Maintenance: Roots
“Roots have several purposes. They hold the plant in the ground and keep it upright.” - kids.britannica.com
For years administrators have patched together a hodgepodge team of family volunteers to maintain and groom campus facilities. This has kept costs low, encouraged family participation and allowed families to feel a sense of ownership in creating a safe environment for their children.
As a school our doors are in heavy use, our faucets are swung on and off all day long, we reuse and recycle material all the time due to budget restraints and our commitment to sustainability, our walls are accidentally (on purpose) painted on by fingers of all ages, our floors are scuffed by hundreds of feet moving to the next great adventure all day long. There is no way to deny our brick and mortar facility is aging fast.
In the last four years we have expanded into the woods with our outdoor classrooms, which have added a whole new level of maintenance requirements. Our efforts have been well worth the work. Research by the National Institute of Health has demonstrated the numerous benefits of outdoor learning for students. It enhances academic performance, with studies showing that students who learn outdoors outperform their indoor-learning counterparts on standardized tests. Outdoor learning stimulates creativity, as students encounter novel and challenging environments, promoting critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Furthermore, it improves physical health, providing opportunities for exercise and fresh air, which contribute to overall well-being. Additionally, outdoor learning fosters environmental awareness, helping students develop a profound understanding of the natural world and its significance, ultimately encouraging its protection.
Maintaining the campus of Blue Mountain School is no easy task. It requires skilled laborers who know how to swing a hammer, who have well established green thumbs and a respect for nature, and who have gentle smiles and warm welcomes. All this is required in order to create the strong roots of our facilities.
By donating to our Matching Funds camping, fifteen percent of the funds will be allocated to maintaining and enhancing our current facilities, ensuring a safe and inspiring learning environment for all students.
The primary goals for funds donated to support the Maintenance needs of Blue Mountain School in the coming years are:
For years administrators have patched together a hodgepodge team of family volunteers to maintain and groom campus facilities. This has kept costs low, encouraged family participation and allowed families to feel a sense of ownership in creating a safe environment for their children.
As a school our doors are in heavy use, our faucets are swung on and off all day long, we reuse and recycle material all the time due to budget restraints and our commitment to sustainability, our walls are accidentally (on purpose) painted on by fingers of all ages, our floors are scuffed by hundreds of feet moving to the next great adventure all day long. There is no way to deny our brick and mortar facility is aging fast.
In the last four years we have expanded into the woods with our outdoor classrooms, which have added a whole new level of maintenance requirements. Our efforts have been well worth the work. Research by the National Institute of Health has demonstrated the numerous benefits of outdoor learning for students. It enhances academic performance, with studies showing that students who learn outdoors outperform their indoor-learning counterparts on standardized tests. Outdoor learning stimulates creativity, as students encounter novel and challenging environments, promoting critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Furthermore, it improves physical health, providing opportunities for exercise and fresh air, which contribute to overall well-being. Additionally, outdoor learning fosters environmental awareness, helping students develop a profound understanding of the natural world and its significance, ultimately encouraging its protection.
Maintaining the campus of Blue Mountain School is no easy task. It requires skilled laborers who know how to swing a hammer, who have well established green thumbs and a respect for nature, and who have gentle smiles and warm welcomes. All this is required in order to create the strong roots of our facilities.
By donating to our Matching Funds camping, fifteen percent of the funds will be allocated to maintaining and enhancing our current facilities, ensuring a safe and inspiring learning environment for all students.
The primary goals for funds donated to support the Maintenance needs of Blue Mountain School in the coming years are:
- Develop a full time maintenance position whose primary responsibility is the facilities maintenance of the campus.
- Establish budgetary spending funds each year specifically for small and medium general maintenance of the buildings and outdoor classrooms.
- Create a system in which families are required to volunteer small amounts of focused time each school year in a collaborative effort to help with general upkeep of the facilities and campus.
