Saint Vincent de Paul PDF Print E-mail

eeweek_189x50Welcome to the Schoolyard Habitat page for Saint Vincent de Paul School!  The scrolling photo gallery you see above, will document the progression of the project.


Aug '10 Schoolyard Habitat Open House scheduled for Sunday, August 29th, 9am-12pm.  We hope you will join us in celebrating the Opening of the Habitat.  The kids with Project Green Leaf (Saint Vincent Environmental Club) will be there to show you around the habitat.

May-Aug '10 Work days continue through the summer.  Gardens planted, paths mulched, birdhouses erected and birdfeeders installed.

April '10 Groundbreaking for the Habitat started this month with Krumholz Landscape and Excavating marking and excavating the walking paths.  A BIG THANKS to Krumholz for lending a helping hand!  Work days will continue over the next several months.

Feb '10 A classroom composting program is started in the three fourth grade classes and the 7th grade science class.  Mary Beth Mahoney, Master Composter with the University of Illinois Extension office, gave all classes an overview of vermicomposting.  Each class then started a vermicomposting bin in their classroom!  Each class will dociument their observations, feed their worms and harvest the compost.  Our hope is that this is the start to orienting the kids to composting, as a large compost bin will be a part of the Habitat.

Feb '10 Happy Bird Day! at SVDP!  Families, MTHS Environmental Club and friends joined together for a work day to build birdhouses and bird feeders for use in the SVDP and Garfield Primary School Habitats! 

Oct/Nov '09 The school established an Environmental Club, svdp Project Green Leaf.  Already, they have established a recycling program and got to work building Peterson Bluebird Houses, which will find their way home in the Saint Vincent Habitat, as well as Garfield School Habitat.  A BIG THANKS! to Metamora Township High School Environmental Club for visiting Saint Vincent's and lending a hand!

Resources for Schoolyard Habitats

SVDP Habitat Plans and Wish List Results September/October 2009
Majority ruled on wanting changeable seating areas along with flat working spaces, for up to 35 students.

Preferred Seating: 1. Benches 2. Picnic tables 3. Upright logs

Pathways or Walkways: 1. Wood chips 2. Mowed areas

Additional Elements (scores of 4-5 seen as highly necessary, scores of 3-4 seen as nice, but not necessary).

Sun shelter: 4.0
Signage: 3.6
Bird houses, feeders and hummingbird feeders: 4.1
Pathway benches: 3.0
Informational board: 2.2
Artwork: 3.6
Gate or fence: 3.4
**other suggested features include: Pond with fish, Sensor lights

Themes:

1. Theme gardens: To coincide with school curriculums and class interests
2. Concept: Broad concepts regarding nature
3. Topic: Specific topic chosen by the school
**Biblical theme seen as a great addition to another theme