Madison Junior School Science Education Courtyard

A Community Commitment to Learning through Nature

 Come celebrate Earth Day with the dedication of the Madison Junior School Science Education Courtyard on Thursday, April 22, 2010  3:30- 5:00 pm. Please park in the new lot by gym as we will be using the entrance under the canopy to access the courtyard.

When the Junior School was renovated in 2007 and a wing added, it created an empty courtyard in the middle of the school, approximately 40 feet by 60 feet.  Landsmith, a design/build firm donated their service and designed a fantastic space that will be used in many ways. (Side tab for a PDF rendering)  The MJS Science Education Courtyard provides students many important and unique educational opportunities to learn through nature. (Side tab for the Science curriculum outline).  This courtyard has a large patio with a seat wall and five benches. The plantings surrounding the courtyard are almost all native to New Jersey.  (Side tab for plant list) .

This Courtyard was paid for entirely by donations.  Grants were received from the Garden Club of Madison, The Provident Bank Foundation, Bausch + Lomb, Investors Savings Bank and Charitable Foundation, Rotary Club of Madison, Friends of Madison Shade Tree Association and Kiwanis Club of Madison.  Local merchants that contributed include Firehouse Pizza, Madison Jaguar, Ann's Nails, Lacrosse Unlimited, Madison Insurance, Madison Pharmacy, Starting Line Sports, Pipe Works Services, Gertler & Wente Architects, Resto, Sages Pages, J & M Home and Garden and European Elegance.  Whole Foods in Madison hosted a 5% day benefiting the courtyard and that event provided almost $3,000 in fundraising.  The MJS PTO has been a major contributor, providing the initial funds to began the two year process and then providing funds to ensure the construction was completed with the least disruption to the students and the educational process. The remaining funds came directly from the community; families of MJS students, both past and present, and the community at large.

Thank you to all who participated in the creation of the courtyard.