Bright Futures Outdoors

Impact: All students at MMS

Our campus is committed to creating innovative, engaging, and student-centered learning opportunities. One way we are working toward this vision is by developing an Outdoor Learning Center that will serve as an extension of the classroom and provide a flexible space for instruction, collaboration, and reward-based student experiences. Currently, teachers across multiple grade levels have expressed the need for an additional instructional space. While our classrooms meet many needs, the ability to move learning outdoors offers a different level of engagement, creativity, and focus. Teachers consistently report that students benefit from a change of environment and the chance to learn in fresh air. An Outdoor Learning Center would provide this second classroom space, allowing teachers to rotate lessons and better meet the diverse learning needs of their students.

Our science department, in particular, has identified an urgent need for such a space. Many science lessons involve outdoor observation, data collection, and hands-on exploration. While students are able to gather information outside, they do not currently have a structured place to sit, reflect, and record their findings. Having an outdoor space with seating and writing surfaces would allow science instruction to be more effective, bridging the gap between hands-on learning and academic reflection. This would not only strengthen our science curriculum but also provide opportunities for cross-curricular integration, such as writing, math, data analysis, and art.

In addition to instructional benefits, the Outdoor Learning Center will support our schoolwide positive behavior initiative. This year, we launched the 5 Star Students program, which allows students to earn points for demonstrating respect, responsibility, and leadership. Students can redeem these points for rewards, and when we surveyed them to gather ideas, one of the most requested rewards was the ability to eat lunch outside. Unfortunately, our current campus layout does not include a safe or designated space to fulfill this request. By developing an Outdoor Learning Center, we can provide students with a structured area to enjoy lunch outdoors as a reward for positive behavior. This will not only encourage continued participation in our behavior program but also help create a stronger, more positive school culture.

The vision for the Outdoor Learning Center is a versatile, functional, and welcoming space. The area will include durable seating and tables to allow for group lessons, independent work, and science experiments. Teachers will be able to bring entire classes outside to combine classes for collaborative projects. The center will serve as an extension of our campus, providing multiple pathways for students to learn and grow. The impact of this project will extend far beyond the physical space. Students will benefit academically by having new opportunities to engage with content in meaningful, real-world ways. They will benefit socially and emotionally by enjoying a calming outdoor environment and by being recognized for their positive choices through the 5 Star Students program. Teachers will gain flexibility in their instruction, the ability to conduct more effective science lessons, and the chance to re-energize student learning by offering a change of scenery.

Our goal is to design an Outdoor Learning Center that truly reflects the needs and voices of our school community. Teachers have requested the additional classroom space, science instruction requires it for authentic exploration, and students themselves have advocated for a designated outdoor area. This project brings together all of those needs into one purposeful solution. By funding this initiative, you will help us transform an underutilized outdoor area into a vibrant learning environment. This investment will not only enrich academic experiences but also support positive behavior, student engagement, and school pride. With your support, we can create an Outdoor Learning Center that inspires learning, rewards positive actions, and becomes a lasting part of our school’s culture.