Panther Patch Slide Show

It's a great thing when "the after" turns out even better than "the plan"! We thank all the people who made The Panther Patch what it is today. THANK YOU!

The Panther Patch

WELCOME TO THE PANTHER PATCH!

This outdoor learning area was designed with teachers and students in mind and built by PTA volunteers in cooperation with the Midway ISD Maintenance Department. Funding for this $23,000 project came from the 2008-09 PTA fall fundraiser and a $2000 dollar donation from Big Creek Construction Inc. The Panther Patch is dedicated to Principal Maudie Monroe and the students of Spring Valley Elementary.

The following is a brief description of our facility and it’s development.

After securing the perimeter with fencing and building a gated brick column entrance, the Panther Patch committee focused on enhancing four main learning areas.
Each area seats up to 24 students and functions as a stand-alone outdoor classroom. Below is a description of each of these areas.

The Slab The existing slab was improved by the addition of four picnic tables and two commercial grade outdoor trash receptacles.

The picnic tables will easily accommodate an entire class for lunch or for messy art or science projects. The existing map of the United States offers endless educational possibilities. PTA plans to plant a tree just outside the fence to commemorate PTA’s 100th year of service in Texas. This tree will someday offer shade to this area. Until then, we have a set of four 9ft umbrellas and stands to use with the picnic tables, if it isn’t too windy.

The Big Creek Beds Our grade level planting beds were named in honor of Big Creek Construction Inc. for it’s generous donations of material, labor and financial backing.



There are two 10ft x 4ft raised planting beds for each grade level, totaling ten beds all together. Each teacher/class will plant and maintain a section of the grade level bed according to their curriculum. The beds were built so that children can sit on the sides and reach across them to plant. Each teacher directs what is planted in their classes’ section with optional help from our Panther Patch Posse, or our grade level Garden Moms.

Next to the planting beds is the garden shed.

The shed houses our portable garden sink, wheelbarrow and teacher and class sets of tools.
We have a class set of small hand tools for younger children, a class set of larger hand tools for older children and a complete class set of kid sized long handle shovels, rakes and hoes. There is also a full set of adult tools, a toolbox, scissors, gloves, knee pads, and other useful outdoor equipment available for our teachers and volunteers. The PTA maintains the shed.

The Ampi-Classroom Our ampi-theater classroom is composed of a semi-circle of quarry block benches that seat 20-24 students.

A lightweight movable “teacher bench” that can convert into a table is at the center of the semicircle. The ampi-classroom sits in pea gravel and is shaded by a big live oak tree or the adjacent building most of the day. The planters of climbing jasmine backed by lattice screens will make a great backdrop for outdoor readings, dramas, or lectures.

The Triangle Working with Thomas Yourman, a castle stone retaining wall and a 20ft native plant butterfly bed was built in this underutilized area. Our own Mrs. Kinsey and Mrs. Ridlehuber lovingly planted and maintain this bed for us.

They have chosen mostly native plants known to attract butterflies.

We also have a few butterfly feeders to encourage our delicate winged friends to visit often. Several park benches, a solar birdbath, a gazebo style bird feeder and a paverstone walkway make this an enjoyable, usable space. A whimsical metal tree, a 20ft awning, garden chimes and a pretty window box garden round out our improvements to the Panther Patch triangle.

Other Areas of Interest in the Panther Patch:
The Weather Pole

Equipped with a rain gauge, hygrometer, barometer, thermometer and working weather vane, the weather pole allows classes to track and record changes in the wind and weather. We hope this will allow students to become more in tune with atmospheric conditions and encourage further scientific study.

Our Garden Friends
The Panther Patch is home to several fun characters. Tracy the Tree is our resident Live Oak.

She shelters and shades many areas. Tracy is a bit two faced and likes to keep an eye on both sides of The Panther Patch at all times. Tracy is also home to our ladybug house.

We will release ladybugs twice a year to combat aphids and other pesky insects that could harm our plants.
The ladybug house offers shelter and encourages ladybugs to stick around a bit longer to fight pest.

