Reply #11: Agro-urban sustainability charter school

[mzteris]

being proposed for Madison.

". . . Math class might be in a tomato patch, science in a rain garden, and language arts in a greenhouse. But one thing is certain: Students at Badger Rock Middle School, a proposed year-round charter school for Madison's South Side, would be getting their hands dirty.

The idea for a year-round "agro-urban" school ringed with vegetable gardens and orchards is moving forward with an eye towards opening as soon as fall 2011.

. . . The school would emphasize "culturally relevant" teaching, designed to bridge the achievement gap between white and minority students by helping teachers better understand their students' home culture. The concept is promoted by UW-Madison professor Gloria Ladson-Billings, who along with other university faculty is working on developing the charter school.

"We really think this would be a regional and national model for communities working together with school districts," said Brenda Baker, director of exhibits at Madison Children's Museum and a member of the school planning team. "MMSD will not be paying for the building. The Center for Resilient Cities, along with our group, will be fundraising for this project and for the whole operation."

. . . "Beginning this spring, we will have projects growing that will be very evident on the site" such as hoop houses and community gardening work. Eventually the property could include "floating growing platforms" that rise and fall with stormwater levels, and an "edible landscape" with nut and fruit trees and berry bushes.

"It would sweeten the idea for everybody, I think, if every child in the Madison School District could go on a one-day field trip and work on the farm," Baker said. "It feels synergistic - we're really feeding off each other's energy and supporting each other, so we're hoping that it all can happen."


What a great idea!!