“Going Green” seems to be the latest buzz-phrase, with every business and group from Macy’s to the White House spreading the message. At Barnert, the decision to “go green” is being taken very seriously. With Jessie Losch as our guru, the entire teaching staff is jumping into our environmental-conversion with excitement and commitment. And most importantly, we are not just “going green.” We are “growing green”. For us, this is a new lifestyle.

In the coming months, we will finally see the creation of the Nana Cele Outdoor Classroom, a greenhouse and incredible set of gardens in which children will plant and harvest their own herbs and vegetables. We are now recycling as many things as we can. Each child will receive his/her own reusable water bottle for lunch, helping us cut down on the waste created by disposable bottles.

This doesn’t need to overwhelm you (though it can feel that way at times). We want you to join us in our transition, so we are going to make this as fun, meaningful and user-friendly as possible.

This week is Earth Week at Barnert Preschool. Every day, the children will participate in interactive, developmentally appropriate activities designed to make them think and act differently toward the environment and planet. The planet is ultimately going to be theirs. We believe that by starting early, our children will grow up taking that responsibility very seriously. Over time, taking care of the world and environment won’t be something special we do. It will simply be part of who we are and how we behave.

Everyday this week, you will receive a “plantable” tip of the day. These tips will be printed on special seeded paper. You can literally plant the strip of paper in a pot of dirt (or in your garden) when you are done with it. You should see your Earth Garden of flowers grow within two weeks! Even better than recycling!!