After months of effort, a dedication event was held on November 1 for Head O’ Meadow Elementary School’s new “Kinder Garden.”

Head O’ Meadow kindergarten teachers Lisa Dievert, Miryam Kuligowski, Debbie Keith, and Head O’ Meadow parent Travis Tietjen, the owner of Good to Grow Gardens of Newtown, oversaw the project. The group applied for a Newtown Education Foundation (NEF) grant to repurpose an area on the school’s grounds with a garden. According to Ms Dievert, the project received $2,829 from NEF; a garden was located in the same space years ago.

Mr Tietjen designed the new garden and worked with a group of volunteers, including community member Kirk Blanchard, to create the new outdoor space.

The garden is adjacent to the outdoor play area for younger students at the school. It is fenced in, and raised garden beds are situated throughout the interior. According to Ms Dievert, bulbs were planted in the beds before the dedication event was held.

Before Mr Tietjen was asked to cut a ribbon to symbolize the opening of the garden, Ms Dievert told a gathering of volunteers, parents, and students, “We are so excited to officially open our garden.”

Ms Dievert said she hopes the new garden will be a working classroom for the school and that eventual harvests will support local food pantries.

“Our hope is to give back to the community,” said Ms Dievert.

A stone with the words, “Head O’ Meadow ‘Kinder’ Garden, Special Thanks to Travis Tietjen, Dedication October, 2018” was placed in the garden near the entrance.