Paumanok Elementary School, part of the Half Hollow Hills Central School District in Dix Hills, Long Island, is a community of learners committed to inspiring curiosity, collaboration, and responsible citizenship. Our school is dedicated to providing students with meaningful opportunities to connect their learning to the world around them and to become thoughtful stewards of their community and environment.
Under the care, direction, and brainstorming of KimMarie Lennon and Kerry Frain, both second grade teachers at Paumanok Elementary School, this project began with a simple vision: to transform an underutilized courtyard space into something beautiful, purposeful, and meaningful for the entire school community.
“We saw an opportunity to transform an empty space into a place where every child could learn, explore, engage and discover the incredible world right outside their classroom.”
Our Native Pollinator Garden will transform our centralized courtyard into a living classroom where students can explore the unique ecosystems of Long Island through direct, hands-on experiences. Students across all grade levels will participate in designing, preparing, planting, observing, and caring for the garden. The garden will provide opportunities to learn about native plants, pollinators, biodiversity, seasonal changes, weather, ecosystems, and the ways people can help protect and restore our environment.
“We wanted to create a space that would not only beautify our school, but inspire our students to care for and protect the environment they call home.”
This project is being made possible through the generous support and dedication of ReWild Long Island. ReWild's commitment to educating communities about the importance of native habitats and empowering schools to create meaningful environmental change has made a tremendous impact. Their dedication to informing communities and supporting native gardening efforts in schools has helped make it possible for Paumanok to turn this vision into a lasting educational resource for our students.
The garden will provide meaningful connections to science and sustainability throughout the elementary years. Younger students will observe bees and butterflies, explore plant needs, and investigate seasonal changes and life cycles. Older students will study pollination, biodiversity, habitat loss, weather impacts, erosion, ecosystem relationships, and environmental and climate change. Students will see firsthand how native plants provide food and shelter for wildlife, support pollinators, absorb rainwater, protect soil, and contribute to a healthier local ecosystem.
Our school community will take an active role in stewardship. Students will help prepare and care for the garden, while staff and families will support its continued growth and maintenance. Over time, we hope this garden becomes a shared space for learning, creativity, reflection, and community connection. We also want to thank our school community for all their support to help with the necessary tools and items to make our garden strong. As well, with the support to give our teachers the proper training and education behind having such a wonderful garden in our school.
Through this project, Paumanok is creating more than a garden…we are creating a living classroom and lasting legacy for our students. We hope to inspire children to understand that they can make a difference and that even small actions can have a meaningful impact on the natural world around them.