Wild & Wonderful Schoolyard

04/19/2026

We will be winding down the WWSY page this month. It was so rewarding to work on the schoolyard master plan together the last two years.

If you would like to help with the schoolyard in any way, please contact your child's teacher or the school office .

You can follow school happenings on the Capon Bridge WV Elementary page.

Happy Spring!

03/10/2026

The Wild & Wonderful Schoolyard is showing signs of new growth. We invite you to take a stroll and see what surprises are popping through the soil.🌱

Some good news: This article points to an increase in attention when learning outdoors that transfers back into the classroom!

“Kids can actually pay better attention in class after an outdoor lesson,” she says. “This is nice for teachers, because you don’t have to stop teaching and you still get that bump in attention.”

"Not only that, the bump in attention was large—much larger than researcher Kuo had expected. In some cases, teachers only had to redirect half as often and kids paid attention one or two “standard deviations” better—research-speak for much, much better—if they’d had an outdoor lesson rather than an indoor one."

A new study finds that a class in nature helps kids be more attentive and focused once they return indoors.

10/30/2025

As we button up the schoolyard for the cold weather, our volunteers are making it happen.
❤️ Thank you to Peter, Dan and Cathi for getting the water tank pump working (after 3 years of waiting for high tunnel irrigation) .
🩷 Thank you to Peter and John for building the pergola in the Friendship Garden.
🧡 Thank you Tim and Beth for getting it stained.
💛 Thank you Margot, Josephine, Tim and Beth for spreading the mulch piles.
💚 And thank you Linda and Jake for taking the shade sails down.

Let us never take for granted the many, many generous people who make our Wild & Wonderful Schoolyard a reality. If you see them, give them a hug! 🥰

10/27/2025

Like us, Children & Nature Network believes that the well-being of children and the wild places we love are inextricably linked. And while research tells us that regular time outdoors is essential for children’s healthy development, today’s kids are less connected to nature than ever before.

A review of 449 peer-reviewed articles found that green spaces helped mitigate anxiety and depression, and enhance overall mental well-being — particularly for young adults.

Learn more about nature’s impact on mental health and well-being in their Stat Sheet.

https://bit.ly/3LAbirV

10/24/2025

Looking to hire someone to cut pavers to fit around the new pergola posts at Capon Bridge WV Elementary. Please message us if you or someone you know can help us!

10/23/2025

10/21/2025

Cacapon Institute(CI) did it again! They donated 6 beautiful Pin Oaks and helped 5th graders plant them to extend our woodland trail. We are so lucky CI helps students not only understand the importance of trees but experience, hands-on, the joy of stewarding the environment.

10/13/2025

Woo Hoo! The shade pergola over the storyteller patio is almost complete. Soon we can set up the beautiful mosaic benches underneath.

* Help needed: Looking for a landscaper (volunteer or for pay) who can cut a few pavers to fit back around the posts.
Please message us if you know someone for the job.

Thank you to John Berry, Peter Heichler, Billy Muse, Logan and Chase Walker who got us this far. ❤️

* and would anyone like to stain it? We provide supplies.

09/11/2025

The founder of the Earth Loom sent a beautiful message to our third graders who began a tapestry on the loom today.
Here's to weaving connections together.

"September 10, 2025

Dear 3rd Graders,
I’m excited about your Earth Loom project!
Here is the story of how the Earth Looms began: I started by picking up driftwood sticks on a beach in Maine. I made it into a game to pick up two long sticks, two medium sticks, two short sticks, and an odd stick. I put them all together to create a shape that I could use as a loom.
After finding the 7 sticks of driftwood, I would look for string that washed up on the beach with the tide from the lobster boats.
I warped the loom with that string. Then I used seaweed to weave a gift to give back to the sea because she had given it to me. That’s how the Earth Loom started — as a
way to give something back. I decided to call it the Earth Loom because it came fromNature.

Now, Earth Looms are used around the world for building and weaving community.
The Loom in your schoolyard is called the “Garden Earth Loom” because it’s planted in the ground.
People from different cultures and countries can weave together their ideas and make something beautiful for someone else, so that we all learn how to serve each other.
If we all care about each other with our weaving, we can create peace in our world.

I look forward to seeing what you will weave!
With Love,
Susan

Susan Barrett Merrill
Weaving a Life"

09/07/2025

We are blessed with amazing schoolyard volunteers! Master Gardener Cathi Hartsook loves to do some healthy pruning and clean up in our gardens each season. Thank you, Cathi! ❤️

Wow! Check out these amazing photos of Monarchs she witnessed in the Butterfly Garden.
Build it and they will come!

09/03/2025

Voila! Our very first tapestry that we are calling the Learning Tapestry. Each tapestry has an intention- such as, who it is for or what it is celebrating. This one celebrates the deep satisfaction of trying something new... especially with friends.

The next one will be with students ❤️

09/01/2025

We love this volunteer story- Logan and Chase Walker have been helping us with the schoolyard project since reading about it on the CB Community page. Logan has children in another school but is eager to help us because both brothers went to Capon Bridge WV Elementary and want to give back. ❤️

We have enjoyed hearing recollections of their school experience back then. They are amazed at the positive changes in the schoolyard- so many more things for kids to do now than the few climbing pieces they had. Logan remembers when the middle school construction began, how the trees were all cut down and the earth trembled from blasts as they cut through rocks.

Any time we need holes to be augered for planting trees or setting pergola posts, Logan and Chase are there with a smile. Beautifying the schoolyard makes them happy. Anything for the kids, they say.

More good news- Logan's young kids attend Windy Ridge Elementary in Augusta where they are finishing up a living/learning schoolyard design of their own. Logan was thrilled to hear that. Windy Ridge, you are getting a stellar volunteer dad!