Green Schoolyard Project Update Archive

Picture: Rock sculpture by Ruth Asawa provides inspiration for Sherman's new water feature.

January 2008 Update

We have a lot to be proud of from the first half of the year:

- A very successful rollout of the water feature.  Thanks to Linda's training and water
awareness sessions with the kids.

- Two successful planting days which transformed the yard and have provided a hint of all
the possibilities to come.

- We added a new member to our committee (Gaby Roff) who will focus on the grant
writing process for the GSP committee.  Gaby also completed an interesting grant
application which she will have to describe to the group herself.

- Crystal Brown submitted the grant application for the California Fertilizer Foundation
requesting funds for a Tool Shed.

Onto the second half of the year!

At tomorrow night's meeting I'd like to refine our list of goals for the remainder of the
year.  Please bring your idea's on what should make the list, which can always be modified. 
Below is a short list that I think we should keep in focus:

Maintenance Coordinator/Volunteer Coordinator
Grant Writing/Fundraising
Community Outreach - community open house in May?
Irrigation
Tool Shed
Sherman Outreach - Email, flyer, general communication to K-Parents to join the
committee this year/month.

Regan

Learn how our water feature came to life...

August 2007 Update

WOW!  What a great summer!  A HUGE thanks to Linda Myers and Jeff Miller for completing the water feature.  Also, HUGE thanks to the many people who helped on various workdays and with the summer watering schedule.

This summer we managed to:

1) Complete the water feature

2) Complete the stone stairs  and remaining contract work

3) Keep most of the plants alive.

Most of the infrastructure is complete allowing us to focus on some real "green" projects for the yard.  We will kick off the school year  
with water awareness education followed by a scheduled tree planting throughout the year.  We will focus on several projects this year and sure can use any help we can get.  Here is a partial list of the projects we hope to complete this year:

• Assemble the picnic tables and umbrella's for the Franklin Street Yard

• Schedule several tree plantings throughout the year

• Hold a Community Open House for our neighbors

• Complete the design and installation of the "labyrinth"

• Build the tool shed

• Install the remaining irrigation systems

• Play structure

The GSP committee will meet monthly, all are welcome.  Please see the calendar for dates.

If you are interested in joining the GSP Committee or would like to volunteer any amount of time (no matter how brief) please contact me for information.

Welcome back everyone. I'm sure you've all grown like weeds (a little GSP humor).

Sincerely,

Regan Mahoney
Chair, Green Schoolyard Committee

February 2007 Update

See our new site plan below!

The Green Schoolyard Project has been "springing" into action a month or so ahead of the seasons. We've been busy on several fronts, and invite all interested community members to join us in building the green schoolyard. We have many tasks ongoing and starting, and would love to have your help!!

By the time that you read this, the yard should have decomposed granite play surface installed in several locations (gray areas on the illustration): the main assembly area, the outdoor classroom, and the amphitheater area. David Owens, father of 2nd grader Aodomar has been instrumental in getting this work done. Thank you David, and all who came out over a couple of weekends to do all of the back breaking
work! The committee is also extremely grateful to our Landscape Architect, Jeff Miller, who has graciously donated his time and skill to direct us and assist us in accomplishing the work.

Also underway is the remaining work contracted out and paid for by our Proposition A funds: this work includes the installation of a stone stairway from the path to the assembly area, removal of the trees next to the school and repair of the damaged asphalt, installation of a concrete pad for the planned garden shed, and installation of plumbing and electrical work (including an automatic irrigation controller) for irrigation of our upcoming plantings. This work is indicated as hashed areas on the illustration below.

We hope to move into beginning the planting of the yard with trees and shrubs shortly after the contracted work is complete. We are currently working with the landscape architect and the SFUSD to finalize our initial planting list. We hope that the actual work of planting the trees will be accomplished by Sherman students, though the details have yet to be worked out.

Finally, we soon hope to initiate a school-wide competition to create a design for the circular area (labyrinth) in the assembly area. Details for the competition are currently being worked on by faculty liaison Jill Trinh. More info to come!!

Our February meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5:45pm and our March meeting will be on Tuesday, March 20 at 5:45 p.m. Please mark your calendars - I hope to see you there. As with all of GSP activities, prior attendance and special skills are NOT required - if you'd like to help in any way please let me know.

-Kent

Overall site plan...updated Feb 2007

Click here for pdf of updated site plan

Click here for pdf of overall site plan - version 1

January 2007 Update

During the winter months, the Green Schoolyard Committee continues its efforts to bring our new yard to life despite the wet and cold weather.  The committee is forging ahead to install the Decomposed Granite (DG) surface (similar to what you find on hiking trails) on certain parts of the yard – see attached diagram.  Thank you to David Owens and the volunteer crew who is patiently waiting out the rain to get the work done!  Next, the committee will be selecting the plants for our yard.  The gardeners in our community (and those who like to play in the dirt) should look forward to the spring planting season! 

This is a very exciting project for Sherman’s community.  Our students and teachers will be able to extend the classroom and learning outdoors in a beautiful green urban environment.  So far, this project has progressed very successfully due to all of the diligence and hard work of our committee.  In fact, the district and the Green Schoolyard Alliance think that Sherman can become a model for the city as more schools start their green schoolyard plans.  We have received a lot of support from our community in countless volunteer hours and in generous donations from families and outside organizations to help carry out our future work. 

