New Greenhouse Will Pay Dividends for Special-Needs Students, Administrator Says

A newly completed student greenhouse will not only teach Collingswood high school and middle school students hands-on gardening skills, but will also act as a vital teaching tool for special-needs students for years to come.

The greenhouse officially opened Feb. 27 in a ceremony that drew some 75 guests.

“Instead of sitting in a classroom, it’s an opportunity to build points of interest; a different approach to learning,” said Joanne Plescia, director of the Collingswood child study teams.

Agricultural projects teach transitional skills, including self-advocacy, problem-solving, stress management and responsibility. For some students, these projects will be "the first thing they’ve done that’s been successful," Plescia said.

“There’s a group of kids that by the time they come to the sixth grade, they’re disaffected,” she said. “They don’t feel like they have a lot of options; maybe they go to college, maybe they don’t.”

Plescia says the greenhouse can help teach prevocational skills, such as asking questions, showing initiative, arriving on time and dressing appropriately for work. These are necessary elements of career readiness that special-needs students may not acquire outside of a dedicated program.

As the projects yield fruits, flowers and vegetables, these same students will learn how to retail their products, she said.

“It’s about keeping kids in the local community and letting the community know that they belong,” Plescia said. “Once they see and work with the kids, the kids get a real sense of accomplishment.”

The greenhouse is also the centerpiece of an action plan to develop an economically sound, sustainable energy plan for the district. As part of the New Jersey Sustainable Schools project, Collingswood representatives will attend a green conference in Blackwood this summer. Plescia expects their findings will drive greater use of the facility going forward.

Credit where it’s due

Plescia also emphasized the importance to the project of Al Hird, director of grounds and maintenance for the school district, who oversaw the development and construction of the greenhouse.

At the Feb. 27 meeting of the , which followed immediately after the grand opening of the facility, Superintendent Scott Oswald surprised Hird by announcing that the structure would be christened “The Hird House.”

Board president James Hatzell addressed Hird directly:

“You are an extremely dedicated employee, and this could also be a general honor to you and a general dedication to you,” he said. “You treat the district buildings like your own home. We’re only able to institute the shared services with other districts because you keep the buildings in tip-top shape.”