MEF Grant Brings Central School's Curriculum Outdoors

I've known Central School to be a special place from the day I moved to South Berwick seven years ago.  I was particularly cranky on that warmer-than-usual spring day, exhausted yet excited to move in to our new home on Academy Street.  In an instant, however, my spirits were lifted by a stream of children wearing light blue t-shirts, who passed by our U-Haul, saw our open front door and warmly exclaimed, "Welcome to the neighborhood!"  They were Central School students participating in their annual Hike Through History, and they reminded me why we chose this special place to raise a family.

Last year I joined dozens of other parents and community members in the school's cafeteria to hear Terrence Parker and Kathy Gunst share their vision for the grounds of Central School.  The energy in the room was incredible.  Parker and Gunst each had ideas and plans for our school, both of which would contribute to the overall curriculum but enhance the time the students spent outdoors.

Parker, a landscape architect, envisioned log walks, wildflowers, forest hideouts and climbing boulders. Gunst, a chef and cookbook author, had just returned from Washington D.C. where nearly 1,000 other industry professionals had answered Michelle Obama's call for healthy cooking classes and school vegetable gardens.  They each had big plans.  What they didn't have, was funding.

"Money is a huge issue," said Gunst to the crowded cafeteria audience.  "But I'm trying not to let it be a stumbling block."

Enter the Marshwood Education Foundation, who provided a $4,000 grant to Central School in the Fall of 2010 in order to help make these dreams a reality.  Thanks to M.E.F. and the support of the P.T.O. and other community businesses, organizations and individuals, the projects both got underway in 2010/11, providing a richer experience for the children of Central School.

Kids may now explore their natural surroundings at recess, building fairy houses and caves out of sticks and leaves, improve their balance and coordination by scaling the log walk, and stay dry in the field thanks to the raingarden and new drainage system.

Students have also learned to appreciate garden-fresh vegetables by participating in their brand new school hoophouse.  They've had the opportunity to cook alongside some of the best chefs in the seacoast, and have been encouraged to try healthy foods like yogurt, kiwi and spinach with their peers.

As a journalist, I was so excited about the Central School Outdoor Classroom and Fresh Express projects, I wanted to share it with the greater community.  The story appears in the Summer issue of Taste of the Seacoast magazine, available online or at newsstands throughout the area.  The story provides more details on the hoophouse project, but both Parker and Gunst are to be commended for their vision and energy in making Central School the best it could be.

Thank you M.E.F., for supporting this and other programs at Central School and throughout the Marshwood district.  Your support means that Central School students are living healthier, more active lives, and proving that learning can occur in the classroom, the cafeteria or on the playground.

-Amy Bevan
Central School Parent and Outdoor Classroom/Fresh Express Volunteer

Marshwood Education Foundation Awards Spring Grants

June 2, 2011 - The Marshwood Education Foundation (MEF) announced the recipients of its spring grants at the June 1st MSAD 35 Board meeting. The grants, totaling $6702.22, were awarded to three recipients whose proposals bring creative and fun opportunities to Marshwood students.

"The Marshwood Great Works School is the big winner this spring," said Rachel Martin, MEF President. "Of the applications we received this time around, there were three that shined through with definitive goals for education and wellness. The grants will allow our students to experience technology through the use of robots, explore creativity through writing and illustration, and reach new heights on the Fitness Trail at the Great Works School," added Martin.

The Marshwood Education Foundation was established in 2009 and raises funds solely through community events and private donations. MEF is committed to supporting public education in Eliot and South Berwick through funding innovative educational opportunities that fall outside of the responsibility of the school budget. Grants are awarded twice annually, in the spring and fall.

MEF spring grants awarded June 1st, 2011:
Grace Jacobs, Gifted & Talented Program Coordinator, and parent David Whelan were awarded $2,438.85 to jumpstart the MGWS Robotics Program. This program, organized in three 10-week sessions, offers 36 students each year a chance to work cooperatively to assemble and program LEGO Mindstorm robots. Exposing students to this type of program teaches them the relationship between hardware and software. Students will use Lego Mindstorm kits to construct the robots and laptop computers to program their robots. This activity will be open to all MGWS students by a student/parent application.

Susan Goettlich, Reading Specialist, and Librarian Cynthia Moloney of MGWS were awarded $3125.00 for their program Small Moments Travel Great Distances. MGWS will bring author/illustrator Jane Cowen Fletcher to the school to help implement the Lucy Calkins writing program. All students and teachers will participate in this creative writing and illustrating project. Each child will have the opportunity to produce a picture book and then share his or her book with students at Central Elementary School and Eliot Elementary School.

Lori Girouard, Fifth Grade Teacher, was awarded $1138.37 for her application to enhance the MGWS Fitness Trail. The funding will allow the school to add three workout stations -- a balance beam, parallel bars, and pull-up bars, as well as distance markers along the trail. These stations will be welcome additions to the already popular fitness area, and will enhance the school's Physical Education program.

The MEF is now accepting applications for the fall 2011 grants. The deadline for submissions is October 15, 2011. For more information on how to submit a grant application, contact Fia Yarian, Grants Committee Chairperson at dfyarian@hughes.net.
About the Marshwood Education Foundation (MEF)
The Marshwood Education Foundation was established as a non-profit corporation, wholly dedicated to enriching and supplementing the educational programs of the Maine School Administrative District 35, representing the communities of South Berwick and Eliot. The MEF has granted more than $32,500 to the district, funding creative and innovative ideas brought forth by school administrators, teachers and staff. To learn more about the MEF or to donate online, visit www.marshwood-education-foundation.org.
Editorial contact:
Keri Tice, MEF Secretary
207-439-6131, mailboxmef@gmail.com