West Elementary School (Washington, D.C.)

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West Elementary School is a DC public school (Grades K-8) located at 14th and Farrugut Streets, NW Washington DC. The ‘Monarch Team’ at West ES includes Ms. Bocar (the science teacher), two other teachers, the principal, and a number of parents led by Ms. Neela Banerjee. Together Ms. Banerjee and Ms Bocar lead the school’s Monarch Team.

The school’s participation in the Monarch Sister Schools Program was launched with the planting of the garden shown in the photos here. The layout of the “Monarch Biodiversity Garden” was designed by Dr. Christopher Puttock of CFP Landscapes. On August 22, 2009, about ten PTA volunteers with a helping hand of MSSP staff and Rotarians (DC and College Park) removed a thick mat of sod from an area of about 500 sq. ft. in front of the school for the garden and then, with a relay of wheel barrows, cover the area with a thick layer of topsoil and compost. Mulch was placed on the garden’s pathways.

The school obtained a grant from DC Government to fund the planting of the garden. Soil, compost and mulch were purchased from a firm in Rockville, MD and College Park-base SmartGrow. Members of the Rotary Club of College Park provided equipment on the work days.

All plants used in the garden were from original Maryland wild sources, purchased from Chesapeake Natives, Inc. These native plants were delivered on September 28, 2009, and planted by students representing all the grade levels of the school over a two-day period under the supervision of Dr. Puttock, in “beds” of about 10-15 sq. ft. for each species.