Photo taken on Planting Day at JJP School (May 14, 2025).
In the spring of 2025, with support from ReWild Long Island, Judy Jacobs Parkway School in Plainview, NY, established its first native pollinator garden. This initiative was born from the desire of our students to contribute to their school and community, all while positively impacting the environment.
Thanks to the dedication of our teachers and administrators, an underutilized school courtyard has transformed into a vibrant outdoor space used by the Kindergarten through 4th-grade students. The garden, filled with plants native to Long Island, including purple coneflower, black chokeberry, moss phlox, sweet goldenrod, New York aster, little bluestem, yarrow, and foxglove beardtongue, was carefully selected to provide visual interest throughout the year and significant benefits for birds and insects. The stone pathway allows students to walk through the garden and observe up close the thriving wildlife that it supports, from the bees and butterflies that pollinate the flowers to the birds that feed on the insects.
Adjacent to the native pollinator garden, the school has set up an “outdoor classroom.” This space encourages teachers to bring their students to the courtyard for some fresh air and time in nature. It is a place to learn more about native plants, their crucial role in supporting local pollinators, and why protecting natural areas is so important. By creating this native ecosystem, the school aims to foster a deeper appreciation for the environment and promote sustainable practices within the community for generations to come.
The students, teachers and administrators at Judy Jacobs Parkway School are grateful to ReWild Long Island for its thoughtful mentorship throughout this process and its investment in Plainview. Their support for our students' learning journey is invaluable.
For more information about the ReWild Garden at JJP School, please email jclampitt@pobschools.org.
