As a cooperative school, we are privileged to have community and parent involvement in the daily classroom, as well as in our projects and meetings. Through our parents, we have gained the involvement of their extended families, local businesses, local organizations, school partnerships, and local churches. They are a part of all plans regarding our changes in curriculum, best management protocol, habitat restoration projects and maintenance, and arrangements for enrichment activities. They help us address environmental issues, both at the school and in the larger community.
Animal Connections: Community participation brings new experiences to our school that we would not have on our own. Echoes of Nature and Eco Adventures have done several school-wide presentations on animals and insects in 2011-2017. We offered enrichment trips to the home of Eco Adventures in winter 2018-2019. Other animal, conservation and nature based enrichment trips offered to families include visits to Clark's Elioak Farm, the National Aquarium, and the Maryland Science Center.
As noted in our section on Celebration, a local farm brings their animals to meet our students twice each year at our Garden Celebrations.
As noted in our section on Celebration, a local farm brings their animals to meet our students twice each year at our Garden Celebrations.
Green Center Partnership: We utilize Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center as our Green Center. Educators from Living Classrooms worked with our students, staff, and parents to maintain our schoolyard gardens from 2011-2018. During this time, they have provided education for our staff and parents, including demonstrating the 'Touch a Trunk' materials from Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This inspired our staff to create our own Touch Trunks in 2018!
Our students have enjoyed nature programs geared for preschoolers at Masonville Cove in 2017 and 2018. We invite our families to attend their weekend programs.
Our students have enjoyed nature programs geared for preschoolers at Masonville Cove in 2017 and 2018. We invite our families to attend their weekend programs.
Civic Participation: Each year our preschool creates a float for our community parade, highlighting our Green School theme and passing out pencils from recycled materials instead of candy. Our families road and walked with our float in the Pasadena Parade in November 2018.
Environmental Fair: We partner with local schools who are also involved with environmental education. Each May from 2011-2018, we have worked with volunteers from the Bodkin Elementary School Environmental Fair to coordinate an eco-station hosted by our school at their event.
School Partnership: In fall 2018, our Finned Friends class of 3-4 year olds started a learning friendship with 3rd graders at Bodkin Elementary School. Our students were working on a lesson about composting and interacting with our school vermicomposter. Our students created a display board about composting to share with the 3rd graders. The display board included composting instructions from our students and art that they created by "painting with worms." Our students shared a part of their worm population to start the vermicomposting bin at Bodkin Elementary. Our teacher brought their materials to Bodkin Elementary and did a presentation to the 3rd graders, leaving our gift of worms and educational board.
Community Helpers: During our annual Community helper day in November, students and families have a chance to meet and greet with community helpers. For example, during the event in 2018, our community helpers were a police officer and a firefighter- and they brought their vehicles! These community helpers engaged the students in learning about the importance of these professions in our communities and how children can benefit from better understanding what these helpers do for us everyday.
Our local librarians visit our school each year for an environmentally-themed storytime. This promotes literacy with a Green message for students and parents! In turn, our preschool staff offer free, public programs for the community at our local library!
For the past few summers (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) Magothy Cooperative Preschool has attended the Mountain Road Library Summer Reading Kick Off. During this program we shared with children information about a painted turtle, frogs and insects. Children were able to observe the animals, touch the animal when appropriate and ask questions. Many of the children were nervous at first but after learning about each animals adaptations the children were eager to observe and learn more. Magothy Cooperative Preschool is very excited to share our love for animals, curiosity for nature and environmental consciousness with our community at large. These popular environmentally-themed animal encounters have filled the room, reaching over 100 community children.
Our local librarians visit our school each year for an environmentally-themed storytime. This promotes literacy with a Green message for students and parents! In turn, our preschool staff offer free, public programs for the community at our local library!
For the past few summers (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) Magothy Cooperative Preschool has attended the Mountain Road Library Summer Reading Kick Off. During this program we shared with children information about a painted turtle, frogs and insects. Children were able to observe the animals, touch the animal when appropriate and ask questions. Many of the children were nervous at first but after learning about each animals adaptations the children were eager to observe and learn more. Magothy Cooperative Preschool is very excited to share our love for animals, curiosity for nature and environmental consciousness with our community at large. These popular environmentally-themed animal encounters have filled the room, reaching over 100 community children.
Little Skipjacks Program: Magothy has partnered with ClearShark LLC in bringing the Little Skipjacks program to our school. In this hour-long program our PreK children engage in a hands on lesson about animals that live among an oyster reef. Lesson activities include oyster-related story time, using senses to explore an oyster shell, interacting with small, living critters that live on an oyster reef, and more!
Community Park: Every year from 2014-2019, we feature a Downs Park Day where our students and parents join us for school at the local county park. Our staff run eco-stations for the students and our self-guided tours take us to all parts of the park.
Magothy Gives Back: Magothy Cooperative coordinates at least two in-school charity events, one in the fall and one in the spring each year. The MGB committee coordinator chooses the charity events with approval from the Board. Recent examples include “Harvest for the Hungry” in November, Angel Tree/adopt families from Sarah’s House in December, a trike-a-thon to benefit St. Jude’s Hospital in the Spring. The coordinator provides information to teachers so they can plan to integrate this character education within each class’ circle time.
Going beyond our school...
building character...
and giving to others!
building character...
and giving to others!