Milford School is running with a plan to create a fun, safe place for its students.
At 2015’s last Wawasee School Corporation board meeting Tuesday evening, first-grade teacher Suzy Lucas presented a proposal for an outdoor classroom for elementary students in Milford. Milford Lions Club President Dennis Pinkerton was present to donate a check for $2,500 for the project.
Lucas, with the help of kindergarten teacher Heidi Shock, showcased a poster board explaining the purpose of this classroom. They intend it to be a fenced-in area featuring tactile learning stations, a gardening area and a music and activity deck.
Phase 1 of the project is to be completed by the first of February. It will focus on the construction and landscaping of the classroom. They have already purchased sand boxes, tractor tires and several structural items and the exterior fence has already been payed for.
A grant for Phase 2 from the Retired Teachers Foundation already payed for a greenhouse, garden bed and various gardening tools and plants. This will be completed by March 1. Phase 3 is tentative as it relies on funds and donations. The project is expected to be finished by spring so that students can use it this school year.
In other news, Mark Mitchell, a mental health therapist for Wawasee, gave a presentation on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. PBIS was implemented in 2010 to teach a systematic approach to behavior expectations in the schools.
It is based on a proactive model which teaches good behaviors and congratulates students who model these behaviors. It has systems in place to support students who may have a difficult time or present more challenging behavior issues, according to Mitchell. The goal for PBIS is to see four good behaviors from students for every one poor behavior.
Dave VanLue, of the technology focus group, updated the board on the 1:1 technology implementation progress. He and the committee suggest that students in grades K-3 receive iPads for class use and that grades 4-12 use a version of the Chromebook. This will be decided by the first week of January.
(Story By The Times Union)
