NEST Teachers

Boxerwood has been fortunate to catch up with most of the ELP team recently. One way or the other almost everyone has been making new E-LIT moves in their practices, classrooms, or schools. Read on to get inspired.

ELEMENTARY: We Can!

Mountain View

Kristin Bailey extended the MVES gr. 3 - 5 program to include all 2nd graders this year. Inspired by the data-driven recycling program at FES, she’s also got scales for all MVES classrooms.  Meanwhile, congratulations to Karlan Hamilton and her family on the birth of son Owen, on August 1 – just a few days after last work sessions. Karlan is already back at work now as a 5th grade teacher: rooting for you, Karlan! 

Fairfield

After hatching an idea for a cross-grade MWEE during our summer sessions, Hillary Beristain and Stephanie Tuttle have all their 3rd and 4th graders working on an authentic learning project involving the Fairfield forest. STEM teacher Joe Hawes helped hook up some wildlife cams, Boxerwood lent some bones, skulls, animal track ID materials, and Stephanie reports “The students went to the trail to look for signs of animal life and Ms. George, one of our TAs, presented signs of animal life.  The students are now researching and creating presentations on their animals and determining if they think their animal should live on the trail.  They will present their findings and research on October 10th.” 

Meanwhile, Cathy Whitesell has the FES recycling program up and running again for all students. She and Stephanie are also planning a gr. 4 & 5 day long program at McCormick’s Farm this month, focusing on wildlife, arts, and science.

Central

Barb Hess has already brought her new crop of 1st graders  to Boxerwood to investigate the seven ways plants disperse seeds. Susan Mahood has stepped up to help facilitate the CES Waste Busters program and is also helping the pilot Recycling effort get off the ground. Recently she was interviewed by a JMU radio program about the Central Blue Bird Trail she monitors with her students. Rumor has it she’s also been supplying many classrooms with monarch caterpillars from the Central pollinator garden this fall. 

4th grade teacher Liz Schmidt has helped students launch the CES pilot recycling project this fall with four classrooms, and it’s working! Teresa Torrence has set up her brook trout tank for 5th grade and Boxerwood will be delivering her trout eggs this Wednesday; Teresa and her colleagues also connected the entire 5th grade with a day of place-based learning at Jordan’s Point with Boxerwood last month.

Natural Bridge

Emma Hawes reports that her new afterschool Recycling Club (part of DREAMS) is underway, with Boxerwood dropping off a scale recently so the kids can weigh what they collect.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: We Belong!

Maury River

Inspired to take her MWEE up a notch, Gretchen Dowless has designed a year-long investigation of Woods Creek for gr. 6 science, in collaboration with her colleague Maddy Russell. In this new version, all 6th graders learned about a threat to the creek due to construction at the Lexington golf course. The students agreed to contribute as citizen scientists by employing the biotic and abiotic testing skills they learned in gr. 4 & 5 to this real-world problem. Over 2 days, students travelled by bus during their science class to test the creek at 6 different sites, as well as the Maury River above and below the creek’s entrance at Jordan’s Point. Students will present their findings and recommendations to outside experts during community sessions this spring. 

Meanwhile, Leyna Hansely and Lisa Gay-Millken both offered to travel with 20 MRMS 7th graders on the annual Chesapeake Bay trip with Boxerwood Sept. 8 - 10, 2025, with Lisa getting the final opportunity. Since returning, Lisa is working on a MWEE idea she started thinking about this summer, in which students tell the story of Sally the Straw on the way to the Bay. Lisa is also connecting kids to nature through a YAS Bird Club and also was interviewed recently by JMU podcasters for the bird connections. 

Although English teacher Amber Lewis was able to join us for only one work session this summer, she has helped spark a new, inter-disciplinary idea with all her gr. 7 colleagues. Pending school board approval this month, the entire grade will participate in a place-based series of activities on Nov. 5. Students will tour the Water Treatment facility as follow up to reading Long Walk to Water. They will also travel to Jordans Point to complete water quality testing as part of math and science learning. At Jordan’s Point, students will also complete a service project with Boxerwood that supports Civics objectives: helping to beautify the public park by planting hundreds of crocus bulbs. 

Last but not least, thank you to the entire MRMS E-LIT cohort who articulated a vision for school-wide recycling. Thanks to administrative support and the goodwill of MRMS PE teacher/sponsors, Boxerwood will be helping MRMS launch school-wide recycling this month, part of the twice weekly SOAR enrichment clubs.

HIGH SCHOOL: We Are!

Rockbridge County High School

Michelle Steiner reports the RCHS Green Team is up and running with school-wide recycling again this year, with several new club members aboard. Gwen Gosney is managing a lot of projects in her classes this fall, yet found time to set up a new trout tank from Boxerwood, schedule a stream day for her students, and welcome two more composters to her world. Thanks to connections we made this summer, compost generated last year by the FES Waste Busters program will be heading to Gwen’s world this fall, to help fill those new Ag garden bends. We haven’t caught up with Bradyn Tuttle yet, but have already heard rumors from Gretchen Dowless is wondering about possibilities with a gr. 6/building trades meet-up this spring.