7.5. SR 12-21-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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J+ Abatement Grant Proposal for Outdoor Nature Classroom and Playeround November, 2009 Proposed by: Nature Classroom Committee A sub-group of The Parent Advisory Council of Elk River School District Early Childhood Family Education Program Proposed Location: Handke Center in Elk River, MN Section 1: Overview The,Handke Center, overlooking historic Handke Stadium in downtown Elk River is adding something-new to its landscape - an Outdoor Nature Classroom and Playground.. The Handke Center is home to many Elk River organizations including Community Education, Early Childhood Family Education, Early. Childhood Special Education, Head Start, Adult Basic Education and the English as a Second Language Program. Each year, over 1,800 children attend classes at the Handke Center making it an ideal location for the outdoor Nature Classroom and Playground. The Nature Classroom will be located on the northwest side of the Handke Stadium and is committed to the city of Elk River's vision statements to blend and build a natural environment that ties into the historic resource within our community. Elk River will also have the distinct identity of being one of only three Nature Explore Classrooms within the State of Minnesota. Elk River Parks and Recreation Director Bill Maertz and Elk River Parks and Recreation Commissioner Dave Anderson have both been involved in the planning stages of the Nature Classroom and will continue to work with the committee as the project progresses. In addition to reaching out to families within the Handke Center, the doors will be open to all city residents and their families as a featured park destination. Section 2: What is a Nature Classroom? In conjunction with the Dimensions Foundation and the Arbor Day Foundation, a concept plan has been developed for the Handke site based onfield-tested, research- based principles for creating effective spaces that support children's interactions with the natural world: It is believed that in today's scheduled, indoor, and screen-heavy (computer, TV, video game) environments that children are not getting enough. interaction with the outdoors in what is referred to as "green" spaces, in short this means the spaces are full of natural materials, and organic in their structure.