Important Steps to Developing a Sustainable Outdoor Classroom
By April Lupardus Waltz, AWF Conservation Programs Specialist

If your school would like to develop an effective, sustainable Outdoor Classroom, then consider enrolling in our Alabama Outdoor Classroom program. If you are unsure as to whether or not you would like to create an Outdoor Classroom on your campus, you can schedule an on-site visit with our staff and we can discuss the program with your faculty so you can learn more.

After you have reviewed the information and decided that you would like to participate in our program, your first step is to obtain administrative approval for your project. It is essential to have your administrator's support as you integrate the Outdoor Classroom into your school's curriculum. In addition, your administrator should know of any future building plans for the campus so that you can avoid possible construction conflicts such as new parking lots or baseball fields that may be slated for the same area as your Outdoor Classroom site.

Once you have administrative approval, survey your teachers, parents, and students to determine their level of interest and support. Keep in mind that no parent, teacher or administrator should try to develop and maintain an Outdoor Classroom by herself. Without school-wide support your project will not be as successful, and if you ever leave the school the project will most likely fold. Therefore, you should organize a planning committee including students, teachers, administrators, maintenance staff, parents, community members, and volunteers to assist with the planning and development of the Outdoor Classroom.

Next, submit your Outdoor Classroom Enrollment Application along with the one-time $50.00 registration fee to receive your Alabama Outdoor Classroom Planning Guides for your committee. Follow the guidelines in the Planning Guide as you create your master plan, and be sure to include your short-term and long-term goals, budget, funding sources, site map, project and activity ideas, stages of completion, and summer maintenance plans. The more organized you are, the more productive your planning committee will be and the more successful your project will be. As you are developing your plans, you can also schedule on-site visits with the Outdoor Classroom staff if you have questions or need additional assistance.

Once you have created your master plan and developed a site that can be used as a teaching tool and habitat for local wildlife (including sources of food, water, cover, and places to raise young on the school grounds), then you are ready to be certified. Schedule your in-service teacher training workshop for your faculty, fill out your applications for certification, and schedule your on-site review.

After reviewing your application and evaluating your Outdoor Classroom, we will work with you to hold an official Dedication Ceremony for your school to celebrate your certification and recognize your efforts. At the Ceremony, we will present you with your official Alabama Outdoor Classroom sign to post on your school grounds, and your Alabama Outdoor Classroom and National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitats® certificates to display in your school. As a certified Outdoor Classroom School, you will then be a model for other schools across the state who wish to create an Outdoor Classroom on their school grounds, provide hands-on learning opportunities for their students, and incorporate conservation education into their curriculum.

To learn more about the Alabama Outdoor Classroom program, visit our website at www.alabamawildlife.org. If you would like someone to visit your school to talk to you more about the program, contact April Lupardus Waltz at (256) 882-9322.