New Schoolyard Habitat & Outdoor Classroom To Be Unveiled At Sarah Dyer Barnes Elementary School

From Sarah Dyer Barnes Elementary: This October, Sarah Dyer Barnes Elementary School in Johnston will host its habitat unveiling ceremony for their new schoolyard habitat and outdoor classroom that they designed and installed after months of research and planning. Their school team has brought to life their habitat design with the intention to enrich their campus with habitat space for wildlife and a more powerful learning environment for students. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island worked in partnership with the team at S.D. Barnes as they created a 3-year Schoolyard Habitat master plan for an underused space behind the school that was once a baseball field. At their unveiling ceremony, they will become the second school in Rhode Island to be certified as Schoolyard Habitat, joining George J. West Elementary School in Providence which was designated in 2016.

This past spring and fall, students, parents, faculty, community volunteers, and partner staff all helped to put S.D. Barnes school’s plan into action. They planted native plants for birds and pollinators, created an outdoor classroom, and installed an entryway and trail leading to the classroom area.

S.D. Barnes’ habitat work was fueled by a grant provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which also includes professional development and curriculum resources provided by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

This new schoolyard habitat is the one of up to six new habitats that will be installed over the next five years. These new schoolyard habitats will be joining a network of more than 500 nationwide. Birds migrating this fall will find additional refuge at S.D. Barnes School where they can rest and refuel along their migratory paths!

Where and When: Sarah Dyer Barnes Elementary School, 24 Barnes Avenue Johnston, RI 02919.

Date and Time to be announced. (This event was postponed due to the weather forecast.)

Image Courtesy of Fish and Wildlife Services