Sustainability at Woodlawn
It's a big deal to us.
Since the founding of Woodlawn, we've always believed one of our greatest teaching assets: 61-acres of forested space that provides a sense of connectedness to the natural world. Conservation and care for the environment have always been central to the mission of Woodlawn; our teachers weave it into our curriculum at every grade level.
Sustainability and ecological principles are intertwined throughout the curriculum. The K-12 art program, for instance, emphasizes reclaimed and recycled materials. Sixth graders study the Woodlawn School wildlife garden and woods to gain an appreciation of the complexity of ecosystems and recognize our responsibility to protect animal habitat and animal species. The eighth grade students take on the challenge of “How can we protect our water?” as their culminating interdisciplinary project. Upper School students “shop” at the Woodlawn Mercantile, a student organized storage space of donated supplies, for many of their project supply needs rather than making a trip to the store. We believe that when faced with limited supply choices, we come up with more creative solutions.
In the Gardens
Maintained using organic gardening principles, our gardens serve as an outdoor classroom through which we teach students about sustainability in a hands-on way. In our gardens, students experience the cycles of nature, and the complex process of food production. We experience ecology at work as pollinators help the plants – and the plants are, in turn, homes and food sources for birds, bees and insects. We learn about soil quality and soil nutrients, using only composted manure as fertilizer.
Through Service Learning
Recycling and composting are encouraged across campus, and our fifth graders lead these sustainability efforts through their service learning as they seek to prevent pollution and preserve wildlife habitats. The students’ biggest job is to collect the school’s recycling; every week they grab their gloves and sift through the recycle bins in all of the campus buildings. By taking action on our campus and in the community to help the environment, we embody Woodlawn’s commitment to preserve our rich natural heritage for generations to come.
Our Green Campus
Sustainability is built, naturally, into the Woodlawn curriculum. Second grade students learn about decomposition and composting, and build a compost pile for their class. In sixth grade, students learn about ecology and ecosystems. Through field and classroom study, all Woodlawn students learn about the natural balance that nature elegantly achieves.