3.1 Community partnerships
Watershed Steward/Master Gardeners – OC2 has a strong connection to the Watershed Stewards Academy and the Master Gardeners group in an effort to lend their expertise to the on-going maintenance and development of the Folger campus learning environments. Additionally, these local resources have served as guest speakers in classrooms, assisted with planting projects during the annual Green Apple Day of Service, performed as judges during the annual school science fair, and have addressed and worked with OC2 during many of their meetings each year to cultivate interest and knowledge, as well as complete actual planting and maintenance. Their involvement has been instrumental to the development of environmental stewards at Folger McKinsey!
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Great American Can Challenge – Every Friday morning before school starts, Folger students and an adult volunteer can be seen outside the school coordinating the school’s aluminum can recycling program. What started years ago with one industrious community volunteer has grown into a far more extensive effort, serving as the primary source of funds for the school green school program, and resulting in Folger placing at the top in the Great American Can Roundup! To fuel this program, PTO and OC2 clubs have worked to recruit adult volunteers to assist the students involved. Guest speakers from the County Recycling department, as well as the creator of the school program, have come to educate students on the importance of recycling aluminum, inspiring students and families as a whole to participate actively in this endeavor.
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SP Earth Day Festival – While Folger students have benefitted greatly from partnerships who have come to serve the school, Folger also embraces the ideal of “paying it forward” and this is well evidenced at the Severna Park Earth Day Festival at which Folger plays an integral part in the annual festivities. The Festival will mark its 15th year in April 2017 and Folger has been a part each and every year! The school’s presence has grown each year, now leading as many as five interactive booths with such engaging, educational offerings from the students as “Our Earth is in JEOPARDY”, an interactive environmental trivia game that is always a crowd favorite; Maryland Native Animals game; and recycled/re-usable crafts. Additionally, the school’s Green School Program is featured as a model for other area schools.
SPMS & SPHS Environmental Clubs – students from the middle and high school frequently assist Folger with Green School initiatives such as planting days, science fair and environmental poster contest judging. Folger students are inspired by these older students and pledge to continue their commitment as they too advance beyond Folger.
Scouts – Boys and Girls Scouts have been fabulous partners over the years, earning badges and furthering the Folger Green School program through such as efforts as re-usable collections, such as accepting donations of gently used books, shoes and even grocery bags; as well as larger scale projects such as an Eagle Scout project that resulted in the addition of a patio to serve as a classroom location within the Outdoor Classroom. Daisy Scout Troops (kindergarten and first grade students) maintain a flower bed at one of the school's entrances. Teachers frequently comment how nice it is to enter the building with flowers in bloom thanks to our hard-working and dedicated students.
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Arlington Echo Terrapins - This program brings new meaning to the concept of a class pet! Arlington Echo provides the teacher training and materials - including a Northern Diamondback Terrapin with a microchip - and students do the work to raise and monitor the growth of this Terrapin that is released into its native environment at the end of the school year. The efforts of these students and the results of the Folger Terrapin are part of national conservation research. Students must apply to be considered for this program, which requires extra-curricular participation for cleaning and measuring the turtle, as well as attendance in the release field trip on Poplar Island. While not all students have a direct hand in feeding and measuring and the other monitoring practices, everyone is excited by the news and growth of the annual Folger terrapin!
Harvest for the Hungry Campaign - In partnership with AACPS and the Maryland State Department of Education, Folger students and families show their support to promote healthy eating through their participation in the annual Harvest for the Hungry Campaign to benefit the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. Lessons about nutrition are coupled with this service effort.
Tyler Heights Elementary School - Folger students love to read and a good story is meant to be shared. Each year, Read Across America festivities include a gently used book drive so that books can be passed on to students in need. The story continues and the books stay out of landfills - and more students develop their reading skills too. After all, schools are all about the 3 Rs...Reading, Reducing & Re-using in this case! We think Dr. Seuss would love this twist in honor of his birthday! |
Lego League - Each year, more than 100 students in grades K-5 participate in the Lego League program. The PTO organizes volunteers who serve as coaches and establishes multiple teams at each grade level to compete in the age group categories, First or Junior Level Lego Challenge. The Challenge is based on a real-world scientific problem and teams follow the program model to address the issue. Teams then attend an official tournament, where Folger teams always perform very well, demonstrating their STEM, teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. The theme featured below was all about trash and recycling, a topic familiar and important to Folger students! Other years, Challenges have also focused on Green concepts such as animals, nature, climate, body movement, energy and oceans.
3.2. Systemic Partnership
Arlington Echo, the Outdoor and Environmental Education division of AACPS, is an extraordinary partner in Folger’s ongoing Green School program! A phenomenal resource for materials and information, Arlington Echo staff assist in ways large and small and far too numerous to list! AE develops curriculum, works with staff to implement exciting and valuable outdoor learning experiences at every level, and understands the unique Green culture at Folger and is always available to lend a hand to sustain and further the program!
