A Firm Foundation

Last week, Holley and Holley Concrete came out andset the foundation for all of the raised bedsin our W.O.L.F.! 

Now, when you look at the area, you can really see the shape that our W.O.L.F. is going to take!!

The next step is to build up the walls of the raised beds with cinder block which will then be covered with stone facing.

Most of the materials that will be used are left over from other WISD building projects.  Using these left over materials and having a lot of the work done by the WISD Maintenance Department, will be a major help to our budget!

The students have really enjoyed watching all of the activity in the W.O.L.F. during their recess times.  I took the opportunity to interview a few 3rd graders on their thoughts about having a school garden and this is what they had to say...

**Don't forget to join The Whitt Science Team on Monday, January 30th at 7:00pm in the Whitt Cafeteria for more information and to learn how you can get involved in this incredible learning experience!!

"Getting Started" or "Hurry Up and Wait!"

I am so excited about the new adventure that we have begun at Whitt Elementary!!

After months of planning and preparation, we have finally broken ground on our new Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE).  The OLE will feature a native butterfly garden, 5 planting beds for veggies and an outdoor classroom complete with whiteboard. 

In another area, we  will have a pumpkin patch.  This will be a project that the kindergarteners and 4th graders will work on together.

Getting this project off the ground and running has been quite a large undertaking and there were more than a few obstacles to overcome, but with lots of support from our wonderful principal and our AMAZING PTA, we are starting to see things happen!

Last Week, the Maintenance Department dug out the existing sprinkler system to make way for a new drip irrigation system.

Yesterday, the concrete guys leveled the ground and began building the wooden frames to pour the concrete beds.

Our Science Team has applied for a grant from the Wylie Education Foundation (WEF) to cover a lot of the start up costs.  We won't know if we will receive the grant until March, so we hope to begin planting then.  Even with the help from our principal, PTA and the WEF grant (fingers crossed), we will still rely heavily on outside grants and donations for the yearly up keep.  If you are aware of any grants that we might have overlooked, or you know of a local business that would be willing to make a donation of materials or money, please let me know!

The Whitt Science Team will be holding a community meeting on MONDAY, JANUARY 30th at 7:00PM

to discuss the project and get your feedback, so if you are interested in helping out and being a part of this incredible learning experience, PLEASE JOIN US!!

Happy Gardening!!