
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| be_a_part_of_aes_green_team.doc |
AES Garden Spruce-Up for Earth Day Week - April 2010
Atholton's garden has become a wonderful vehicle for getting the community together to do something great! What a great day it was for staff, students and parents to come out and beautify our garden!
Sharing Ideas at the Howard County Greenfest - April 2010, 2011
Taking a Saturday to show off our Green initiatives is well worth it at the Howard County Greenfest. Not only did we share our ideas with others, but we were inspired by all of the other amazing initiatives going on in our community. Green Ambassadors represented Atholton at both Greenfests.
Carrying our BMPs Out Into the Community - March 2010, 2011, 2012
As a Green School, we continue to think about the environment outside of the school campus. Though it involves personal transport of a large recycle bin to the local BINGO hall - along with a little extra effort - we feel it is important to keep our waste production under control, even during fundraising events such as AES Basket BINGO. Our community knows AES cares to go the extra mile, and that's what it all about!
Informing HCPSS Leaders About MD Green Schools - September 2009
In September of 2009, there were very few Howard County MD Green Schools. County leaders and administrators were still trying to learn how to go about incorporating environmental instruction and initiatives. Mrs. Young was asked to present at a Countywide STEM Symposium, where she displayed eight presentations boards showing Atholton's Green activities, discussing various programs with many inquiring leaders.
We Love Chesapeake Bay Trust! Final Grant Report - June 2009
Thanks to Chesapeake Bay Trust, our native habitat garden became a reality. We are always appreciative of our community partners for helping to make our school such a great place to be! Below the picture of our final report, find the document with the text on the final grant report.
| garden_grant_final_report.docx |
It Takes a Village to Raise a Garden: Summer Gardentending - 2009
Now that we had a lovely native garden at AES, we had to find a way to tend to it over the summer so the plants had a chance of surviving through their first hot and dry season. How would we do it? Involve our community, of course! We experimented using a Google Doc for the first time to get families to sign up to adopt the garden. After a notice went out to all, the Google Doc worked beautifully! Families and troops electronically signed up to water and weed the garden for one week of their summer. The hose key had to be passed along to each next family, so all families had to coordinate the exchange. Our garden promoted community collaboration when the kids weren't even in school! It really does take a village.
Girl Scout Troop 512 - AES Gardentenders
DNR - Our Long-Time Bay Grasses Partner - May 2009, 2010, 2011
Maryland's Department of Natural Resources has been an outstanding partner over the past six years. Over the years they have provided us with Wild Celery seeds and supplies for the Bay Grasses in Classes program. They have also been wonderful educators on planting day, providing expertise and adventure for the students so they are able to make those meaningful connections with what they have learned in class. We will deeply miss the Bay Grasses in Classes program. However, our connection with DNR continues as we pilot the Switch Grasses for Rain Gardens program. Environmental Concern is a partner in the Switch Grass program as well.
Connecting with Bugs at the Conservancy - May 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
After studying the life cycle and habitat of various insects, Atholton second graders get out into nature, where the real bugs are! We are so lucky to have the Howard County Conservancy close enough to Atholton that we can use their nature programs for multiple grades and subjects. Partners in education!