Of course all 4th grade students think of AE as a place of some of their best elementary school memories, given a two day, overnight field trip that includes plenty of outdoor exploration, fun, hands-on learning, and boating!
Kindergarten students have AE to thank for their adventure to Camp Woodlands, another field trip ripe with outdoor exploration. Following this event, AE staff come to the school to work with the students to plant a native tree on the school grounds. Students monitor the tree over the course of their Folger careers and play a part in ensuring it flourishes!
The extensive butterfly curriculum enjoyed by 1st graders is in thanks to AE, whose staff also came to Folger a few years ago to construct a butterfly garden with the students. It’s now students who maintain the garden as a perfect habitat for butterflies, native plants and other wildlife.
AE also introduced composting to the school, how it works, why it is important and how to launch a program within the cafeteria. And for the second year in a row, thanks to the AE, Folger 5th graders have the privilege and immense responsibility for raising a terrapin in the classroom. He will be released by a select group of students in May 2017 on Poplar Island to enhance the Chesapeake Bay Watershed!
An added bonus is that the Director of AE is also a MAEOE Green Leader and we at Folger certainly appreciate Melanie Parker’s sage advice, direction and support! It’s easy being green with a partner like Arlington Echo!
AACPS Facilities – We at Folger can also rely on the support of the Facilities division of the school system to lend their insight and expertise for such things as playground expansion, outdoor classroom planning, playscape design, as well as assisting our school in gathering data related to energy and water conservation and solid waste management. We applaud their efforts to promote conservation through such things as holiday contests, and the prize money they awarded our school simply fuels other green school initiatives. Earning green to keep Folger green – thanks to AACPS Facilities!
Folger as an outdoor learning showcase – Folger is recognized with AACPS, particularly by Arlington Echo, Curriculum Division and Facilities, as a leader in outdoor education. As such, other schools regularly contact Folger to learn from our success. Always proud to share successes in the development of the outdoor classroom, as well as how to incorporate outdoor education into the curriculum requirement, teams from other schools are often on site to tour the Folger OC and talk with students, staff and volunteers to learn how to create a similar program at their own schools. Visits from Benfield Elementary, and even the Naval Academy Prep School have taken place over the last three years and continue. After all, being a true green school is something to grow far and wide!
Of course all 4th grade students think of AE as a place of some of their best elementary school memories, given a two day, overnight field trip that includes plenty of outdoor exploration, fun, hands-on learning, and boating!
Kindergarten students have AE to thank for their adventure to Camp Woodlands, another field trip ripe with outdoor exploration. Following this event, AE staff come to the school to work with the students to plant a native tree on the school grounds. Students monitor the tree over the course of their Folger careers and play a part in ensuring it flourishes!
The extensive butterfly curriculum enjoyed by 1st graders is in thanks to AE, whose staff also came to Folger a few years ago to construct a butterfly garden with the students. It’s now students who maintain the garden as a perfect habitat for butterflies, native plants and other wildlife.
AE also introduced composting to the school, how it works, why it is important and how to launch a program within the cafeteria. And for the second year in a row, thanks to the AE, Folger 5th graders have the privilege and immense responsibility for raising a terrapin in the classroom. He will be released by a select group of students in May 2017 on Poplar Island to enhance the Chesapeake Bay Watershed!
An added bonus is that the Director of AE is also a MAEOE Green Leader and we at Folger certainly appreciate Melanie Parker’s sage advice, direction and support! It’s easy being green with a partner like Arlington Echo!
AACPS Facilities – We at Folger can also rely on the support of the Facilities division of the school system to lend their insight and expertise for such things as playground expansion, outdoor classroom planning, playscape design, as well as assisting our school in gathering data related to energy and water conservation and solid waste management. We applaud their efforts to promote conservation through such things as holiday contests, and the prize money they awarded our school simply fuels other green school initiatives. Earning green to keep Folger green – thanks to AACPS Facilities!
Folger as an outdoor learning showcase – Folger is recognized with AACPS, particularly by Arlington Echo, Curriculum Division and Facilities, as a leader in outdoor education. As such, other schools regularly contact Folger to learn from our success. Always proud to share successes in the development of the outdoor classroom, as well as how to incorporate outdoor education into the curriculum requirement, teams from other schools are often on site to tour the Folger OC and talk with students, staff and volunteers to learn how to create a similar program at their own schools. Visits from Benfield Elementary, and even the Naval Academy Prep School have taken place over the last three years and continue. After all, being a true green school is something to grow far and wide!
3.3 Awards and Special recognition
Folger is proud of its GREEN achievements over the years! Many of the awards are prominently displayed throughout the school; whether in the main lobby for all to see, as well as in various showcases and in the Science Lab, where classes and programs are conducted and these awards serve as an inspiration for continued inquiry, environmental commitment and success!