Mission
Volunteers help our students learn about growing vegetables.
The mission of The Green Team is the stewardship of our schools’ outdoor spaces with a focus on sustainability. The Green Team collaborates closely with staff to provide outdoor learning spaces to support Montessori philosophy and curriculum.
We strive to make our school an inviting presence in our community through beautification projects, while always striving for sustainability.
We are dedicated to maintaining the school’s current green projects, including a focus on recycling, composting and growing food through sustainability.
Our Students are the driving force behind the ideas and planning in Green Team meetings and projects. Our goal is to create awareness to students and families of the importance of preserving and enhancing the environmental for the present and the future.
Our Completed Projects
In 2018 BVM was awarded a Schoolyard Redevelopment grant by Reflo and a consortium of environmental organizations throughout the City of Milwaukee. UWM Architecture graduate students and REFLO created the plan which included: a soccer field, track, 4 outdoor classrooms, gardens, bioswales and a cistern, which has completely transformed our campus. This project benefits our school and community at-large with an environmental impact. An underground cistern captures Lake Michigan runoff. The soccer and kickball fields offer more opportunities for recreation.
Our families are committed to their children’s educational experiences. Through a fundraising effort, the BVM Fund was able to raise $100,000 to supplement the $500,000 project. Area environmental agencies supplemental the remainder of the cost. With the guidance of Reflo, we made it happen!
Our First Project
Our first project was designing, planning, and executing the building of a cedar fence surrounding a perennial garden at our Lower Campus in 2013-14. Parents and grandparents volunteered to build the fence and arbor, paint window well railings, lay stepping stones that the students created, and gather and plant perennials. The garden has flourished over the years and is maintained by the Green Team.
We now have three raised vegetable and herb garden in the back of our Lower Campus. The gardens offer our school beautification to our landscape, as well as providing Botany lessons for our students.
Volunteer Opportunities
BVM diverts trash from the BV Bash for Kompost Kids!
There are always volunteer opportunities available at Bay View Montessori. You are welcome to weed our perennial garden and/or maintain our vegetable gardens in the back of the Lower Campus building. We’re always looking for new ideas and volunteers. There’s a lot more to do!
We’d love to hear your ideas!!
GE Day
Volunteers from General Electric came to the Lower Campus in August of 2017-18 to beautify and add to our grounds. These are just some of the additions:
- Built 3 large benches for our perennial gardens, weeded and laid mulch
- Created an out-door classroom in the back of the building
- Painted a U.S. map on the playground asphalt
- Created a wooden Welcome sign over the entrance door
- Wove blue privacy strips through the playground chain link fence
Future Projects with ESSER Funds
Through grants from the Federal Government our Lower Campus will receive an outdoor classroom. Many facilities updates will be completed at both campuses to enhance both our buildings, and our learning environments. Bottle filling stations will replace water fountains. New shades and windows will help beautify our learning spaces. LED lights help bring down energy costs. Many other projects are in store for our community!