Vision for ‘Forest Classroom’ in Garrison Takes Shape
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
By Holly Crocco
The Garrison Union Free School District is considering developing an outdoor educational learning space on forested property that has been deeded to the district over the past 70 years.
“This is something that, obviously, there is a lot of interest in and the board is very excited about,” said Garrison School Board President Dan Jasnow at the board’s Feb. 11 meeting.
The project would cost just shy of $500,000.
According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Greg Stowell, the district was deeded a total of 181 acres of forest between 1956 and 2003, and for a number of years there has been discussion about how to best leverage it to provide immersive, disciplinary instruction for students in a natural environment.
An advisory committee was formed last year, and money was set aside in this school year’s budget to work with architects to design a proposal.
According to Jeana Fletcher, a landscape designer with CPL Architecture, Engineering & Planning, the project calls for developing a parking area off Route 403 and a 5-foot-wide trail that leads to a clearing where “classroom” lean-to structures would be located.
She said the committee sought a site that could house visiting school groups, so the parking lot needs to be able to fit school buses, as well as allow emergency vehicle access, in the event of an incident. Composting, accessible toilets would be placed adjacent to the parking lot so they can be easily maintained, and would have a solar-powered fan and ventilation system.
No drilling or plumbing would be necessary.
All aspects of the proposal would be Americans With Disabilities Act-complaint and fully accessible.
“The site was really picked because the terrain opens up a little bit,” explained David Hunsberger, principal architect at CPL. “The idea is the path is going to run through the space, and the structures are going to be a stop along that… The committee was very determined to see a variety of learning spaces. There’s going to be small group instruction, there’s going to be times when the groups need to come together and get some direction, and then go out and do their own thing.”
Therefore, the plan includes a number of different seating configurations using natural elements for kids to sit on, draw at, explore, make observations from, and jump around to.
“It seems to be a lively space but also focuses around that structure, which we call a gathering space, which gives them a home base to come back to,” said Hunsberger. “The classroom itself will also have spaces for displaying projects or art.”
The structures will be made of natural materials, including a simple shed roof, and a storage area for teacher supplies.
The site would be closed down in the winter months.
“That looks amazing,” Jasnow told the consultants after their presentation. “In my opinion, this accomplishes a couple of very important goals that we have heard about from our staff and the administration here, as well as from community members, which is making sure – number one – that our school forest which is this incredible resource we have as a district, a unique resource, is more accessible to our entire community and to all of our students.”
He said the other main piece is making sure the district can leverage the resource to deepen educational opportunities for students – having a location to display artwork, offering different types of learning environments, and even making it a center for data collection or a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) lab.
“In my view, I think it seems like we’re very much on the right track to hitting those very important goals,” said Jasnow.
The project may be completed in two phases, with the parking lot and trail upgrades coming first, along with the bathroom, followed by the creation of the teaching structures.
The total cost estimate of the project is $493,740.
“Based on what we’ve seen and what we expect, these prices are in line with what we’re thinking the cost will be,” said Hunsberger.
Superintendent Stowell explained that a maintenance budget has been considered, to periodically replace gravel, service the bathroom regularly, and provide necessary upkeep. “That was a really big discussion, and that’s going to be part of our budgeting process,” he said.
February’s school board meeting was the first presentation by architects regarding the proposal. After gathering feedback from students, parents, teachers, and the greater community, the board will consider incorporating the project in the 2026-27 budget as a capital project. Bidding could take place next spring, with work to commence in the summer of 2027.
Trustee Peter Lesser, who chaired the advisory committee, praised the proposal.
“I love the fact that you really listened to the idea of making the classroom not so separate from the forest, and I think we heard that from the teachers, too – you go to the forest to be in the forest,” he said.
Stowell said the community’s response to the project has been positive. “We have this wonderful resource, and what better way to leverage it?” he asked.
Garrison is designated by the New York State Department of Education as a Green Ribbon School, and having this resource would expand on the district’s teachings regarding sustainability and environmental education, but in a natural forest.
“It’s hands-on – you just can’t duplicate that in the classroom,” said Stowell.
Comments