KEEP PALM BEACH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, INC. 1920 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 210, West Palm Beach, FL 33409 TEL 561/686-6646 FAX 561/686-6642 2014-15 Application Form Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc. Education and Beautification Grant For Elementary Schools KPBCB Application Form (KPBCB Use Only: No. I. APPLICANT INFORMATION A. Name of School: Freedom Shores Elementary Address: 3400 Hypoluxo Road City: Boynton Beach, Florida Zip: 33436 Telephone: ( 561) 804-3100 Fax: (561) 804-3100 Email: Julie.Beesley@palmbeachschools.org Website: B. School Profile Area of County: Central Total No. of Students: 906 Grades: K-5 Percent Students in the Free Lunch Program: 65.92% C. Name, Title and Phone Number/Email of School Contact Person: Julie Beesley, STEM Fine Arts Teacher, (561)762-9897, Julie.Beesley@palmbeachschools.org II. PROJECT INFORMATION A. Participating schools will be furnished with copies of Keep America Beautiful s Waste in Place curriculum a materials such as books and other resources emphasizing litter control, recycling or environmental concept Describe ways in which the student s existing curriculum can be enhanced with these materials. Describe a current school programs or clubs that promote environmental messages. You may provide additional narrative a separate piece of paper. The school s curriculum can be enhanced by the copies of Keep America Beautiful s Waste in Place by giving teachers another resource to enhance student learning. The student must realize how important it is to keep our world with sustainable. Textbooks and lectures are a small part of how students need to learn. If me do not enhance their learning with other recourses and add in real life application of the classroom learning then the students will not have the vital tools they need to become The environmental club does campus clean ups and participates in local beach clean ups. Currently we have involved parents to donate additional butterfly plants to add to our garden. They will assist us along with students to plant them. Our school has automatic shut off of computers at the end of each day. Teachers or students turn off all technology equipment and lights before leaving the room. Students are taught and aware of water conservation. They make sure to shut off faucets when not in use. Classes across all grade levels have walked to nearby field trips. We recycle plastic, aluminum, paper, ink cartridges, cell phones, and shoes. Bins are placed in cafeteria and strategic areas in the school. Every copy room had large paper bins. Every classroom has paper and plastic bins for recycling. All families are involved in this process. The environmental club students monitor the large recycling bins and take them to recycling area for the truck to pick up. The environmental club also uses jars, cans and bottles to make pieces of art. Our SECME team uses plastic lids, hangers, bottles etc. to build cars, rockets, and other engineered products. All school newsletters are sent via e-mail to parents unless a parent requests a hard copy. All teacher documents are kept in a resource folder on google drive. Most teachers have electronic lesson plans. Teachers have a recycler on job chart and these students take classroom bins to larger bins located throughout the school. Parents and environmental club students meet at local beach for community clean up. Campus clean ups are done every other month at environmental club meetings. The solid waste authority has come to do presentations and recycle old paper to make new paper. A recent study by researcher Faber-Taylor and colleagues found that the symptoms of ADHD were relieved by time spent in nature (2001). This study found that children were able to concentrate, complete
tasks, and follow directions after spending play time in natural, especially green, settings. At Freedom Shores Elementary we would like our students to benefit from the positive effects of nature. B. Great American Cleanup 2015 KEEP PALM BEACH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, INC. 1920 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 210, West Palm Beach, FL 33409 TEL 561/686-6646 FAX 561/686-6642 Page 2 KPBCB Application Form x Yes, our school will participate in the Great American Cleanup. (Describe your project below). No, our school will not participate in the Great American Cleanup. Describe your project: Mrs. Beesley (teacher) will create engaging lessons connected to the standards for all students K-5. Example 5th grade will use math skills such as area and perimeter to determine the size of the 8 beds. MP.5.5.1 Recognize math in everyday life and use math I know to solve problems. 2nd grade plant and maintain the garden. SC.2.N.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world, investigate them in teams through free exploration and systematic observations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations. 4th grade will create a market place and bring in the economic benefits. SS.4.E.1.2 Explain Florida's role in the national and international economy and conditions that attract businesses to the state.3rd grade will use the real plants to study parts of a plant. SC.3.L.14.1 Describe structures in plants and their roles in food production, support, water and nutrient transport, and reproduction. 