An outdoor classroom will enhance learning at Belvedere Elementary School

Students, teachers, parents, and the community celebrated
the completion of an outdoor classroom at Belvedere Elementary School April 12.
The school’s courtyard has been transformed into a plaza with tables and chairs
surrounded by trees and plantings.  

“Our goal is to extend academic learning to the outdoors,”
said Principal Cecelia Vanderhye. The outdoor area is big enough to accommodate
a whole class, allowing teachers to incorporate nature into lessons on science,
math, English, and everything else. During the opening ceremony, children were
fascinated by the appearance of a surprise visitor—a baby snake.

One area is designated as a “decomposition garden,” where
students will be able to observe what happens to natural and man-made objects,
like a shoe or a CD, when they’re left outside exposed to the elements. There will
also be a rock garden and butterfly garden.

Developing the outdoor classroom “was a whole community
effort,” said Vanderhye. Families and community members spent many weekends
working on the project.

She singled out several people for special recognition,
including Teacher Stacey Evers, who had the vision for an outdoor classroom and
convinced an architect friend to design it, and parent Tara Rethorne, who spearheaded
the whole project and coordinated the fundraising.

There are engraved bricks embedded in the plaza that parents,
alumni, staff, and others purchased for $85 to $115 each. Some students
contributed allowance money to help their classes purchase a brick. The school
also sold mini-bricks that can be used as paperweights.

The project cost $14,000, and the Belvedere community
contributed over $10,000. Bob’s Discount Furniture donated $1,500, and other
contributions came from the Huntington Learning Center of Fairfax, Dominion Foundation, Sislers Stone, Classic Stonescaping & Gardens, and Earth Sangha.