Principal Jessica Wagner had a vision for the courtyard at Sequiota Elementary. She envisioned it as a space that could be utilized as an outdoor classroom for students and educators .They were able to do just that with support from the FSPS Back to School Grant Program for “Sequiota Courtyard Redesign Into an Outdoor Classroom” and support from the Sequiota PTA.
“One of my objectives with this grant was to motivate students to develop positive attitudes toward learning through varied experiences in the natural environment.” Wagner continued, “This objective was met. Students have had a a hard year with continued transitions and unique learning environments, engagement has been tough for students. Since completing the first part of our redesign (turf and sun shades) students have LOVED utilizing the space for learning. We have had more “foot traffic” in the courtyard since the the turf and sun shades were installed since I have been at Sequiota (3 years). Students truly love adjusting their lessons or independent work time to be in the courtyard setting. Even our specials classes are utilizing the space.”
When asked how this grant has benefitted students at Sequiota Wagner said, “The grant benefited our students by increasing their engagement in learning and provided them a space to be proud of. They truly LOVE the courtyard and are grateful to spend more time out there. Our staff have also been inspired by the courtyard and inspired staff create more engaging lessons and ideas for student learning.”
“Our grant is an absolute success! Although it was only partially funded, our PTA and SPS helped fund the rest and it has made an amazing impact. We only have the first step of this project completed and the students and staff already utilize the space every day! We will have furniture coming, grow boxes to be set up, and more! We’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg for how successful this grant will be in terms of it’s impact on learning in our school.” said Principal Wagner
Project Details
Grant Category: Modern Learning
Funded Amount: $10,000