1st grade will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between flowers and vegetables. SC.1.L.14.1 Make observations of living things and their environment using the five senses. Compare and Contrast Kindergarten will do a taste test between home grown vegetables and store bought. SC.K.L.14.1 Recognize the five senses and related body parts. These are just some of the planned learning activities. Mrs. Martinez (teacher) & Mrs. Maldonado (teacher) will involve her environmental club by supporting the garden needs and composting Mrs. Dunmyer (parent volunteer) will assist Mrs. Beesley in helping the 2nd graders actually do hands on planting during their STEM class period. Ms. Crisan (parent volunteer) help in all areas Mrs. Kriston (teacher), Mrs. Haines (teacher) &Mrs. Davidsmier (teacher) will help 2n grade maintain the garden and be available for help needs that may arise that are unforeseen. Mrs. Seban (teacher) will help spread the mulch Mr. Dunmyer (parent volunteer) and Mr. Zipris (parent volunteer) will create an irrigation system Kim Sheehan (SACC our Director) will be helping with the butterfly garden. She will have aftercare of all ages help. The garden will be created in front of the mural of the portables behind the main school building. Inside the hollow of the surrounding concrete block the student will plant flowers such as bachelor s buttons, marigold, and biennial pinks. They will also plant herbs such as, Chive, lemongrass, oregano, parsley and Rosemary. These plants will increase the number of pollinators to our garden. In the bed of the garden the students will plant vegetables, tomatoes, green peppers, beans, and strawberries. Before Pictures
Butterfly Garden Before pictures Butterfly Garden Before Pictures
Vegetable Garden Before pictures
Vegetable garden beginning soil cultivation. Sheeting compost
Flower garden before pictures One garden bed will be near the sidewalk and the cement blocks will be raised 3 feet off the ground for wheel chair accessibility. Our plans
Approximate Expenses Total $ 1,531.50 Concrete Block Chicken Wire -22/layer/bed 8 in. x 8 in. x 16 in. 380 $ 1.50 $570.00 ~106 ' needed 48 in. x 150 ft. roll, 1" Hex 1 $47.00 $ 47.00 Compost Organic Compost, 1 cu ft bags 48 $ 5.00 $240.00 Soil Soil 1 cu ft 48 $ 2.00 $ 96.00 Wood Posts 4' posts x 24 Pressure treated 4 x 4 x 12 13 $16.00 $208.00 Gate Material 2x2x8 pressure treated 4 $ 3.50 $ 14.00
PVC Pipe 1 in x 20 ft 450 PSI $10.00 PVC Fittings 1 in. elbows $ 2.50 1 in. couplings $ 4.50 1 in end caps $ 3.00 Misc. PVC Primer/Glue 1 $ 9.00 $ 9.00 Hinges- 4" t-hinge, zinc 2 $ 4.00 $ 8.00 Latch - 4" zinc plated 1 $ 4.00 $ 4.00 Hose Fittings/adapters? Knobs? Drip Irrigation hoses Timers PVC securing supplies? Rebar -.375" x 4' 22 $ 3.00 $ 66.00 Rebar -.375" x 2' 154 $ 1.75 $269.50 track for sliding gate? Seeds/Plants vegetables herbs flowers Trash Can Composter Butterfly Garden Mulch Plants Beds fronting portables Mulch We are very excited about this project and we know that gardening offers hands-on, experimental learning opportunities in a wide variety of lessons, including the science, language arts, visual arts and nutrition. We have a wonderful team that is already putting some action of getting supplies in place. Concrete Blocks Brian used to work in construction and knows a demolition firm that might be able to give us the blocks provided we transport them. Soil We will be asking Amerigrow in Delray Beach if they ll donate and/or reduce cost of the soil anything. Dale Barnhart said he would check to see if the district could get us some soil at a discounted price or free. Mulch still looking for a source New Green Idea We need to start sheet mulching immediately. Sheet mulching invites more worms and prevents beneficial anaerobe loss from the soil. So, we don t need to till. Sheet mulching is inexpensive and extremely earth friendly. In our garden area, the entire area, we cut the grass as short as possible and then cover it with cardboard (free!!!), double layer, and then water it periodically. The cardboard kills the grass, provides a food source for the worms
and maintains the integrity of the dirt under the grass. When we are ready to place the blocks we put them right on the cardboard, add the soil and plant. Over time the grass will die and the worms will be munching up and through and into our garden. The mulch can go right on the cardboard on the paths, the cardboard means less weeding. Every year you add another layer of cardboard to keep the system weed free and healthy. We stopped by a cardboard dumpster and pulled out a few dozen boxes. It will take a lot of cardboard initially. Seeds Gray Mockingbird generously volunteered to let us come next Saturday to plant some seeds in trays that they ll keep in their misting tent until we are ready to plant the seedlings. This would really help us get the garden producing more quickly as time is ticking! Andrea said they would have seeds for us to use and can bring some of our own too. How fantastic is that? We ll need to bring seed trays and potting mix. They d love to have FSES students on site to help!
In addition, we will participate by meeting at Boynton Beach Oceanfront Park and cleaning up the beach during the Great American Clean Up Day. Our group consists of Environmental Club students, parents and teachers. Estimated number participating: students 906 staff 5 parents or other volunteers 4 C. Campus Beautification KPBCB will award the successful applicant $1000 toward a landscape project. Please descri your project below. If applicable, please describe how native plants will be used in your landscape or garden project. You a encouraged to include pictures of the area to be landscaped as well as any drawings or plans that would assist us visualizing your project. Projects must be completed by June 4, 2015 (unless other arrangements are made with KPBC Successful applicants must furnish pictures to KPBCB of the completed project. (Note: Public School applicants plea indicate if this project has been reviewed by Dale Barnhart). Public School Applicants: Landscape/Garden Project has been reviewed by Dale Barnhart. (Note: Public school projects that have not been reviewed will not be considered for funding). X YES NO Dale Barnhart has reviewed our grant. He visited our school and gave me great feedback, which we have tweaked our design and incorporated his wonderful ideas.