Corteva, North Polk teachers unveil plan for middle-school outdoor classroom

North Polk middle-school staff and Corteva Grows volunteers detailed a plan this week to develop a permanent outdoor classroom and pollinator/sensory garden at North Polk Middle School.

Hannah Taylor, a middle school science teacher, told the board the outdoor classroom project began as a professional growth plan in 2022 and has been used informally by several classes. Emily Young, middle school instructional coach, joined Taylor in presenting the district's vision for a larger, year-round learning space on the south green adjacent to the school parking lot.

Members of Corteva's Grows Green Space program outlined a multi-phase installation that would add a rain garden at a drainage point, a raised pollinator mound with native plantings, a sensory garden and accessible raised beds for student plantings. Corteva representatives said the company will work with the district's agricultural classes and donate staff time, plant material and volunteer labor; they will also provide a sustainability and maintenance packet to guide school staff and volunteers on watering, pruning and seasonal care.

Missy Bauer, a North Polk parent and Corteva liaison for the project, and Bonnie Steinhauser, co-chair for Corteva Grows Green Space, said the group expects volunteer crews from Corteva and community partners on install days and plans to involve horticulture students in year-one plant production. Missy said the project will include signage that can be used for educational scavenger hunts and interpretation.

Board members and district staff raised practical questions about winter snow storage and proximity to snow-pile locations; they asked staff to identify alternate snow-storage sites if necessary to protect perennial plantings. The district emphasized choosing hardy native and pollinator plants to minimize ongoing irrigation needs after the establishment year.

No formal board action was required; the presentation concluded with the board and presenters agreeing to coordinate final design decisions and a plant list before install-day scheduling. The presenters said a volunteer install event is planned for the summer of 2026 ("20 sixth" in the presentation) and that signage and donor recognition will include both the North Polk and Corteva names.

Clarifying details: Corteva representatives described the design as iterative (not final) and said raised beds could be used seasonally for vegetables; they also said Corteva will provide a sustainability manual and that plant selection will favor natives and low-water species once established. A tentative donation/volunteer install day was discussed for the summer period; specific planting dates and final plant lists will be confirmed with district staff before purchase and installation.