Green Apple Day of Service 4-30-2017

Once more, parent, faculty, and students (mostly members of the Environmental Cabinet of the Student Leadership Council) came together for a service day in the school courtyards and grounds.  Green Apple Day is an international initiative of the US Green Building Council to encourage volunteering at schools.  The intention is to promote environmental awareness and improve the learning environment. 

Twenty-five volunteers worked on projects in the two school courtyards, the front entrance, and in an outdoor classroom in the front of the school.  The restoration of the courtyards has been a multi-year project that is now under maintenance.  The outdoor classroom had been neglected and was therefore not often used.  The barrel planters from last year's green apple project were weeded and mulched, and colorful annuals were planted at the school's front entrance.

In the small courtyard, weeds and overgrown plants were removed or trimmed, a few new plants were added to replace dead plants, the grass was cut, and new mulch was laid.  The mulch for the courtyards was donated by Home Depot on Hull Street.  Thank you for always being such a help to our school! 

Small courtyard before the service day:

 

 

Small courtyard during and after the service day:
 



Bird's nest with 2 baby birds found in a planter

 

In the large courtyard, weeds that grow in the paths and had overtaken the Chesapeake Bayscape area as well as a few of the boat planters were removed.  New plants, most of which were donated by parents and some of which were purchased at a donated discount by Great Big Greenhouse, were planted to fill gaps.  Donated seashells were placed around the Bayscape area for effect. 

 

Large Courtyard during and after:

 

 






 

In the outdoor classroom, the benches and podium were repaired, cleaned, and stained.  New shrubs were planted around the podium.  Mulch courtesy of Chesterfield County Public Schools was spread around the benches where the soil type and shade prevent grass from growing.

 

Outdoor classroom before:

 



Before cleaning

Outdoor classroom during and after:

 

After cleaning

 

Annuals at front entrance:

 

 

A big thank you to Robbie Roach with HG Landscaping for his assistance in the planning and plant selection. Thank you also to Walmart on Hull Street for your gift card donation that went towards potting soil, water and snacks, and new watering cans.

 

Our school is now ready for some great outdoor learning and environmental awareness! 

 

 

 



Love Our Earth Week 2017

 

 

 

Monday, April 24th 

GROW THE GOOD~ each student in every class will plant seeds to care for at school or at home. 

Tuesday, April 25

School-wide clean up!  For the first 10 minutes of recess, please take your class to an outdoor area around our school and collect     trash. 

Wednesday, April 26

Flashlight 15- students bring flashlights or reading lights.  During 15 minutes of “Drop Everything and Read”, turn off the lights to conserve energy, and use flashlights to read. 

  Thursday, April 27

Special Gift for Faculty and Staff from the Environmental Cabinet!

Environmental Committee leaders read “earth awareness” books to 1-2 classes. 

Friday, April 28

 Dress like a Plant!!! 

This week has been planned, organized and carried out with Love by the Environmental Cabinet of the Student Leadership Council.  #growthegood

 

Recycling Dos and Don'ts

In 2016, CVWMA (recycling provider for Central Virginia) started accepting additional recyclables such as #1-6 plastics and waxy cartons.

 

 

The student environmental cabinet has been doing year-long outreach to promote the expanded recycling program.  They wrote a play performed at a school town hall meeting starring “Recycling Man!”  They also made educational posters to hang around the school.

 

 

Green Apple Day of Service Coming Up April 23rd!

**UPDATE** - Rescheduled to Sunday April 30th due to weather!

Join the CHES Student Environmental Cabinet on Sunday, April 23rd from 9 AM - 12 PM for our fourth annual Green Apple Day of Service!  The students would like to spruce up the school grounds with bee and butterfly friendly flowers. 

We'll be working in the large and small courtyards, on the planters for the learning cottages around the outside of the grounds, and on the outdoor classroom in the front of the school.

Bring your gardening gloves and tools and come dig in the garden with us.  The event is rain or shine.  Parents are welcome! 

New Plants for Cottage Planters

Thank you to Brightview landscaping for updating the plants in our 8 barrel planters outside each of our 8 learning cottages (formerly known as trailers!).  Last fall the trailers were transformed into themed cottages and outfitted with decorative flags, mats, and barrel planters.  The planters have new Hibiscus shrubs (a.k.a. Rose of Sharon) donated by Watkins Nursery.  Their late summer blooms are being enjoyed by the students and teachers, and the bumblebees!

