Our Journey

Come Explore with us in the RFIS Pollinator Garden! 

Reading Fleming Intermediate School (RFIS) broke ground on our pollinator garden in the Spring of 2022 thanks to donations from the Xerces Society.  The Xerces Society provided native pollinator plants.  Student volunteers planted the small plant plugs on the last days of school and then volunteers watered the plants through the summer months.

But it wasn't enough...  The hot, dry summer dried out the ground and most of the plants died.  

Still, determined students moved forward with our efforts.  They assembled and the maintenance crew installed bat houses and outdoor cameras.  A grant from Planet Stewards provided exploration equipment as well as funded the removal of a large dead tree which hung over the garden as well as milkweed seeds for the students to plant in repurposed milk jugs.  The Flemington Borough Public Works removed a cluster of ash trees and the student council planted tree saplings made possible by a donation from J and J Landscaping and Bartlett Tree Service.  In addition, the student council removed several yards of garbage and invasive plants. Students assembled bee motels with the maintenance staff again thanks to the NOAA Planet Stewards grant.  These efforts and more earned RFIS both the National Wildlife Foundation's Certified Schoolyard Habitat status and The Watershed Institute (formerly Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association), New Jersey Water Supply Authority and Raritan Headwaters Association River Friendly School award in Spring 2023.  We could not have achieved these honors without the support and guidance of Raritan Headwaters!

Our second round of planting occurred right at the end of the 2023 school year.  With another grant from the Xerces Society, volunteers planted 800 native pollinator plants AFTER the Flemington Borough Public Works donated five truckloads of root mulch and J and J Landscaping rototilled the entire area. Thanks to the healthy aerated soil, a new sprinkler set up, and the watchful eyes of a local family, the plants survived! J and J Landscaping also donated a hedge of native pollinator bushes for along the concrete wall.

In September the team faced a new challenge as plenty of rain and sunshine helped both the new plants and weeds thrive.  Weeding and mulching efforts are underway to "tame" the garden and ready it for winter.  Students from the Garden Club weeded and harvested milkweed seeds while groups of scouts spread a thick layer of bark chips. RFIS also partnered with the local Grange and Safe Harbor who have provided countless local resources on gardening and pollinators as well as enthusiastic volunteers to help in the garden.  The Boards of Safe Harbor and the Grange have funded the entrance fencing and arbor which will proudly welcome the community to the garden as well as display gratitude to our additional sponsors. The fence are arbor are scheduled to be installed in early November 2023 by Hollywood Fence. 

Between November 2023- March 2024 we applied the funds from two $10,000 grants from the NJEA HIPP Foundation and PSEG through Sustainable Jersey. 

WIth the NJEA HIPP Foundation grant we installed a pathway to make the entire garden more accessible for all students. The path winds through the garden with a much more gradual pitch, wider path, edging, and crushed gravel surface.  We installed signage which spotlights areas of interest and methods to participate with the garden's many interactive features.  Funds from the grant also allowed us to wrap up a two year long project of collecting plastic caps and lids and transforming them into benches for the outdoor classroom and walking path. Students contributed to the collection through a coin collection and the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning sponsored the truck rental. 

Second, an additional $10,000 grant was received from PSEG through Sustainable Jersey to develop an outdoor education program and  integrate technology.  The end goal is for students and the community to participate in Citizen Scientist and NASA GLOBE programs throughout the year both in school and at home.  This grant allowed us to installed a deer fence, lending library, trash and recycling bins, and 2 display cases.