• Letter from Susan DuBois, Barcroft Parent and garden coordinator
• Message from Carol Hunter, PTA President
• Letter from Miriam Hughey-Guy, Principal, Barcroft Elementary School
• Decibel readings for the instruments
• Letter from Dr. Robert Smith, School Superintendent

For the response from some affected neighbors, see this page.

Letter from Susan Leslie DuBois

From: Susan Leslie DuBois

Date: November 1, 2006

Re: The Barcroft Outdoor Classroom and Learning Garden

The purpose of this letter is to provide some background information, and to outline the process that was undertaken in developing the Outdoor Classroom and Learning Garden at Barcroft Elementary School. My name is Susan Leslie DuBois, and I have two children, one of whom is in First Grade at Barcroft. I am also the garden coordinator, and have written the grant applications on behalf of the school and PTA.

The idea for an outdoor classroom and learning garden started when my son was in the special education pre-school program at Barcroft. Both of our children are visually impaired and extremely light-sensitive, and I was looking for creative ways to stimulate their other senses, and increase their enjoyment of the outdoor world. It didn't take much research to find the new movement behind learning gardens and outdoor classrooms. The main purpose of these installations is to reconnect children with the natural world, and give them the freedom to be creative in play and learning. Children have such limited free time, and few opportunities to express themselves in unstructured creative ways. Outdoor classrooms and learning gardens are wonderful tools to help bridge this gap. In addition, the Barcroft student population is incredibly diverse, and a garden is a universal project that transcends cultures, languages and ethnic barriers.

The garden planning started with a group of parents, teachers and staff in the spring of 2004. Several Arlington County Master Gardeners met with us to give us assistance and advice, and the garden coordinator at Tuckahoe Elementary School provided a great deal of information and encouragement. The goal was to create a multi-sensory experience, where the children could grow flowers, vegetables and herbs, and have a gathering place that was sheltered from the sun. We also explored the use of sun shades and replanting canopy trees.

The Arlington County Park Enhancement Grant was a natural fit, and we wrote a draft for submission that asked for money for sunshades, trees, plantings and sensory equipment. We eventually received a grant for $5,850 to install a learning garden at the school. Part of the grant requirement was to show support from the community that the potential project would serve. Towards that end, we received letters of support from Principal Hughey-Guy and BSCL President Eric Harold, stating their general support for the learning garden. We also submitted a list of parents and staff - all members of the Barcroft community - that had pledged to work on the garden. Also, a notice about the garden was placed on the BSCL website. Many additional notices were sent out on the Barcroft PTA list serve, as well as the Alcova Heights list serve, looking for volunteers and donated plants.

Before the grant was finalized, a Field Representative for the County Parks contacted me and asked if Barcroft was interested in shade trees. I told her that we were interested, and had asked for only two trees in the grant application because they were so expensive. The county representative, Ms. Julie Taylor, promptly offered to walk around the school grounds and look for good spots for trees. She did just that, and found 29 places that would be perfect for a variety of shade trees. As a result, our community received $15, 408 worth of trees in the spring of 2005. A dedicated group of fifteen Barcroft parents watered these trees every week through a very dry spring and summer, and took such good care of them that the County agreed to provide us with more trees in the future.

The plan at the time of the County grant included chimes and gongs to stimulate the children's sense of music, rhythm and sound. During a trip over the summer of 2005, a Barcroft teacher visited a musical garden in Portugal, and brought the idea back to us last fall. An additional grant was written, seeking money from Lowe's Toolbox For Education, to facilitate the purchase of a few musical instruments. We received an additional $5000 last winter, and the working group proceeded to expand the concept of the garden to include the instruments and a small performance stage, on the suggestion of another Barcroft teacher. The PTA pledged to provide the additional money - almost $7,000 - to make the garden a reality.

The APS Facilities Division had to approve our plan, which was developed with the assistance of Barcroft neighbor Scott Brinitzer, a landscape architect, who kindly donated his time to assist us in the design of the garden. We did not get approval or funding for sun shades, and elected to erect a gazebo like the one at the Children's Garden at the Arlington County Carlin Springs Library. Not only does the gazebo function as an outdoor classroom, but it also gives the children a welcome respite from the bright sun on the playground.

We broke ground in April of 2006. The majority of the garden was moved from the median in front of the school because teachers and staff expressed concern over putting children in the middle of an active traffic pattern. We also had less room to expand in the front, and were much closer to our neighbors. We selected a site behind the school that was as far as possible from any houses - without being in the middle of the playing field.

Our garden includes a small performance stage, a gazebo that serves as an outdoor classroom and shady play area, at least six different planting gardens and the musical instruments. It was built entirely with the labor of Barcroft parents and APS staff. Each element works to provide the children with an opportunity to dig, plant, touch, smell, sing, hear and play. Our students grew vegetables, herbs and flowers from seed, and even won a First Place Blue Ribbon at the Arlington County Fair this summer. Teachers use the garden to enhance their curriculum in creative ways on a regular basis. In addition, the children play in the garden every day during recess.

