East Fort Worth Montessori Academy Perm...

East Ft Worth Montessori Academy focuses on Outdoor Learning Education through teaching children, their parents, the community, and the staff and administration about the possibilities and opportunities within nature. The Outdoor Learning Environment at East Ft Worth Montessori Academy (EFWMA) consists of a Rose Garden, a Butterfly garden, a small Pond, a walking Labyrinth, and a community garden.Plans are being made to expand the gardens to the front of the school (which is a little over an acre), and showing exmaples of various techniques and methods that continually attempt to work with nature and the environment. Community Dynamics The People- Parents and children are mainly at-risk, low income and socially disadvantaged. The school is located in a food desert and most of the children (more than 50%) are on a free and reduced lunch. Parents do see value in the education there; however, there is not as active participation at the moment at the school or in the children's education. The Environment: Domesticated chickens, goats and rabbits are there for educational purposes. There is a wealth of insect activity and animal activity due to the proximity to the surrounding landscape and nature preserves. Soil and Mineral Cycles Soil is capped in many areas, and irrigated watering of plants has been the norm for many years. Compost has been used for the tennis ball court community garden, but few plants have been fully established and the soil has compacted from student activity. Animals are present (chickens, goats, and rabbits). Plans are being made to integrate the chickens and goats into the gardens and surrounding landscapes to improve soil, mineral, and water cycles. Energy Flow Plant proximity has not been fully established in most areas of the school. There is a wealth of life on the eastern side of the school and the life to the south of the school before the dam has been removed due to city disruption of the environment. Plans are being made to re-establish