Marana Unified School District issued the following announcement on Jan. 10.
Congratulations to Mrs. Caldwell, Principal of DeGrazia Elementary School, for being named Grand Canyon University’s Principal of the Month this January, honoring her efforts to revitalize DeGrazia’s outdoor courtyard!
Last fall, Ms. Caldwell recognized the heart of her school – the garden – was in need of a serious refurbishment. The school had always involved students to help care for it, but it had become tattered and overgrown with few people on campus due to the pandemic. Ms. Caldwell saw the opportunity to refurbish and enhance the garden, ultimately building a courtyard complete with an outdoor classroom, expanded garden, turf pad, sensory pathway and benches decorated with Southwest mosaic designs – also created by DeGrazia students and teachers.
This special effort required a creative, cost-effective approach and the support of the school community. Tapping into existing grant funding and partnering with community businesses, a local Boy Scout troop, parent groups, teachers, students and their families, Ms. Caldwell’s vision gained support and momentum that transformed the space into a healing, learning and safe environment. The cost to revitalize the space totaled $22,000, and the effort was funded entirely by donations and through the volunteer work of committed school ambassadors. The courtyard was celebrated at the end of the year during a school-wide ribbon cutting ceremony involving students, teachers, and community volunteers.
A core commitment at MUSD schools is to care for all students and the entire student – mentally, physically and emotionally. The new courtyard instills a sense of peace and calm for DeGrazia students who need a break from distractions that are taking away from their learning. Highlights of the DeGrazia Elementary School Outdoor Courtyard include:
A new outdoor classroom built under an existing shade structure. The addition of fifteen table/benches provide a traditional classroom setting outdoors. A raised table at the front of the “classroom” gives teachers a place to lead daily lessons. Teachers are encouraged to bring their messy and exciting lessons here so that students will be engaged in their learning in an entirely new way.
A small turf pad next to the outdoor class. Teachers can work with small groups of students here.
The addition of six new garden beds and fruit trees. Students have always enjoyed caring for the garden’s flowers, herbs and plants in the existing greenhouses. The expanded garden will be maintained by DeGrazia’s student gardening club and staff, providing students with the chance to care for plants and experience the joy of gardening and nature.
The installation of a sensory pathway. A sensory path, peppered with wood, rocks, sand, and different things for students to step on, give students a chance to spend a few minutes outside sensing and exploring in an effort to reset and refocus their mindset.
Original source can be found here.
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