Over time we have shared the importance of connecting students with nature and discussed environmental initiatives throughout the Valley. Now it’s time to hear from Hopewell Valley schools about their new exciting facilities, activities, and/or curriculum that encourage student engagement in conservation. Here are their replies.

Bear Tavern Elementary School — Principal Chris Turnbull
Last year Bear Tavern was named an Eco-Schools USA Green Flag school after meeting extensive application and site visit requirements.
Our EPA club broadcasts weekly morning announcements and produces movies to improve student recycling, classroom waste, and sustainability efforts.
Mrs. Overman, our STEM Facilitator, helped the BT Wildlife Appreciation and Conservation Association clear a Nature Trail and create informational signage about birds and native plants.
Generous community members collaborated with us to complete the first phase of our Outdoor Learning Area. It includes a pond, greenhouse, certified monarch way-station meadow, and additional areas for classes to meet, reflect and explore. 

The Cambridge School – Finance Director Courtney Peters-Manning, Esq.
In the Lower School Farm-to-School class, students learn about plant life cycles throughout the seasons as they plan, grow, and maintain a school garden. The garden is also a registered as a wildlife habitat, as students have constructed birdhouses and shelters for small native animals.
The Upper School Environmental Club participated in a beach clean-up effort last spring. Cambridge hosted FoHVOS Kestrel box building to provide habitat for the threatened hawks. All students participate in composting and recycling efforts. Finally, this summer we have installed water bottle fillers to encourage reusable water bottle use.

Central High School — Principal Tana Smith
Our Academic Essentials program will be working in our new garden, thanks to the planning collaboration with Helpwell. They are linking the vegetation with their curriculum, and connecting with both the recycling club and CHS composting. Our woodworking classes will be building vegetation boxes.
Our AP Environmental classes work on projects including air quality and ways to improve our environment and create PSAs that are shown to the entire student body, focusing on easy ways to “go green.” 

Hopewell Elementary School — Principal David Friedrich
This year at Hopewell Elementary School, we are excited about expanding our farm to school program which supports our commitment to healthy eating, sustainability and STEM instruction.
A grant from the Hopewell Valley Education Foundation will permit us to construct an outdoor mud oven so we may prepare homemade flatbreads featuring veggies we’ve grown. In addition, our wonderful PTO has provided funding to install a custom teaching kitchen to help nurture our students’ love for cooking.  

Painted Oak Nature School – Founder Nicole Langdo
Through daily interactions with the environment, the school promotes a holistic nature-based education for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and their families that foster deep connections with the natural world and to each other.
This school year, Painted Oak will offer many new programs. First grade “firekeepers,” engage in a forest immersion program and the after-school Coyote Club will engage in outdoor crafts, hikes and campfire time.

The Pennington School – Headmaster Bill Hawkey
New this year will be a “no idling” campus and no plastic water bottles on campus for sale or use. On Meatless Monday’s nearly all meat has been removed from lunchtime food service. Certified as Schoolyard Habitat, our school garden continues to flourish and grow and provides some healthy, nutritious food for our dining hall and residential families.
Our recently completed Landscape Master Plan was designed with a strong emphasis on sustainability and environmentally friendly design concepts.

Stony Brook Elementary School – Principal Steve Wilfing:
Stony Brook received our Sustainable Jersey Bronze certification thanks to our extensive green activities.
With the support of FoHVOS and generous donations, our 10,000 square-foot Brandon Farms Meadow at Stony Brook has become a popular destination. Teachers, students, and community members can enjoy learning about habitat, stewardship, and sustainability.
The establishment of two honeybee hives pairs nicely with the meadow. Beekeeping at Stony Brook will provide an exciting opportunity to positively impact our school and community.
Our courtyard garden serves as a backdrop for experiential learning and nutrition education and enhances lessons from history to science to health. 

Toll Gate Grammar School – Principal Jane-Ellen Lennon
Our school-wide theme this year, “Discover Your Wonder,” inspires our commitment to sustainability. A Pennington Borough land partnership, Sustainable Jersey bronze certification, and newly developed STEM curriculum, underpin our latest environmental advancements.
We are excited about our emerging Outdoor Learning Spaces that are being designed and created by teachers, community members and students. FoHVOS provides ecological support and obtained Pennington Day grant funding.
With the District’s first bird blind, constructed by a local Eagle Scout, students and community members can observe local bird species in their natural habitat. Our rain garden will demonstrate stewardship and green infrastructure.

[Originally written for the October 2019 edition of Hopewell Valley Neighbors]