Community Partnerships
Carroll County Master Gardeners: Master Garden/Music Teacher Tina Swanson leads an after school Green Club each year to give students the opportunity to participate in hands-on garden activities. The school campus is Bay-Wise Certified by Carroll County Master Gardeners and Master Gardeners have worked with students for special projects. Our school has use of a professional Grow-Light Cart for seed propagation provided by the Master Gardeners. In addition to growing plants for our school, the Green Club grows herb and heirloom tomato plants for the annual Master Gardener Plant Sale as a thank you to the organization.
Mt. Airy Garden Club: The club awarded a $1,000 Bluebird Webcam Nestbox Grant to a 2nd grade class that invited them to hear their persuasive Powerpoint Presentation about the declining bluebird habitat and how our school can help with the habitat restoration and learn more about bluebird habits. Mt. Airy Garden Club members have helped the school Green Club with several projects and Garden Club members have participated in tree planting projects on our campus. The Green Club grows herbs and heirloom tomato plants for the annual Mt. Airy Garden Club Plant Sale to thank the Garden Club for supporting Parr's Green School Program.
Federated Garden Clubs Of Maryland District V Region of the FGCofMD provided three types of milkweed seeds for our Monarch Waystation Program. District V is promoting monarch awareness in the seven western counties of Maryland. We will record seed germination rates and other details of our plantings as part of their regional project.
Mt. Airy Kiwanis Club provides grants to Girl Scout Troops in the Mt. Airy community for environmental projects that beautify Mt. Airy. Each year, Parr's Ridge Troops complete planting projects on our school campus with guidance from Kiwanis member Glee Butts and Master Gardener Tina Swanson.
Mt. Airy Daisy and Brownie Troops participate in planting projects on our school campus.
Mt. Airy Boy Scouts complete Eagle Scout Projects on our school campus.
Parent Volunteers are often found in first grade classrooms discussing our importance in taking care of the earth. Following a discussion about materials found in nature, some first graders went outside to collect leaves to be used to make a Leaf Man project. These natural resources were then put back into nature so that they could be reused again. A volunteer also came in to read The Night Tree by Eve Bunting. Students then built a pretzel wreath and placed them outside for birds to feed on during the winter. Parent volunteers were also instrumental in the production in 2013 of the second grade musical "Every Day Is Earth Day."
Federated Garden Clubs Of Maryland District V Region of the FGCofMD provided three types of milkweed seeds for our Monarch Waystation Program. District V is promoting monarch awareness in the seven western counties of Maryland. We will record seed germination rates and other details of our plantings as part of their regional project.
Mt. Airy Kiwanis Club provides grants to Girl Scout Troops in the Mt. Airy community for environmental projects that beautify Mt. Airy. Each year, Parr's Ridge Troops complete planting projects on our school campus with guidance from Kiwanis member Glee Butts and Master Gardener Tina Swanson.
Mt. Airy Daisy and Brownie Troops participate in planting projects on our school campus.
Mt. Airy Boy Scouts complete Eagle Scout Projects on our school campus.
Parent Volunteers are often found in first grade classrooms discussing our importance in taking care of the earth. Following a discussion about materials found in nature, some first graders went outside to collect leaves to be used to make a Leaf Man project. These natural resources were then put back into nature so that they could be reused again. A volunteer also came in to read The Night Tree by Eve Bunting. Students then built a pretzel wreath and placed them outside for birds to feed on during the winter. Parent volunteers were also instrumental in the production in 2013 of the second grade musical "Every Day Is Earth Day."
Love of Reading Night is an annual event at Parr's Ridge Elementary School that invites parents, students and other members of the community to enjoy a night of reading, learning and exploring a variety of texts. This year, the focus was reading and learning from non-fiction. One activity allowed for children and family members to read a text that showed how to create a Pine Cone Bird Feeder. Pine cones were collected and then reused to create this earth friendly craft. Participants were encouraged to hang the Bird Feeders in their yards at home.