Years of planning and hard work came to fruition last month when staff, students and community members gathered on October 5 to dedicate the new Courtyard Classroom at O’Neill Middle School.

Science teacher Sarah Pinkus, who conceived the idea and spearheaded the project, thanked everyone who made the Courtyard Classroom possible, including her colleagues; the O’Neill PTA; the O’Neill Garden Club; Lowe’s of Bolingbrook; Ace Hardware in Westmont; The Wild Ones, a native plant organization; Hidden Gardens in Willowbrook; Wannemaker’s in Downers Grove; Home Depot in Downers Grove; and Vern Growers in Hinsdale.

After the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, the dozens of attendees enjoyed refreshments and listened to music performed by members of the O’Neill orchestra while strolling the grounds and enjoying the sunshine. They marveled at the wide variety of flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs, as well as the butterfly houses, bird habitat, student-created birdhouses and birdfeeders, paver patios, benches and student-decorated picnic tables. Laptops perched on picnic tables streamed slide shows of the development of the courtyard.

Utilizing the courtyard space as a safe outdoor classroom will capitalize on students’ natural curiosity and enthusiasm while encouraging creativity, Pinkus said.

“Being outdoors will reduce student stress and foster a deeper connection with the environment. Students will be able to move from appreciating nature and the environment, to actually sustaining it,” she said.

The courtyard will provide a blossoming world of natural studies including native plant preservation, wildlife studies, and natural water drainage. The classroom also will fulfill goals outlined in District 58’s Strategic Plan, as well as numerous national and state education standards, Pinkus said.The classroom can be used by all classes at O’Neill, including Language Arts, Science, Art and Family Consumer Science.

Students have truly taken ownership of the Courtyard Classroom. Alane Lezatte’s art classes at O’Neill created pavers for the garden, and the Garden Club planted flowers and a variety of vegetables, including pumpkins, chives and cabbage. The planning, establishing and sustaining phases of the courtyard will continue to provide numerous opportunities for school and community partnerships, Pinkus said.