Greenhouse-Cheri Bloom

Greenhouse and Sustainability with Ms. Cheri Bloom
cmblooms@comcast.net
Schedule: Mon, Wed, Thurs: 12-3:20pm
Specialists/PCP Schedule 2009-10 (.xls)

It is hard to believe it, but we are at the end of another school year. It has been quite a year for the Greenhouse and Garden Program and the New Outdoor Community Classroom.

Without going into great detail about what we’ve grown and the new Green Team and being certified as a green school in the composting and recycling the thing that stands out most for me is that we turned the corner as a community.

This year 75 people attended our Arbor Day Work Party. Families, teachers, students and community members offered up their time, money, expertise and hard work to launch a new space for our school and our community. I know I have made new friends and deepened connections with others. I know from the shouts across the playground that the students feel proud and excited as well.

I am heading off early to be with my son who has been studying in Italy. While I am gone families will be caring for the gardens throughout the summer.

I want to thank you all for supporting this program and me.

It is truly my pleasure to spend my days in the greenhouse and garden with your children. Wishing you all a warm and peaceful summer.

Ms. (Cheri) Bloom

Awards:

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant Spring 2009
Terry Husseman Sustainable School Award from the State of Washington Dept. of Ecology (2004, 2009)
King County Earth Hero at School (2006)
National Gardening Association-Kidsgardening Award 2003
Whole Foods 5% day (2003, 2004)
Department of Neighborhoods Grant to make Montlake a “Garden Link” and community resource

Articles:

Cleaning Up Puget Sound (see article at bottom), Sierra Club Magazine, p. 43, Nov/Dec 2009 issue.
Students and Sentinels Plant Water Garden in Seattle, Sierra Club Scrapbook
Students enjoy the fruits of the Ravioli Project, Seattle pi
Montlake Elementary greenhouse blossoms again, Seattle Times

Links:

Puget Sound School Gardens
Green Times
Composting

Mission

A greenhouse and garden program that helps link horticultural activities with the classroom, school and community.

About

In 2001, horticulturist, Cheri Bloom approached Montlake’s principal, Ms. Allan about the prospect of developing a greenhouse program with the then abandoned greenhouse structure. After receiving approval and generous support from the PTA, Ms. Bloom transformed the greenhouse into a thriving space filled with student-grown plants. Students, parents and teachers have assisted Ms. Bloom in creating an organic vegetable garden behind the greenhouse.

Gardens at Montlake

The Herb Garden
The Orchard
The Rain Garden
The Shakespeare Garden
The Sustainable Outdoor Classroom & Garden
The Vegetable Garden

Activities

Organic Gardening
Garden, worm and cafeteria composting
Stewardship: Interlaken Park, Montlake Garden Link Project, Adopt the Garden, Row for the Hungry, Community Garden Work Parties and Cooking in the Neighborhood.
Botanical Illustration
Native Plants for Interlaken Park
Locavore Project
Green Times
Ethnobotany
Field trips: Arboretum, Interlaken, Seattle Flower Show and Café Lago.
Guest speakers: Full Circle Farm, Cedar Grove Composting, Tom Douglas staff/Palace Kitchen

Community Activities

Garden Link - Strengthening our neighborhood bonds with kids' gardening.

MONTLAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Be a Reader. Be a Writer. Be a Problem Solver.