Exciting News! BCEF Has received $130,000 in Grants from Hillenbrand Foundations for the BPS Outdoor Learning Complex. Read more here.
OUr outdoor learning complex at batesville primary school is moving forward!
Shown here: Looking eastward from the west parking lot, several of our new outdoor learning areas are taking shape. First, an outdoor patio area. Next the rectangular foundation for our outdoor classroom structure. Beyond the two winding sidewalks, near the building: an outdoor casual gathering/learning space for BPS students. Construction on the classroom will begin later this year, with a grand opening target date of August 2024.
The Batesville Primary School (BPS) continues to have increased enrollment. With indoor space at a premium at a school where our youngest learners need room to move around and explore, the BCEF board of directors is meeting this need by building an outdoor learning complex on the west side of the building. Our plans include several distinct learning spaces: an open-air gathering/classroom area with seating near the school, a separate, covered classroom structure farther out, as well as supplemental seating on a patio. All spaces would be connected by a green space with a winding sidewalk. A fence would safely secure the area from the parking lot. By providing BPS an additional, dedicated space outside that encourages creativity and personal connection with others in a fun, engaging, unplugged environment, BCEF hopes to give students the chance to LEARN EVERYWHERE.
Studies show that being outdoors helps students become: more engaged in learning, more focused, mentally healthier, and more successful academically.
