Green Team Back in Action

Familiar and new faces were seen taking care of recycling business in the hallways of Clairlea today. Thank you so much! This year, the Green Team will be involved in creative projects as well. We have to keep the Gold dream alive.

An extra thanks to Kayleigh for her boundless enthusiasm. She told me that she was picking up trash in her neighbourhood and plans to pick up trash in the Clairlea yard tomorrow. I hope to provide back up support. Awesome initiative, Kayliegh!

Thanks also to our "lights out" checkers this week: Justin P. and Thomas T. They really enjoy the power of busting teachers. Who knew?

- E. Hawkins

I wanted to upload BTO's "Takin' Care of Business" for the hard rock eco kids, but there wasn't a decent YouTube version, so Bobs and Lolo it is. This is how I wake up each day. LOL

Stop the Press!

We just found out that based on our recent audit, EcoSchools has granted Clairlea Gold-level eco status!!!!! We are terribly excited about this news. Thanks to everyone who has worked hard to make this happen, especially the boys and girls on the Green Team and in the Gardening Club. We couldn't have done it without you. Now go do your happy dance!

E. Hawkins

Clairlea Green 2009-10

A huge thanks goes out to Nicolas Louie in Room 204 for this slide show retrospective. Nic is one talented guy. One day, he'll be making feature films, mark my word.

E. Hawkins

EcoSchool Audit

Kids from Room 204 putting the finishing touches on their "green home" earlier this year. There are many amazing examples of ecological literacy in action around Clairlea.

Hello,

Today, a representative from TDSB's EcoSchool department came by to evaluate how much Clairlea has done this year in terms of energy conservation, waste reduction, and ecological literacy. In attendance was Ms. Persaud, our chief custodian Harold Porter, Mr. Knierim, and myself. We answered a series of questions and later Mr. Knierim and I gave a tour of Clairlea both inside and outside of the school.

We had a very positive report, especially about the high number of children involved in the Green Team, as well as the grant we have received for new trees to be planted on the west side of the school next fall.

We will find out about our EcoSchool status within the next two weeks and we'll keep you posted. Thank everyone - especially the children of Clairlea - who have worked so hard to help us in our effort to make the school a greener place. Way to go!

E. Hawkins

Gardening Club Plants in the Habitat

Thanks to all the Gardening Club kids who came out in the wet muck yesterday. We actually managed to plant our lupin, lamb's ears, and perennial grass seedlings that the kids started indoors a couple of weeks ago, along with some hand-me-down plants from my garden. The Habitat is slowly taking shape.

Great work boys and girls!

- Ms. Hawkins

Three cheers for worms! I love that the kids are such big fans of worms and not squeamish.

Planting seedlings.

Trying to level the land.

Pulling out dead roots.

More worm love.

Baby lupins.

Sedums and other tough perennials now in the Habitat.

*Don't forget, we're still happy to take donations of sun-loving perennials (native if possible), and dark mulch. Just drop it off under the stairs in front of the office. Thanks. The Garden Club meets for the last time this school year, next Wednesday after school.

Backyard Treasures

I'd like to send out a huge thanks to the boys, girls, and families who have really come through to make the Habitat at the front of the school take root. A special thanks to Rob Poulin who donated equipment and a large amount of personal time to help us break the back of the weeds.

This is a space with history, which I'm learning more about. Save for a few trees, we're starting over again with a goal to nurture the Habitat from year to year and encouraging students and families from the Clairlea neighbourhood to call it their own and keep it growing.

We're actually at the stage where we can start thinking about getting some plants and shrubs in the ground. If you're able to make a donation, we'd be most grateful. We're still in need of triple mix and dark mulch. Please drop off donations under the stairs in front of the office with a contact name and number so that we can thank you. You could also drop off donations during the Garden Club hours of 3:30-4:30 on Wednesdays.

If you have any hardy, sun-loving perennials growing in your backyard e.g. sedums...
daylilies, herbs such as chives and thyme... We be happy to take a small clump.
I dug out a few plants this evening that can be planted in the Habitat tomorrow, such as foam flower (above). This is a tough, clumping perennial that is hard to kill (take if from me).
I also found coreopsis (tickseed), stonecrop sedums, yarrow, and candytuft.
I just noticed an East York worm on the top of this pot. "Clairlea, here I come!"

We have white cedar shrubs at the front of our house which self-cultivate. If left unpruned, it can grow into a tree.

Thanks again,

Erin Hawkins

Clairlea Gardening Club Needs Shovels

Hello,

Thanks to the hard work of the wonderful kids in our Gardening Club, we are starting to make some progress with the weeds and old grass at the front of the school. It is however, a huge job. Many parents and teachers have kindly donated shovels and it is great to meet families all happy to pitch in. We are in desperate need of more garden shovels. I reckon we need 10 more shovels to keep the Garden Club digging along. Many children are showing up eager to help, but unable to actively get involved due to the lack of shovels. I am now thinking about how we can get some shovels for the kids. If you have any suggestions, please post a comment below, or meet me at the front of Clairlea after school next Wednesday.

Ideas:

• Gardening Club bake sale
• solicit Clairlea families or people in the community to "adopt a shovel" - this would mean buying a shovel that we could have students paint their name on to honour their contribution
• approach big box hardware stores to look into the possibility of a donation (I've worked in retail in a previous life and know how stores get approached all the time to donate and they can be stand-offish in this department)
• send out requests to borrow shovels from Clairlea families - this would mean more paper going home

Please let me know if you think any of these ideas work. I am in touch with a parent who works at a tool leasing company to see if they can help.