Just across from the ladybug house at the bottom of the arbor you will find PAX, the P Patch’s baby panther.

Pax is out in the open now, but he hopes the Carolina Jasmine will soon cover him so he can sneak up on the 64-inch bird just across the way.

Gerty the Garden Bird stands watch over all the grade level gardens. She isn’t much of a scarecrow, but she has been known to intimidate a few rabbits. We are always on the look out for more friends to bring home to The Panther Patch.

Whether it’s creative writing, math, science, reading or the arts being taught, students and teacher alike benefit from incorporating nature into the lesson plan. We hope Spring Valley enjoys The Panther Patch for many years to come.


The Panther Patch Committee
Emily Christian, Stephanie Grosz, Kristi Miller & Sarah Iannuccilli

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The Panther Patch became official today!

It was a great morning for Spring Valley!

Faculty & Staff Open House

Last Tuesday we were finally able welcome the faculty and staff into the Panther Patch! The Panther Patch dressed up for the occasion.

The flags were out...

The umbrellas were up...And the long awaited portable sink perched proudly on it's slab, hooked up and ready to go!

Teachers were able to look through the shed and discover lots the fun things to use with their classes.

We served finger sandwiches, cookies, lemonade and tea.

If only we had an air conditioner for The Panther Patch! It was really hot, but the teachers came, saw, mingled and registered for door prizes. Mrs. Kupiszewski and Mrs. Hair won the bougainvilleas that were the door prizes.
A good time was had by all.Many thanks to the Panther Patch Committee and our faithful PTA helpers for this event. (Pictured below after sweating for 2 hours!) (back) Emily, Renee, Tracy the Tree, Stephanie, Kim, (front) Kris, Sarah, Kristi and Brenda.
(Not pictured are Meredith and Sherry who had to run before we snapped this picture.)

Up next is our last Panther Patch workday of the year this Sunday from 2-6PM. We hope to finish everything and be ready for our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony next Tuesday!

Panther Patch T-Shirts

UPDATE: May 8th, 3:30PM I just turned in the last order for these shirts. I hope to pick them up on May 18th and distribute them at school that afternoon. I need to have all the Money collected by next Friday, May 15th. We ended up buying 65 shirts! Thanks so much to all of you who support the Panther Patch so much that you wanted to buy this shirt! ~ Stephanie

Just $10
Youth and Adult Sizes
Call or E-mail Stephanie Grosz to order yours!
All orders must be in by May 8th.

Just $10
Youth and Adult Sizes
Call or E-mail Stephanie Grosz to order yours!
All orders must be in by May 8th.

(This is not a fundraiser. $10 is the cost to the printer)

More pictures of progress

Even with all the rain this week, there are fun new things out in the Panther Patch! (Besides a new bumper crop of weeds...)

Special thanks to my husband Rob for taking this ...
and making it look like this!

YES! The long awaited portable outdoor garden sink has finally come to the Panther Patch. This weekend Rob also helped me build the dirt pile box and finished the sink path from the shed that you can see in the background of the above picture. Rob is a handy guy to have around!I also want to show off few new additions to the Butterfly garden. Here is our new sign and rain gauge...

And our moss butterfly topiary. We love this big green guy! The yellow thing is a butterfly feeder. It is filled with nectar and ready to go.

The butterfly garden is coming along so nicely under the care of Mrs. Kinsey!

This week Shae Dickey and Mrs. Hair re-painted Alaska for us. Once again all 50 states are represented on our BIG Panther Patch US map.We also were able to put the ladybug house up and will be ready to release ladybugs soon.
Speaking of homes in the Panther Patch, it looks like someone took advantage of the quiet and solitude from a week of TAKS and rain to build a home! Can you see what these are?
YEP! We have bunnies!

I bet that mommy bunny had no idea she was planting her babies in an outdoor classroom used by over 600 kids. (Here's hoping this does not end badly!) The cabbage that Kindergarten planted may not have much of a chance once these guys start hopping around.

