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Show A-8 The Park Record Wed/Thurs/Fri, January 10-12, 2018 Growing a generation of gardeners Parents hope to see superintendent stay Greenhouse has been approved for Parley’s Park Some concerned about having too many new leaders CAROLYN WEBBER The Park Record Tricia Perkins knows how hard it can be to keep kindergarteners’ attention while teaching. So, the Parley’s Park Elementary School teacher decided to find a more interactive teaching method. What started as an idea to have small gardening boxes for her students evolved into a greenhouse that could be constructed as early as this month. The greenhouse will be available for use for all students at the school. Perkins said that the idea stemmed from wanting to give students an opportunity to have hands-on learning experiences in order to hold, touch and manipulate plants rather than learning about them through books or videos. She also wanted to teach students about where food comes from and the science behind the life cycle. “A greenhouse could bring the whole school together with that and hit on a lot of the standards across the grades,” she said. Perkins originally thought about purchasing small garden beds, but soon realized it would be hard to teach gardening during the winter months. So, she applied for a grant to make a greenhouse in 2016. After being CAROLYN WEBBER The Park Record COURTESY OF COURTNEY CAPLAN The courtyard space in which Parley’s Park officials plan to construct the greenhouse. The cement has already been laid and the parts for the structure are ready for construction. denied because of policies about building structures on school property, she decided to find another way. A parent of one of her students, Courtney Caplan, heard about the idea and happened to be the president of the board for the nonprofit EATS Park City, which provides healthy food to students in Park City and has gardens at various schools. Caplan immediately agreed to help. The nonprofit donated its time and support for Perkins as it helped her plan the structure and COURTESY OF COURTNEY CAPLAN The rendering of the greenhouse for Parley’s Park Elementary School. find funding for the project. The planned 12-by-16-foot structure will sit on a piece of cement, which has already been laid out on the backside of the school. Depending on weather and curriculum plans for teachers, the structure could be erected in a month, Caplan said. The nonprofit EATS also plans to offer lesson plans and other resources for teachers once the structure is complete. The greenhouse is being funded by a combined effort of the Parley’s Park parent-teacher association, the Park City School District and private donors, Perkins said. David Gomez, principal of the school, said that he is excited at the prospect of the diverse lessons from the greenhouse. “They learn not just about how things grow, but their responsibility in growing is a huge part of it too,” he said. “We can branch off in so many different ways.” There is the possibility of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) application as well. Gomez said that students might design a watering mechanism or discuss plans for heating it with solar panels. Plus he said that he loves the idea of providing experiences for students that they normally would not have. For Perkins, she said that one of her favorite benefits is that the greenhouse will allow the students to spend class time outdoors during the middle of the school day. “The more you engage somebody in learning, the more they actually learn,” she said. “It’s a natural movement. Instead of me being like, ‘OK, head, shoulders, knees and toes,’ they are digging in the dirt. It’s not an artificial movement I have to come up on my own.” Perkins is also hopeful that students who learn about growing can then take the information home to their families with confidence to grow plants at home. As someone who is fearful of growing plants herself, she is excited to learn how to care for plants in a mountain climate alongside her students. Caplan said that the children might be more apt to eat the food they grow, too, which is beneficial when teaching about eating healthy foods. “When kids are involved in something from start to finish and watching a plant grow before their very eyes, they take ownership and pride in the process,” she said. “I’m excited for the myriad of options at the school.” When Park City Superintendent Ember Conley announced that she would be resigning from her position at the end of the school year, several parents silently wished that she would stay. Then, one parent decided to voice her opinion. Christina Miller, a mother of three students in the Park City School District, said that there was no way she was going to see Conley go without doing what she could to convince her to stay. She, along with other parents, have been aiming to gather support for a new movement called “Don’t Let Ember Go.” Ultimately, Miller said, she hopes to see Conley rescind her resignation. To do that, Miller and Christie Worthington, president of the Park City School District Parent Teacher Organization Council, have been telling parents and community leaders to write letters to the Board of Education explaining how they feel about Conley leaving. They hope that the Board will then discuss with Conley her reasons for leaving and find a solution together. “Whether you are pro or con, you need to get involved and write something so that the Board understands your position,” Miller said. Andrew Caplan, president of the Board, said that the Board has received a handful of letters and emails. “Probably five to six at this point, asking us to do what we can to keep the superintendent,” he said. Miller hopes to see the Board ask Conley to stay by its next meeting on Jan. 19. But, she said that the movement is more than just getting Conley back. It is to remedy some of the reasons that she left, whether issues with the Board or negative attitudes in the community. Conley has not openly shared her reasons for resigning, but Caplan said in a previous interview with The Park Record that negative comments from parents and community members took a toll on her. She said that regardless of her role in the community moving forward, she hopes to emulate kindness and not to “hide behind our keyboards.” Conley said that her intention when she came to Park City five years ago was to stay for a length of time and then retire. She said that she has been honored to serve as the superintendent but that she has no set plans moving forward. “There are lots of opportunities in education, not only in our community but throughout the state. I am being very open to the opportunities that are before me,” she said. But, she said, staying in the district could be one of those opportunities. Caplan said that the Board does not want to see her go, but that it feels like there is “very little we can do to keep her.” “It’s not our choice,” he said. “It’s something that is out of our control.” Although parents and teachers might want her back, Conley said that her employment is controlled by the Board, soC her fate will ultimately come out of a conversation with its members. Worthington said that several parents reached out to her after Conley announced her resignation telling her how upset they were. When Miller told her that she was rounding up community leaders to write letters to the Board, Worthington began to tell parents. So far, several have been supportive. Teachers she contacted were in favor of the idea too. Worthington’s major concern is that there have been several departures from the district this school year, including two Board members and associate superintendent Kathy Einhorn, P fi C Please see Parents, A-9 PROFESSIONAL LIFESTYLE ELEVATED • Elegant, turn-key executive suites and work stations designed to motivate and increase your bottom line. • Short/long term leases available. • Secured underground parking available. FINALS Top scorers from the qualifiers will compete in The Park Record Bee on March 6, 2018. Winner of The Park Record Bee will compete in the Scripps National Bee in May 2018. FINALS WILL BE MARCH 6, 2018 AT THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE. 328 Main St, Park City Join us to support our schools and our students! 2nd and 3rd graders start at 4pm 4th - 8th graders start at 6pm COMING NEXT MONTH! INQUIRE NOW FOR A FREE FIRST MONTH* *Limited time offer and rules apply The UPS Store Park City, Utah 435.640.4964 | theprospectpc.com 2078 Prospector Avenue |