Outdoor Plan
for Greenspring Montessori School
Greenspring Montessori School completed the design phase of our Outdoor Campus Plan in 2021 through Nature Learning Initiative (NLI) of North Carolina State University. Through this work, we now have a comprehensive plan for our seven-acre campus to restore and expand our natural spaces.
What is the Outdoor Plan
Over the past several years, our staff, children, and families have worked with a firm specializing in natural play and learning environments to create a comprehensive Outdoor Plan to enhance our outdoor spaces and bring purposeful nature education to our children. When complete, our campus will provide wild spaces to explore, as well as quiet spaces for reflection, walking and riding paths for movement and fun, gardens and orchards to plant and tend to, and spaces for our classes and community to gather.
The Regions of our Outdoor Plan
Learning and Play
1. Wild Play Rain Gardens
2. Nature Trail
3. Nature Playground
4. Soccer Field and Outdoor Stage
5. Basketball Court
6. Toddler Playground (completed)
7. Potomac Playground
Community Spaces
8. Heart of Campus (completed)
9. Susquehanna Courtyard
10. Southern Courtyard
Gardens and Grounds
11. Peace Garden
12. Student-Run Orchard
Our Vision
And how you can help!
Wild Play Rain Gardens
The Need for Wild Play
There is an immense need for wild play for our children. This space provides the opportunity for children to develop a respect for the natural world and gain essential, but often overlooked skills.
Help us get there!
Once the site is graded for our rain gardens, we will need to:
- Place boulders, logs, and stepping stones for education and play.
- Construct learning decks and observation areas for children in the wild play rain gardens.
- Install a four foot wooden fence around the perimeter of the wild play area (323 ft) to meet the requirements of the Office of Childcare in order for children to use the site.
If you are able to support with any of these initiatives, please contact Kimberly Zerfas at kzerfas@greenspringmontessori.org.
Southern Courtyard Meadow
An Outdoor Classroom
When our children and Guides venture beyond the classrooms and outdoor environments, there is often a need for a collaborative outdoor classroom space. This courtyard offers a variety of exploration areas, meadowland, and multiple garden nooks.
Help us get there!
We will be building the Southern Courtyard Meadow entirely from volunteer support and in-kind contributions. To support you can:
- Click here to see our native plant list and contribute plants from our design plan
- Volunteer to plant, water, or weed the meadow area
If you are able to support with any of these initiatives, please contact Kimberly Zerfas at kzerfas@greenspringmontessori.org.
Peace Garden
A Place for Quiet Reflection
There is great value in simply being quiet, being calm, and taking time to absorb the nature around us. We are working with our children to enjoy a quiet moment in nature, observing the sights, sounds, and smells around them. The Peace Garden will serve as an area for children and adults to enjoy quiet reflection.
Help us get there!
We will be building the Peace Garden entirely from volunteer support and in-kind contributions. To support you can:
- Click here to see our native plant list and contribute plants from our design plan
- Donate benches, wooden swings, or garden sculptures for a peaceful, serene place for quiet reflection
- Volunteer to plant, water, or weed the Peace Garden area
If you are able to support with any of these initiatives, please contact Kimberly Zerfas at kzerfas@greenspringmontessori.org.
Additional Regions of our Outdoor Plan
As we complete these regions, we will continue to share new areas to work on as a community.
If there is another region of the Campus Outdoor Plan you are interested in supporting, please reach out to Shanie Nelson at snelson@greenspringmontessori.org.
Recent Updates
Native Tree Planting on Campus with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
This week the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay planted 69 native trees and shrubs across campus. This opportunity is funded by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to support the Maryland Five Million Trees initiative.We have a variety of native species, including...