We have also spent a great deal of energy on the garden in front of the school. We installed more trees, flowers and benches - and dedicated our first annual "Kindergarten Tree" this year. In addition, we are planting a 400 bulb sensory garden in front of the school on November 15th. We just received the bulbs - another grant award - on October 30th, and look forward to including the children in creating a beautiful addition to the front of the school. They will be participating in a program called "The Journey North", which involves 11,000 school children in the Northern Hemisphere. In this international science experiment, students in hundreds of classrooms plant Red Emporer tulip bulbs in schoolyard gardens this fall. When the tulips finally emerge and bloom, the students will announce to classmates throughout the hemisphere that spring has arrived in their part of the world via an interactive website that links all of the schoolyard gardens.

When the complaints started coming from Ms. Wicker, Mr. Pompan and Mr. Amundson, we immediately took steps to ameliorate the noise. We contacted the artist who constructed the instruments for suggestions. We covered the resonating holes on the bottom of the drums, filled them with carpet foam and mulch, and had professional signs made to identify the rules of the garden. I also contacted Ms. Taylor again, and asked if we could get more trees to provide an additional buffer for the musical instruments. Ms. Taylor agreed to construct three berms with shrubs and small trees on them, and plant additional trees along the property line. These efforts cost an additional $7069, and were completed over the summer. Plans are in development for the addition of evergreens and other berms next spring - the earliest that we could schedule it.

We have taken these complaints very seriously, and deeply regret any inconvenience to the 33 perimeter neighbors who are most closely linked to the school. I also personally regret the time this has taken from Principal Hughey-Guy and PTA President Carol Hunter. They have graciously responded to the select neighbors, and worked assiduously to find an equitable solution. We have had the County Code Enforcement Inspector come to Barcroft on two separate occasions to test the instruments - both times they were well below the County ordinance for acceptable noise levels. We wanted to make sure that our garden did not violate any ordinance - even though we are exempt as a public schoolyard - out of a sincere desire to be a good neighbor.

We have also taken every reasonable effort to reduce their resonance - to the point where the beauty of the sound is seriously compromised. In addition, the instruments have been disabled more often than not since their installation last spring. Our students ask me every time I am at the school when they will be allowed to play their instruments again. I look forward to the time when this is possible. We view the garden as an asset to our children's education, as well as to the community.

As always, I am available to answer any questions about the process, and I have copies of most the pertinent (and all of the referenced) correspondence, as well as all grant papers. I look forward to making the garden a welcome, enjoyable part of the Barcroft community for the years to come.

Sincerely,

Susan Leslie DuBois
Barcroft Parent, and garden coordinator

Message from Carol Hunter

From: Carol Hunter cahunter@erols.com

Subject: Barcroft Musical Instruments Update

Dear PTA and Barcroft friends,

I just wanted to give everyone an update on what's happening with the Barcroft musical instruments garden. At our meeting on Oct. 19 with people from 3 households who are complaining about the volume of the instruments, we offered to adapt the drums and change the mallets on the chimes and xylophone to hopefully bring the overall volume down to a level that is tolerable for the majority of the neighbors who live on the perimeter of the school property.

A police officer from Arlington Co. was also there to let us know that if anyone is concerned that people are behind the school after dark and are engaged in any illegal behavior that they are welcome to call the non-emergency line. Miriam also included that number in the letter.

Yesterday we mailed a letter from Miriam Hughey-Guy (a copy is attached to this email) to the neighbors on the perimeter of the school that explains the steps we have taken. We are going to test the instruments today, tomorrow and Monday evening at times specified in the letter, to allow the neighbors time to hear what the instruments sound like. It is my hope that the majority will be satisfied with what they hear. Our initial testing showed me that the volume is not as loud as it would be if a child picked up a stick and banged on the playground equipment, which is metal. There are 33 homes that share a property line with the school. We also enclosed with the letter a questionnaire and a self-addressed, stamped envelope so that they could send us the feedback (I would share a copy but do not have an electronic copy of this on my home computer).

I'm hoping that we will hear back from most, if not all of the perimeter neighbors by Thursday afternoon so that we will have an idea of the feelings of all the neighbors. This Thursday night, Nov. 2nd at 7:30pm, the BSCL will have their monthly meeting and this issue will once again be on the agenda. It is my personal hope that we find that the sound of the instruments is now at a level acceptable to most of the neighbors, so that we can all enjoy the garden on any day during daylight hours. There are many neighbors with children who have already been enjoying it on the weekends, and the PTA's intent was to make our schoolyard a welcoming place for all children, not just the ones enrolled at Barcroft. In my discussions with some of the perimeter neighbors, I have found that there is support for keeping the instruments as well.

If you have time to attend the BSCL meeting, I encourage you to go and show your support, however you feel about the musical instruments. I expect that the BSCL will attempt to draft some kind of resolution to recommend a certain action to the school, so if you are a voting member of the BSCL it will be especially important for you to attend. If you cannot attend the meeting but you have comments you would like to share with the BSCL, you can send them to Pat Williamson (BSCL President) at pwilliamson@weta.org. I would also appreciate you sharing this information with your own neighbors so that everyone is informed.

