Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay had been awarded a $100,000 RREV grant to build a greenhouse/outdoor classroom space, provide a stipend for an outdoor education coordinator and purchase winter gear. Maine is one of 11 states receiving federal funding for pilot projects. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

JAY — Spruce Mountain Elementary School has been awarded a $100,000 Rethink Respond Educational Ventures [RREV] grant to build a greenhouse with outdoor classroom space and hire a coordinator for outdoor learning opportunities.

Teachers Sarah Dyer, Tammy Deering and Jennifer Stone began working on the grant since last spring. During an interview Thursday, Oct. 6, Dyer said she learned of the funding through an email sent by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to its educators list.

Maine is one of 11 states to receive funding for RREV grants. A pilot program, the contract for the SMES project was signed the last week of September and a meeting was scheduled Oct. 7 to start putting the plans into action, Dyer said.

Community support is also encouraged and welcome. Plants, gardening supplies, boots, outer wear are some possibilities.

“The Healthy Community Coalition is working with us to plan some things,” Stone said.

It was a dream, the possibility of getting $100,000, Deering said.

Stone said they attended a four week class then wrote a proposal.

In September 2020 art teacher Tamara Lindsey teaches a class for a group of fourth graders in an outdoor classroom at Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay. The school has received a $100,000 RREV grant to build a greenhouse/outdoor classroom, hire a coordinator and purchase winter gear for students. File photo

Having the support of SMES Principal Pat St. Clair was crucial, Dyer said. The school has a couple of outdoor learning spaces that are very rustic, were used more after schools re-opened from the coronavirus pandemic, she noted. Teaching outdoors became more of a challenge in winter, she added.

The new greenhouse/outdoor classroom spaces will be built near the back of the playground, Deering said.

“We have found engagement with students, but not all educators feel comfortable teaching outdoors,” Dyer said.

Often there are no planned lessons, no common core with outdoor classes, Deering noted. She told of  little boy who climbed a tree, was excited because his dad used to climb trees and his ability to share that experience with his dad. “So many of our kids don’t have access [to outdoor spaces],” she added.

During school vacations students are asked to go outside and play then send pictures to their teachers, Dyer said. Many of them are of the students standing on a third or fourth floor apartment porch, she noted.

Fourth grade students have nature time outdoors once weekly, regardless of the weather. “They learn to be outdoors, look forward to it,” Deering said. One student had his parents change an appointment so he wouldn’t miss the nature time class, she added.

“There are benefits to being outdoors,” Stone said.

Measuring the perimeter of flowers or puddles can help teach math concepts, Deering said. “There is a lot of teamwork involved,” she noted. Last week students identified trees, made leaf art alliterations, she said.

“My biggest goal is I want all kids to be able to [learn outdoors],” Deering added.

“There are connections, real world applications with what students are learning in school,” Dyer said. “There is decreased truancy.”

Two or three years ago students built shelters at the school, Deering said. “A few brought their families during February vacation, were excited to show them their shelters,” she noted.

Teaching outdoors offers ways to engage all learners as everybody has different learning styles, Stone said.

The teachers have been working with high school Rob Taylor to create trails around the school. “We use a lot of the trails already,” Deering stated.

Grant funds will also be used to purchase snowshoes, ski pants, boots and other winter gear for students to use during outdoor classes and a stipend position to coordinate them.

“The community has been very generous in supplying outerwear but we can always use more,” Deering said. Some students – the very petite or those with larger feet – couldn’t participate fully in outdoor learning because of the lack of proper outerwear, she added.

Student behavior has improved with outdoor learning, the number of write-ups are dramatically lower, almost nonexistent, the teachers stressed.

The hope is that the Regional School Unit 73 Board of Directors will continue to support the stipend for the coordinator position once the grant is finished.

Time spent on pavement outside doesn’t provide the learning opportunities available in nature, Dyer noted. Outdoor learning, in addition to creating teamwork and team building, provides mindfulness areas for relaxation, alternatives for those who struggle to stay still during class, and so much more, the teachers said.

“Students get more done, are focused more when they come in,” Stone stated.

The original size of the greenhouse/outdoor classroom space was 12 feet by 24 feet, but may need to be changed due to increased construction costs. The hope is to have the concrete poured this fall and a barn raising party at some point.

A plaque will be erected listing those wishing to support the project.

“We want to make SMES a place kids love to come to to learn,” Dyer said.