In March 1999, two FCS teachers and two PTO parent volunteers attended a schoolyard habitat workshop sponsored by NWF/Foodworks in Montpelier, VT. The idea of using our school grounds as a living laboratory was something of a revolutionary idea to all of us and it took several months of processing workshop materials before we were able to begin to see a vision of what our schoolyard could become.
     We jump started the project in the month of June as interest in the classroom was flagging. With a group of sixth graders, we designed and built our gateway o our habitat trail, a pair of 10 ft. square raised beds planted with flowers and bushes beneficial to butterflies and hummingbirds.
     In addition, we laid out and mowed the first place of our trail network which would allow students a tour of our site, an old farm filed in the early stages of succession. We also mowed a circular section in the center of the meadow so that a teacher could gather her class in an outdoor meadow classroom.
     Fall of 1999 saw renewed activity and enthusiasm in our Habitat Project. Working with whole classes and smaller (6-8 person) team building groups, we planted dozens on additional food and cover bushes and trees, built and installed bluebird nesting boxes, built a bridge over a small brook and coordinated with the PTO to plant a 27 tree, white spruce windbreak.
     We also created brush and stone piles for cover, removed an old culvert and with kid power rolled it next door to the town garage. By damming up where the culvert had been, we formed a vernal pool. The children in particular were gratified to see that dozens of frogs discovered our pond almost immediately. We also began the process of identifying and labeling the plant species found on the site.
     Perhaps the most exciting event of the year was the April residence of naturalist/tracker Susan Morse of Keeping Tracks, Inc.We coordinated this event with our PTO. Not only did she share her knowledge, slides, pelts and mammal skills, she toured our habitat trail with each class. Students were filled with excitement and wonder as she pointed out a fox bed site from the previous night at the very gateway to our trail. Later she pointed out a perfect gray fox track on the trail and raccoon tracks and muddy hand prints on a small tree near our brook.
     As exciting as this event was for the children, it really opened  the eyes of our teachers. Though several had participated previously in the project, this visit gave all of our teachers an inkling of the many possibilities the habitat holds for teaching across the curriculum. To this end, a core group, almost 1/2 of our faculty, has pooled curriculum grant monies to bring in naturalists, nature writers, aquatic insect experts, birders, etc. They hope these experts will give them hands- on knowledge and expertise which will help them write curriculum based on our habitat.
     Though our habitat infrastructure has truly blossomed this year to become a beautiful, stimulating teaching tool, our greatest accomplishment was to engage the interest of our teachers.