Mary Bates, a first-grade teacher who helped children and plants flourish at the Jackson Street School in Northampton, was honored last week as she prepares to retire when school ends Wednesday.
Bates, who shifted careers from law to education, has taught at Jackson Street for 17 years. Current and former students, colleagues and friends gathered Wednesday behind the school at the garden that Bates started nine years ago. A greenhouse built by parent volunteers, which was completed last year to extend the garden season, is now officially called the Mary Bates Greenhouse.
Bates said, “Jackson Street is an incredibly special place for teaching and learning. I love the richness of diversity of the student and teacher population.”
She added to that richness with the garden project, which was designed to give students an outdoor learning environment that is “authentic, highly engaging and multisensory.”
For three consecutive years, the Northampton Education Foundation awarded a $3,000 grant to pay for a consultant from School Sprouts Educational Gardens that designs teaching gardens in the Valley. Squash, tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, leeks, radishes, kale, potatoes, beans and herbs are among the vegetables grown in the Jackson Street School garden.
Jackson Street School Principal Gwen Agna gave Bates a memory book with notes from former students and pictures from throughout her career. One note read: “Almost all I can remember from 1st grade is doing garden and poetry.” Another recalled: “You made me happy and safe the first few days of first grade and the rest.”
For her part, Bates said, “I am grateful for my years here and the chance to have been part of the growth of so many wonderful children. There is an explosion of growth in first grade with so many moments of wonder.”
Though she will no longer have a classroom at the school, Bates plans to return once a week to work in the garden. We are certain her presence will continue to help nurture Jackson Street School children and plants.
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The first Unified Special Olympics School Day Games at Northampton High School on June 11 were an inspiring exhibition that brought together 200 students of all ages and abilities from eight school districts.
While the games previously have been held at Northampton High, this was the first year for unified events featuring students with and without disabilities participating on the same teams.
Northampton School Superintendent John Provost said that made this year’s event particularly special. “Having unified teams allows us to live up to our core value of inclusion,” he said. “I see a whole field full of warriors in front of me. Anybody who’s involved in special education, whether you’re a student, staff, faculty or administrator, you’re a warrior.”
The athletes completed events including long jump, 50-yard dash, bowling and ladder toss that were made accessible for all abilities. For example, athletes unable to throw a ball on their own used a catapult designed by students in the high school’s wood shop.
Building on that spirit of inclusion, the high school will start a unified basketball team in the fall. That will combine exercise, fun and valuable lessons for students of all abilities.
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Congratulations to Wendi Weber, the Northeast regional director for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, who received an award this spring recognizing her commitment to protect endangered species and restore coastal regions damaged by storms.
Weber, who works at the agency’s office in Hadley and lives in North Amherst, was given the 2018 Robert McDowell Award for Conservation Management Excellence at the annual conference of the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies during April. James Connolly, president of the organization, said of Weber, “Not only has our award winner been a passionate advocate for fish and wildlife, (she) has been a stalwart supporter of the public use and enjoyment of fish and wildlife, thereby fostering the perpetuation of the conservation ethic.”
She is credited with helping keep the New England cottontail rabbit off the endangered species list, as well as strengthening natural defenses along the Atlantic Coast in the wake of devastating storms such as Hurricane Sandy.
Weber is an excellent role model for the preservation of natural resources that is essential for generations to come.