Azaleas in the Ground, All Around

On Wednesday, November 13, the PTA Grounds Committee sponsored a fun school-wide event:

AZALEA PLANTING DAY!

Students from all classes were invited to plant almost 80 azaleas – in the front of school, by the car-pool lane, and in the back of school, too. These azaleas were given to our school as a grant through NC Beautiful (read more about the grant here). Many thanks are in order, as this event took a lot of planning and team work.

Laying the Groundwork
Preparing the azalea beds could not have been completed without the help of the families who came out to work on Saturday, November 8, Azalea Bed Preparation Day. Thank you to:

• the Luker family
• Steve Fugikawa
• Alyssa and Rowen Perz-Edwards
• Kellianne White
• Lizzy and Veronica Gilligan
• the Yanez family
• Matt Todd
• the rest of the Lamar family.

Special thanks goes out to:

• York and Natasha Phelps for use of their pick-up truck to transport the rototiller to and from school.
• Fred Lamar and Steve Fugikawa for renting, operating, and fixing the rototiller.
• Kenneth Luker for getting the gas refill for the rototiller, and dealing with the yard waste we generated.
• RJ and Alyssa Perz-Edwards for donating the “Montessori” bamboo rakes for kids to use on grounds work days! These rakes were purchased through Montessori Services. They sell Montessori materials, primarily those that help with the “Practical Life” area, and they donate 10% of the proceeds back to the school!

Finishing the Job
Students got to do the planting on Wednesday.  In the morning, the Lower El and Upper El classes came out, and in the early afternoon it was Primary’s turn.  Did you have any doubt that 350+ kids could get the job done smoothly?  Well, they did!  …with just a little bit of help:

• Thank you Lizzy Gilligan for helping to coordinate and taking a lead role in Azalea Planting Day.
• Thank you parent Katherine McNulty for helping out all morning.
• Thanks to all of the teachers and students who came out on Wednesday to plant the azaleas!
• A special thanks to Mr. Cantwell, who came out, and stayed out to help us!
• Ms. Le Sueur gets a Wildcat WOW for teaching upper elementary science while planting all along the parking lot easement!
• Thank you to all the parents and teachers who lent watering cans and hoses for the day. We used everything!
• Of course, thank you to our Principal Ms. Crum who allowed this to be a whole-school effort!

Finally, a very special thanks goes to whoever it was that arranged for the rain on Thursday and Friday.  Your timing was PERFECT!

Great job guys! Our reward will come in the spring when these plants bloom!

“This was a lot of fun!!” –Britzel from Mrs. Faggart‘s class.