Just as a side note, I received the message below yesterday from Arlington County. It seems that the Walter Reed Community Center now has outdoor musical instruments as well. This community center is also set in a neighborhood. They are doing the ribbon-cutting on Wednesday. I've heard from many of you in these last few weeks who are in support of keeping our instruments and keeping them available to all of the community. I hope that we find a resolution soon. Thank you for your support!

Your friend and neighbor (and PTA President at Barcroft),

Carol Hunter

From: Arlington County News Release [mailto:dsun@ARLINGTONVA.US] Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 4:15 PM
To: NEWS_RELEASES@LISTSERV.ARLINGTONVA.US
Subject: Media Alert: Ribbon-Cutting for New Arlington Playground

Arlington County has released a new press release:

Media Alert: Ribbon-Cutting for New Arlington Playground

Walter Reed Community Center playground features outdoor musical instruments

NOTE to reporters: Excellent photo opportunities of neighborhood children playing with outdoor musical instruments.

What:

Ribbon-cutting ceremony and official unveiling of Arlington's newest playground -- the new playground at Walter Reed Community Cente...

To read the full version of this release on the Arlington County website, go here to the Arlington County Web page

As someone who shares a property line with Barcroft School, you may have noticed over the summer months that we now have a new garden behind the playground. As part of the school's Outdoor Classroom initiative, we have added raised beds for the students to plant and nurture their own plants, including beds of plants from A-Z, and plants with many different textures and colors. We also have installed three musical instruments: drums, an imbarimba (a type of xylophone) and tall chimes, a performance stage and a gazebo to be used for shade and as an outdoor classroom. The instruments were paid for with funds from a grant from Lowe's and additional funds from the Barcroft PTA.

The instruments have been a source of frustration for a few of the neighbors on the perimeter of our property, so we are reaching out to all of you around the block to let you know what we are doing to address their concerns. We were informed that the volume of the instruments was disturbing to them. We apologize that the instruments were this loud and are working to adapt the instruments so that the volume will decrease to a level that is no longer a disturbance.

We have filled all the drums completely with sound absorbing materials (i.e., mulch, upholstery foam and rubber mats) so that while the children can still enjoy the drumming, the sound will not be any louder than when children hit on any other surface on a playground. We are replacing the hard mallets for the chimes and imbarimba with mallets that are softer to reduce the volume of the instruments. Over the next few days we will be testing the instruments in order to determine whether these changes are effective during the quieter non-school hours. Please listen for these instruments from your home on Sat. (10/28) from 5-6pm, Sun. from 4-5pm and Mon. from 6-7pm. This will give you the opportunity to determine for yourself if the volume level is a disturbance.

Our next request is that you provide us feedback on these tests. Enclosed please find a short questionnaire and a stamped envelope for your convenience. You may also call and ask for me at 703-228-5838. If I am not available, the office staff will be happy to take your comments, which we will compile into a list. You can also email me at mguy@arlington.k12.va.us. We must receive all comments no later than 5pm on Nov. 2nd.

On Thursday, Nov. 2nd, this issue will be discussed at the monthly BSCL meeting at 7pm. If you would like to share your comments and cannot attend the meeting, you may also email the President, Pat Williamson, at pwilliamson@weta.org. It is my intention that Barcroft School continues to be a good neighbor, and we truly apologize if the instruments have given you any trouble in these last few months. We believe that we can find a balance that will be workable for both our neighbors and the children of our community who want to experience all that our garden has to offer. We appreciate your patience and your assistance in this effort. The Barcroft neighborhood has always been a great partner to the school, and we appreciate your support and tolerance. Please don't ever hesitate to contact me with your concerns. Meanwhile, the instruments will continued to be covered during non-school hours until we find an alternate solution.

As an additional issue, the use of the instruments at night has highlighted the teens and adults who from time to time hang out at the back of the schoolyard. If you have concerns about these activities, I encourage you to call the Arlington Police non-emergency line, 703-558-2222. Our PTA will publish reminders in the BSCL newsletter to remind parents to inform their children that the schoolyard is closed after dusk.

All my best,

Miriam Hughey-Guy, Principal

Results of the Survey

Outdoor Musical Instruments Questionnaire

1. In the early summer months, could you hear the playing on the musical instruments behind Barcroft School? 7 yes / 5 no

2. Did the sounds of the instruments disturb your enjoyment of your time on your property? 4 yes / 8_no

3. Did you have an opportunity to listen to the instruments during the testing on Oct. 28th, 29th, or 30th? 6 yes / 5 no

4. If yes, is the volume of the instruments that you heard at a level that does not create a disturbance for you? 5 yes / 2 no

5. Is it acceptable to you for the instruments to remain installed at the school? 10 yes / 2 no* *(l no, later deferred to principal judgment)

6. Is it acceptable to you that the instruments remain accessible during non-school hours, for the use of the whole community? 9 yes / 3* no *(l no, later deferred to principal judgment)

Any additional comments you would like to share?