Our Beautiful Small Courtyard

Check out these photos from June of the small courtyard, lovingly maintained by parent and community volunteers.  Thank you especially to Home Depot on Hull Street for their donation of grass seed and mulch! 

There were tons of bees on these flowers!

Earth Week Fun!

Students from the Environmental Cabinet of the Student Leadership Council at CHES planned, organized and carried out daily activities from Love Our Earth Week!

The theme this year was "Grow the Good".​  The fun included a poster art contest, potted flower gifts for the teachers (in recycled pots!), "flashlight 15" reading to save energy, litter cleanups around the school, and "dress like a plant" day! 

​

Teacher facilitators are: Lorena Cavan and Sadie O'Connor​

Love Our Earth Week 2016

April 22, 2016 marks the 46th annual Earth Day, a global movement toward greener living, sustainability, and respect for nature.  Each year the CHES Student Environmental Cabinet, led by teacher sponsors Ms. Cavan and Ms. O'Connor, plan an entire week of fun activities for the whole school to celebrate Earth Day and learn environmental stewardship.  This year's activities include:

Monday, April 18th 

Love our Earth Week Art Contest for each grade level.  One winner per grade level will receive a prize.  Your teacher will provide you with a copy of the design due:  Wednesday, April 20 by 9:00am to Room 43.  (Teachers will be provided with a copy for each student)

GROW THE GOOD~ each student in every class will plant seeds to care for at school or at home.  During the first 10 minutes of recess on P.E. day, you are invited to the courtyard to plant seeds with your class.  All supplies will be out there for your students with directions.  Please enjoy the courtyard and the natural educational backdrop.  Please be respectful of the plants and landscape. 

 

Tuesday, April 19

 Everyone wear green and take a step towards going green!

Environmental Committee leaders will read “earth awareness” books to K-1 classes. 

Wednesday, April 20

Flashlight 15- students bring flashlights or reading lights.  During 15 minutes of “Drop Everything and Read”, turn off the lights to conserve energy, and use flashlights to read. 

Earth Day art contest due!

Special Gift for Faculty and Staff from the Environmental Cabinet!

  Thursday, April 21^st

School-wide clean up!  For the first 10 minutes of recess, please take your class to an outdoor area around our school and collect     trash.  Let’s SYNERGIZE and take pride in our school! (A trash bag    will be in your team leader’s mailbox)

Friday, April 22^nd

 Dress like a Plant!!!  Let’s see who can use their creativity and come up with a unique outfit!!!  Art Contest winners announced!

This week has been planned, organized and carried out with    by the Environmental Cabinet of the Student Leadership Council.  #growthegood

CHES Trailers - Transformed Into Learning Cottages!

Have you ever really noticed the eight classroom trailers at CHES?    Although a reality for many schools that have outgrown their school buildings, they are not usually considered a positive addition to the school landscape.  The PTA Green Committee set out to try and improve them, and make them more of an asset for the students and the school community.

In the Spring of 2015, the committee applied for and received a grant from Keep Virginia Beautiful to carry out this project.  The proposal was to assign each trailer with an environmental theme.  The themes for the trailers behind the school are the five geological regions of Virginia: Appalachian Plateau, Valley and Ridge, Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.  The themes for the three trailers beside the school are Earth, Sun, and Moon.  Each trailer was to receive educational signage, planters, and other decorative improvements corresponding to its theme.  The themes directly connect to the science and social studies curricula. 

On October 10, 2015, PTA volunteers, teachers, parents,  community partners, and student Environmental Cabinet members came together for a service project, aligning with the international Green Apple Day of Service organized annually by the Center for Green Schools.  Educational signage was fabricated and installed by VA Print Shop.  Deteriorated door mats were removed and replaced with new decorative flags and mats.  The new flag brackets and poles were donated by Lowe's at Winterpock.   The trailers are numbered 0-7, however many had outdated, damaged, or inconsistent labeling, so doors were cleaned and re-numbered.  Brickman Group/Valley Crest donated all the supplies needed to give each trailer a new planter with brightly colored plants that will be maintained by Brickman.

It was a wonderful, fun day, the "learning cottages" have new life and fresh identities, and will hopefully be a little more inspiring for the people that use them every day. As the students can tell you, where we learn matters!  Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project, and to the school Administration for their enthusiastic support.