New outdoor classrooms at Dutch Valley and Fairview elementary schools

Construction has been completed on outdoor classrooms at Dutch Valley and Fairview elementary schools in Anderson County, and students, officials, and volunteers will celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.

The classrooms were built with a $20,000 grant awarded to Keep Anderson County Beautiful in the spring of 2012. The grant was from Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation.

The new outdoor classrooms each include an 18-foot by 36-foot concrete pad with a covered pavilion and picnic tables that allow students to see and study nature in all seasons and different weather, a press release said.

“The covered pavilion not only will provide sheltered learning for students, but it can also be used by community members while enjoying our playground and track areas,” Fairview Elementary School Principal Karen Cupples said.

The two schools have also constructed wetlands on their properties that are fed by storm water off each school’s roof and parking areas. In addition, rainwater from the pavilions’ roofs is collected in rain barrels, which augment the flow to the wetlands during hot summer weather, the release said.

Students will take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new outdoor classrooms at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Fairview Elementary School  and at 1 p.m. at Dutch Valley Elementary School. The community is invited to attend both events.

“KACB, as an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, was able to apply for the Lowe’s grant and is delighted to be able to partner with the Anderson County schools to provide a good learning platform to enhance environmental education for these students,” KACB Chair Ruby Miller said.

KACB will also be planting a native Tennessee River Birch tree at both schools to honor three special 2012 volunteers: Geoff Trabalka, Anderson County recycling coordinator; Steven Forbes, professional engineer and Arcadis project manager; and Gary Long, Anderson County road superintendent.

The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation funds nonprofit organizations and public agencies that support their charitable goals. The foundation’s primary philanthropic focus centers on K–12 public education and community improvement. For more information on the Lowe’s Foundation, see here and here.

KACB is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and engage people to take greater responsibility for improving their environment. Learn more about the organization at www.KeepAndersonCountyBeautiful.org.

Fairview Elementary School is at 6715 Hickory Valley Rd. in Heiskell. The phone number is (865) 494-7959.

Dutch Valley Elementary is at 1044 Dutch Valley Road in Clinton. The phone number is (865) 457-2599.