Willow Glen Resident

Education

Willow Glen Elementary School garden becomes part of curriculum

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

When ABC parent coordinator Felecia Mulvany approached Willow Glen Elementary Principal Dayle D'Anna about converting 1,300 square feet of space into gardens that teachers could incorporate into outdoor curriculum, D'Anna couldn't say no.

Mulvany received a $5,000 grant from Lowe's Toolbox for Education in June and, along with her husband, Bob, and sons Kevin, 9, and Dillon, 5, who both attend the elementary school, the family began work on the gardens during the summer.

The Mulvanys also met with the San Jose Unified School District.

"The district had to get involved because there were electrical boxes in the area, and water sprinklers were needed," D'Anna says.

On Oct. 14, Mulvany held a community event where both community members and local organizations helped with the planting of new trees, sodding of the "quiet" reading garden and construction and installation of one of the eight raised planter boxes.

The new gardens are located behind the portables at the elementary school and the design includes eight raised planting beds that the Boys Scouts began building and installing Oct. 14. A path wraps around the beds and connects the reading area with the planting beds. The Scouts will complete the beds by the end of the month.

The reading garden includes six California native trees--oak, a maple, and four redbuds--donated and planted by Our City Forest. The trees, once mature, will shield the garden from Lincoln Avenue traffic and reduce the traffic noise.

"The Willow Glen Kiwanis Club, Our City Forest, the Boys Scouts and the community all became involved," D'Anna says. "When all this is finished, I could brag that a kernel of an idea branched out into a community project."

As the project grows, Mulvany has a list of ideas and suggestions she has given to teachers.

"What will be grown in each of the eight raised planting boxes will be determined by the teachers and their students, but not every class will have an individual box," Felecia Mulvany says. "Instead, teachers will be encouraged to plant something that can host several scientific studies."

For instance, a butterfly garden can also host a worm hill and a caterpillar garden.

Bob Mulvany wants to purchase a windmill for the gardens.

"We would love a solar-power company to help us run a solar-power water feature in the garden to facilitate the teaching of renewable energy sources to the students," Felecia Mulvany says.

Mulvany is also working on a salamander hut for the garden that would provide a safe home for native newts.

"I want every teacher to be able to use this garden in their curriculum during class periods," Felecia Mulvany says.

She encourages the art docents at the school to have students create garden art, such as wind chimes and markers.

To complete the project, the school still needs benches, thermometers, rain gauges and some kind of water feature for the wildlife to drink from. The school also needs a shed to house the tools.

The PTA has agreed to pitch in $4,000 toward the garden.

"But we have already spent $5,200, and the money is going fast," Mulvany says.

Although the project has been a success, a few issues have surfaced.

"We have found dog prints, and people have been throwing their trash over the fence into the gardens," Mulvany says.

But these issues have not put a damper on the excitement about the project. Some teachers have already jump-started their outdoor curriculum.

"Teachers have already put up pine cones smothered in peanut butter and seeds to attract local wildlife," Mulvany says.