For over 300 years, Quakers have expressed a reverence for the natural world and felt called to care for the earth. In April 2021, the school purchased an additional 3 acres with intention to conserve the green space for student and community use. After renovating the existing cottage and establishing nature trails, this area of campus became the Longleaf Center for Environmental Learning. This additional green space and learning center provide a unique place to focus on environmental stewardship and justice through interdisciplinary lessons for learners of all ages.

The Longleaf Center is named after the iconic longleaf pine, Pinus palustris, which grows throughout the property and around the cottage. 

Our Facilities Manager, Facilities Assistant, and Environmental Education Coordinator identify maintenance needs and prioritize new projects on the property, while teachers, students, and parent volunteers help with trail maintenance and other projects throughout the year. We also work closely with a landscape contractor who assists with regular mowing and other maintenance as needed.

All teachers can meet with students on the Longleaf Center grounds and use materials including microscopes, telescopes, natural history items, and books from the EE library for play and interdisciplinary lessons. Our Environmental Education Coordinator also facilitates weekly classes for students in preschool – 5th grade and collaborates with teachers and administrators to plan campus-wide activities throughout the year, such as our annual Earth Day festival.

Yes! Our program features an array of relevant environmental topics. Depending upon grade level and subject area, teachers may focus on lessons related to ecological systems and biodiversity, air and water quality, energy and climate change, stewardship of land and water, recycling and composting, sustainability, and environmental justice. 

The year-long curriculum for is based upon the study of phenology or “nature’s calendar” as we observe the changing seasons and life cycles of living organisms. We also use the framework of thematic units that may extend through a quarter, semester, or be year-long in scope. Our lessons are often specifically created for our school campus but may also draw from well-known curricula including Project Wild, Project Aquatic Wild, Project Learning Tree, and others recommended by Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) and North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).

Recognizing that living organisms have enormous power to engage students, our natural environment leads to frequent teachable moments. The discovery of an eastern box turtle on our playground or a luna moth on a sweetgum tree may become a featured lesson of the day or inspire a meaningful mini-unit. Additionally, our playgrounds feature natural play areas and woodland trails that inspire children to build with “loose parts” and create imaginative games.

We respectfully acknowledge who and what was here before us, recognizing that the land on which we walk has a deeply entrenched colonial history. We learn from and with Indigenous peoples to understand our continuing obligation to look after ancestral lands. To better understand how environmental concerns affect communities of color and other socially and economically disenfranchised people, we aim to research and learn more about issues of environmental racism and climate justice. We also seek to increase the public access to green space, particularly for marginalized communities.

Cultivating partnerships with community organizations strengthens our environmental teaching and connects our students to important initiatives beyond our campus. In the spring of 2021, our school was honored to receive a GreenPower Solar+Schools grant for solar education projects and STEM training for teachers. We also are in partnership with UNCW's Recycling Services program and professors and students within the Department of Environmental Sciences. Finally, we continue to build relationships with Cape Fear Audubon, the NC Native Plants Society, Cape Fear Bird Observatory, New Hanover County Arboretum, Cape Fear River Watch, Island Wildlife, and NC Coastal Land Trust. 

Our dreams for this program will be realized when:

• Our teachers feel a sense of belonging and agency in facilitating environmental education lessons.
• We build strong partnerships with local organizations that add measurable value to our program including diversity and inclusion.
• FSW becomes known as a leader in environmental education for students and teachers throughout our region. 
• These accomplishments contribute to a self-sustaining budget, ensuring that the school will continue to thrive for generations to come.