Te Haldane School Foundation has awarded a $6,000 grant towards the creation of Haldane’s Sustainable Teaching Garden. This garden will provide Haldane elementary and middle school students with the much-needed opportunity to have hands-on learning about the environment through their own outdoor garden. Each grade (K-6) will have its own “teaching plot.”

The middle school also will also have a larger combined plot. This garden will complement the current elementary and middle school curriculum as it heavily emphasizes sustainability.

In addition to the teaching plots, the garden will also have other educational opportunities that will highlight the interdependency on species and the environment. Plans include a butterfly and bird garden which will contain perennials that attract those species, and bird houses. This garden is expected break ground in June. Plans are being discussed to potentially make this garden available as a community garden during summer months when school is not in session.

For more details on the Haldane School Foundation and all of its programs, see the related story on page 13.