The Outdoor Environmental Learning Center and Garden (OELC) is a vibrant, outdoor classroom designed to immerse learners in environmental science, sustainability, and stewardship. Made possible through a Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant awarded in 2022, the space has grown through the collective efforts of students, staff, and community partners, and officially opened with a grand opening and ribbon cutting on September 19, 2025.
The OELC includes eight raised garden beds, all planted exclusively with native New Jersey plants, as well as extensive native habitat plantings with more than 30 native shrubs and trees. These plantings provide food and shelter for wildlife year-round and support pollinators, birds, and small animals. The space is home to a wide variety of living creatures, including birds, rabbits, and even a resident groundhog family, making it a true, functioning ecosystem where students learn through real-world observation.
Designed as a hands-on learning environment, the OELC features a greenhouse, insect hotel, dead hedge, bat house, bird houses and feeders, seed library, oak tree nursery, weather station, and a passive composting bin that supports natural decomposition and waste reduction. The site also hosts the school’s Air Quality Flag Program, connecting daily environmental conditions to student learning.
The Outdoor Environmental Learning Center is proudly certified as a Jersey-Friendly Yard, a National Wildlife Federation Certified Schoolyard Habitat, a Monarch Waystation through Monarch Watch, and a Xerces Society Pollinator Habitat. These certifications reflect the school’s commitment to native ecosystems, biodiversity, and environmentally responsible practices.
Today, the OELC serves as a living classroom where students investigate ecosystems, observe seasonal change, grow food responsibly, and develop a deep connection to the natural world. It stands as a powerful example of what can happen when students, educators, and the community work together to create meaningful, lasting learning spaces.