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The Garden Club meets from 11 am - 1 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Students are learning about composting, soil science, weeding, thinning, mulching, watering, and insect and seed identification. Students are encouraged to share ideas of what t hey would like to do in the garden.

If you are interested in volunteering with the garden club, please contact Dana Goodwin at 947-4797 or Ann Parker at 941-5476

The Three Sisters Garden consists of corn, beans, and squash. It has been our center of activities this fall. We have met to dissect scarlet runner beans and collect many varieties of seeds for saving and replanting and to observe changes that have taken place since the garden was planted by students last spring.

The Three Sisters Garden has been grown by Native Americans for centuries-the three plants work in harmony, with corn providing physical support for growth of runner beans. the runner beans fix nitrogen form the air to feed the corn. The squash blankets the ground to deter pests. the "Three Sisters" method promotes water conversation and helps prevent soil erosion. The garden is planted in a circle to symbolize the unending circle of life, death, and rebirth. Many groups of students, staff and families have been involved in this garden process.

Special thanks to Mr. Sattler's class for constructing our new "tepee" of black locust trees last spring! Additional thanks for the black locust trees that were generously donated and transported to the school by the Kiessling family.

"Gardening with Kids" is a new component of the Central Grade School community. This project began in the spring of 2002 under the guidance of our "Montessori" and "Way to Grow" programs. Staff, students, and families of these programs cleared a space in the courtyard of the school, donated plants and started seedlings to begin a beautiful flower garden. On September 11, 2002, a ceremony was held in remembrance of the tragedy that had occurred exactly one year before. At the ceremony, the Peace Garden was officially named and dedicated to Mr. Kalbfleisch, who was our school social worker. Mr. K., who has since retired, was responsible for starting the Peacemakers program at Central Grade School.

We would like to thank a special volunteer who made this beautification possible. Cori Oakley is our Master Gardener who has inspired, developed and helped implement the creation of the beautiful plantings around our school.

Mrs. Oakley created a master design for the Three Sisters Garden in the school courtyard and an enhanced plan for the existing plant projects around our school. Cori co-wrote and received an ACE Grant for the purchase of gardening tools, seeds and other supplies for the garden. Students and parents planted The Three Sisters Garden last spring.

The Garden Club, under Cori's guidance, has been created for Central students, and it meets each Tuesday and Thursday in the Spring and the Fall during lunch recesses. Cori feels it is important for students to take ownership and become involved in gardening projects.

Summer Garden Club

To keep up with garden maintenance during the warmer summer months, we are starting a new group called “Central Gardeners”. We will meet in the courtyard on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Adults and children are welcome. Tools will be provided but you may bring your own.