A new outdoor classroom featuring sitting space and raised garden beds is planned for Robert E. Lee High School.

The proposed classroom would be on the southwest part of campus, past the portable buildings.

The school’s goal is for teachers to be able hold classes there, and for students to have a nice outdoor spot to come to during breaks, said Keep Tyler Beautiful Liaison Gary Lynch, with the Tyler Parks and Recreation Department.

Lynch, who has been working on the project with Lee teacher Jane Arah Neal, said one garden bed is dedicated solely to butterflies, honeybees and hummingbirds, while the other beds will be general native plant decoration beds.

Students will be responsible for maintaining the garden beds and keeping them nice and neat, Lynch said.

He said Keep Tyler Beautiful has agreed to purchase materials to build the raised garden beds, along with the dirt to fill them up with. The organization also has agreed to donate a bench, which will be made using recycled items.

Lynch estimated that the total cost for Keep Tyler Beautiful, including the materials and bench, is $1,100.

He anticipates that the outdoor classroom will be installed this fall.

The proposed project is the latest effort to enhance Robert E. Lee High School.

Last year, a campus cleanup and beautification day took place at the campus.

The event involved cleaning up the campus exterior and disposing or recycling outdated and unused items. The event included recycling, free personal document shredding and battery, electronics and clothing collection.

Also last year, student clubs, teams and organizations adopted parts of campus and are committed to maintaining those parts throughout the year, according to a previous Tyler ISD news release.

 

This report contains excerpts from Tyler Morning Telegraph archives.