Thanks for your help and a big thanks to all of the hard-working kids in the Gardening Club and the family members who have supported us in different ways. I'm a do-it person and I'm determined to move this project forward. Our classroom faces the front of the school and we were roasting from the heat this afternoon. One day, a nice big tree will cool things down. We'll make it happen.

E. Hawkins

Reducing Waste With New Pizza Lunch Forms

How great is this? Über parent/volunteer Ginnie excitedly brought this new Pizza Lunch form to me last week. Now kids can use the order form on the outside of the envelope to choose their food and drink and parents can put their money inside it. This reduces additional paper envelopes/plastic baggies and also means that teachers no longer have to fumble around stapling paper together when kids bring in loose money.

This may seem like a little thing, but when you consider just how many kids participate in Pizza Lunch, you realize what a huge step this is in Clairlea's mission to become a more ecologically friendly school.

Bravo!

Boomerang Lunch Blasts Off

I'll be taking photos to show the lunchroom recycling bin soon. Our staff compost and recycle, but we're encouraging staff to boomerang their lunch too.

Last week, Clairlea Public School began its boomerang lunch initiative. What this means is that all garbage or left-overs from lunch must either be recycled or go back home with students. We no longer have a garbage can in the gym and primary lunch room - only a recycling bin. Ms. Vincent grabbed a big marker and wrote "Compost" on one of her classroom bins and now we have a compost bin in the Gym. Grace, a fantastic Grade 5 student from Room 204 is emptying the little bin into the big compost bin at the front of the school. We've had a few kids dumping half-eaten hotdogs and meat sandwiches into it, so we'll have to make a few announcements to educate kids about what can be composted.

Thanks to Mr. Porter, our head custodian for embracing the recycling program and thanks to the lunchroom supervisors, students, and parents for getting behind this initiative. I've heard more positive comments than negative remarks. We have to work together to make green things happen at the school.

Next year, I'll be asking all teachers to report back to me to share how they are fostering ecological literacy in the classroom.

Thanks for reading,

E. Hawkins

Pictures From the Gardening Club

Gardening Club Rocks Tomorrow

A fabulous Clairlea kid as seen last year at the weedy front of the school. Can this space be transformed? Yes indeed!

Come one, come all!

Tomorrow after school (3:40-4:30) Clairlea's Gardening Club begins. We will meet in front of the school. An announcement will be made telling children who are not being picked up by a parent/guardian to come to Ms. Hawkins' room (204) at 3:30.

Mrs. Brathwaite and I will be out there working with children and parents digging up the weeds and grass.

Thanks to those who have sent in kind words of encouragement. These are the things that keep us going.

Hope to see you there!

Erin Hawkins

P.S. Don't forget to bring a shovel or send one in with your child.

You're My Black-Eyed Susan

Here are some pictures of the seed planting session last week. We hope the seeds will germinate soon and that we can plant them at the front of the school once the tough old turf is cultivated. If you're reading this and you can donate drought-tolerant perennials or if you can lend the budding Gardening Club a shovel and some time, we are looking to start working the land soon. Please drop a note in my mailbox, send a note through your child's teacher, or leave a comment here.

Thank you!

E. Hawkins

A little dirt never hurt.

Ta-dah!

Great to see French Immersion and English students coming together at our school. Oui!

Green Team member inspects his little pot.

The haunted watering can.

On semi-related note, I garbage-picked this watering can from a dearly departed neighbour last year. He had amassed a crazy collection of watering cans and now this one is being used in the Green Team instead of sitting in a landfill. Kingsley lived a good long life. He loved to garden and enjoyed a good laugh. He'd be happy knowing his can was in a classroom and that we're able to joke about the haunted watering can. Seriously.

Pass the haunted watering can!

Here's what you'll find in the Clairlea staff room. The staff put the compost bin at the front of the school to good use.

Take Your Family To Riverdale Farm

Riverdale Farm is a great place to spend the afternoon. Located in Cabbagetown on a 7.5 acre spread, you'll find farm animals and numerous species of wild animals and birds in the bird conservation area on the lower level. It's open to the public and free. Let your kids roam around Riverdale Farm and get their hands a little dirty. You can access the Riverdale Farm by TTC or car. For more information, visit http://www.toronto.ca/parks/riverdalefarm.htm

There's plenty to discover down at the pond. My son had fun playing by the creek and we discovered numerous toads and turtles - even a dead turtle. It was fun and educational.

Tulips and daffodils are in bloom right now. Get yourselves down there and forget about the rat race.

E. Hawkins

Plant Materials Needed

Hello,

Mrs. Brathwaite and I will soon be starting a Gardening Club. Our short term goal is to beautify the front of the school. We are asking people from the Clairlea community to kindly donate perennials. The front of the school is south-facing and soaks up a lot of sun. For this reason, we are looking for drought-tolerant plants that could withstand the weather and limited watering in the summer. Native plants, including grasses would be ideal, although we'd be grateful for any contribution, including soil and mulch.

If you are able to donate, please either send a note with your child to the attention of Mrs. Brathwaite or Ms. Hawkins. You could also leave your name and a way to contact you in the comment section below.

On a related note, I am looking for avocado seeds for a Green Team project. The kids have been busy with the recycling bins, but now that the weather is better, I'd love for them to be growing plants from seed and taking on other projects in the school.

Please send in your avocado seeds with your child to the attention of Ms. Hawkins. Thanks a bunch.