The committee asks that parents, students, teachers, staff and community members really take a look at the design plan that is posted in the yard, on the website and on the PTA bulletin board.  If you have any comments or questions regarding the design and what our yard is going to be like, now is the time for you to offer your thoughts before the yard really takes shape.  We ask that you visit the yard, review the plans, talk with your child and give us your comments.  The committee will continue with their monthly meetings and welcomes everyone to come and give their input and/or ask questions.  You can also send comments/questions via email (shermansfpta@yahoo.com), the website, or in a written note to the Green Schoolyard box in the front office. 

Click here for pdf of plan to show next steps...

Sherman Green Schoolyard Project Update

Things are developing quickly within the Green Schoolyard Project, although the appearance of the yard is changing more slowly than we'd all like.  Recent exciting news in the project:

• We were allotted an additional $25,000 for work on the yard by the SFUSD Prop. A bond manager.  This money came from various set-asides in the bond program.  We expect that this additional funding will greatly help our efforts in transforming the yard into a vibrant part of Sherman School life!

• A grandparent of a Sherman student generously donated $10,000 to the Green Schoolyard Project.  A portion of the funds has been used to pay for the coloring and leaf imprinting of the new concrete path.  The remainder of the funds will likely be used to pay for new benches and tables for the yard.

• We were awarded a grant of over $6,000 by SF Beautiful to pay for trees and shrubs to be planted on the yard, as well as an irrigation system to keep them watered.

The committee is currently working on finalizing plans for the use of our remaining Prop. A funds (including the new infusion of $25,000).  Our previous Prop. A budget was earmarked to pay for plumbing and electrical work in support of the irrigation system, stairs and railings to the new concrete path, and permeable paving at several locations on the yard.  The new funding will allow us to accomplish more.

In other news, Linda Myers, Leigh Kirchharz (our new Nutrition Consultant), and Clare Watsky attended an Occidental Arts and Ecology Center training session in support of our green schoolyard efforts.  The training session happened to coincide with that hot spell during the summer -- thanks to all three for taking the heat, and bringing your newfound knowledge back to Sherman!

Thank yous:  I'd like to thank all who have worked hard over the summer to keep our educational garden alive, and further the planning and execution of the Franklin Street yard.  In particular, I'd like to thank Linda Myers, Dana Holmes, Patty Myers, Laura Waitz, Terri Fellers, Scott Mignola, and their families for watering the planter boxes and performing some much needed weeding in the area.  I'd also like to recognize Scott Mignola for coordinating the delivery of 60 cubic yards of wood chips on the Franklin Street yard, and to Clare Watsky for making sure that the new yard will be in good shape for our new educational garden.  Finally, I'd like to thank Lynn Fuller and Laura Waitz for their hard work in writing the successful grant request to SF Beautiful.

If you are at all interested in helping in ANY aspect of the Green Schoolyard, please contact Kent David.  Gardening expertise is not required, nor is attendance at all meetings.

Brief Synopsis of '05-'06

The '05-'06 school year started for the Sherman GSP with an effort to green yard #6 (Green St. yard).  We discovered that due to ADA restrictions, it would not be possible to include this yard as part of our green schoolyard, but we proceeded to create a temporary learning garden on the yard using planter boxes.  The temporary learning garden has been a great success with the student body and faculty.

The committee then hired a landscape architect, Miller Company to help us plan the large changes in store for yard 2 (the Franklin Street yard). The Sherman community was asked to provide input into desired features for the new green schoolyard. At the end of the '05-'06 school year, Miller Company provided the committee with a preliminary site plan for the yard.

Over the summer, the committee worked with Miller Company to determine which features can be built/installed using the remaining Prop. A GSY funds, as well as to implement small changes to the ADA work on the yard to better suit our needs.

New Business:

This school year we will be working to implement as much of the master plan as possible using our remaining Prop. A funds. We will be likely having many work parties to install features. We will also be working on funding features through extensive grant writing efforts, as well as continuing to work with the Sherman community to maintain the learning garden.

Contact information:

We have a yahoo_group for Sherman Green Schoolyard business.  This group is the main communications tool for GSP business -- it allows committee members to join or leave the committee at their discretion, and have the option of reading the discussions without cluttering their email boxes.  To join the group, click here:  Sherman_Green_Schoolyard.  I'll also be posting documents / images / ... other items and links of interest on the yahoo_groups website.  If you'd prefer to receive committee emails by regular email, please let me know.

Alternatively, feel free to contact me through this website - simply note Green Schoolyard on the Contact Form.

Landscape Architect Jeffrey Miller has created a preliminary conceptual design of the Franklin Street Yard.  This design is based on initial discussions with the Green Schoolyard Committee, review of  prior discussions and work done with 450 Architects, and the site plan developed by 450 Architects to bring Sherman into compliance with the ADA accessibility rules.

This plan will be used as a starting point for developing both the long term plan for the Franklin Street Yard, and to further discussions on the desired elements and layout for the yard.   (click here for a pdf image)  We welcome your comments - click here.