But we can't blame the bunnies as it seems like the Panther Patch is a favorite hangout for quite a few people... Thanks so much to Emily & Kathryn Christian, Jeanne Dittman, Kristi & the whole Miller family, Rob & Kolby Grosz, Shae, Mrs. Hair, and Mrs. Kinsey for all the work you did in the Panther Patch this week!
Next up is the Faculty/Staff Open House this Wednesday.
Happy Teacher Appreciation week!

Update

The Panther Patch is almost finished... well this phase of it anyway! :)
The sign is now up on the front gate..

Kindergarten, First and Second grades have already visited the Panther Patch and planted their grade level beds...

Kindergarten's vegetable beds

First grades flower beds

Second grades plant and seed flower beds

The Panther Patch committee has begun putting on the finishing touches that will make the Panther Patch an even more fun and educational place for our teachers and students to visit.
Next week we have our Faculty and Staff Open House and Third grade will plant their beds.
The Panther Patch is on it's way to becoming a vital part of SVE!

Teacher Open House

Panther Patch Committee Shirt

The Panther Patch Committee is making these shirts and we are willing to share! Available in hot pink or bright orange ink and youth and adult sizes, these shirts are $10.00 each.
Email Stephanie Grosz at groszfam@yahoo.com if you are interested in ordering.

There will be different Girl and Boy shirts with another design/designs available through the PTA in mid-May for only $5.00 if you would like to wait.

Look what is going up today!!!!

 

 

New friends in the Panther Patch

Spring has come to the Panther Patch!

The Triangle is slowly transforming from a blank brick hot box to a beautiful butterfly/reading garden. This week Mrs. Kinsey and Mrs. R planted the butterfly bed. (4 months ago and today)








Mrs Kinsey also added some beautiful Hibiscus to the pots by the door.

Out by the slab there were also some improvements.

This week Kristi Miller was able to finish the picnic tables for us and she power washed walls and the slab. Thanks Kristi! Now we can arrange the picnic tables without interfering with the map and we are ready for our painters to paint a new Alaska!

Amother HUGE thanks to Chris and Brenda Lewis (and Holly!) who came out today and finished the paver pathway to the slab!!! The Lewis' have been so great to pitch in whenever we need help. Thank you Lewis family!

AND Look who came home to Roost in the Panther Patch this week...

Introducing Gerty the Garden Bird!

Gerty stands across the slab from our grade level planting beds and keeps a watchful eye on our gardens. Since she flaps her wings and moves in the wind you might think she is about to fly away! But we have made very sure she will stay put and watch over the Spring Valley Gardens for many years to come!!!

Gerty isn't the only new resident in the Panther Patch! Meet Pax the P-Patch baby panther! Pax seems to be keeping a close eye on Gerty! He plans to hang out under the arbor and let the creeping jasmine hide him so someday he can sneak up on that big orange bird across the way!

Isn't he cute! Pax is part of the finishing touches planned on the P Patch arbor.

This week several grades will come out to the P Patch to plant their grade level gardens!

We are so excited to finallly let the students of Spring Valley experience the P Patch! We can't wait until the Panther Patch is complete and fully operational!!!

What a difference 4 months can make!

If you have any questions or suggestions please let us know in comments!
The Panther Patch Committee

What's new this week?

UPDATE: We are going to work this Sunday April 5th from 3pm to 6 pm if anyone would like to invest a little sweat equity into The Panther Patch! Wear your mud shoes, gloves and bring a trowel!

This week our weather vane finally came to roost on the weather pole! Hope to have more weather items up soon!

Two things that were not there this time last week! Our copper topped bird feeder and the our rooster weather vane.

AND a HUGE thanks to Mrs. Kinsey and Mrs. Ridlehuber who plated the window box for us! It is just perfect! Can't wait to see more green and growing thing sprout to life in the panther patch!

We are getting greener every week!