Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds- New Speaker Added

We are pleased to announce that Dean Sherman will be joining our lecturers for our "Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds" program.  He will be providing educational lectures on physical activity to both children and adults.  We are currently working on scheduling lectures sometime in June.  Here is his biography.

Dean Sherman, PT, MPT, COMT, CEAS, VRT, CCCE/CI, a Cape Cod native, was raised in a family of runners and outdoor enthusiasts, engaging in free running, orienteering, rock climbing, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball, kayaking, and snowshoeing. He was accepted into the University of New England’s prestigious Physical Therapy program, graduating with specialties in manual orthopaedics, pediatrics, and gait rehabilitation. He continued in post doctoral work in the area of differential medicine and manual therapy. Dean then worked with Olympic hopefuls, professional athletes, and Elite Runners alike at Kennebunk Physical Therapy on the Maine Coast. He then joined the world renowned staff at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where he specialized in restoring gait and rehabilitating children with everything from congenital disorders to amputations.

In 2004, he returned to Cape Cod and began running a prominent Novacare Rehabilitation clinic in South Dennis, where he rejoined his local community, developing injury prevention programs for runners, contact sports, and weekend warriors alike. He developed new flexibility approaches for sport specific conditioning, and has become a consultant for multiple companies, municipalities, professionals, and sports leagues. Dean Sherman also has constructed an injury prevention and emergency sports medicine program for the Cape Cod Challenge Cup Soccer Tournament, now for the fifth year providing a wide range of services to over two hundred soccer teams. This program covers multiple sites, serving over 5,000 athletes, utilizing clinicians and equipment along with Novacare Rehabilitation’s and Select Physical Therapy’s Mobile Sports Medicine Clinic.

Dean is currently developing new programs and specialties for Novacare Rehabilitation as well as providing training to Physical Therapists as the clinical leader for the Cape and Islands. His clinic, one of 947 nation wide, provides specialized Physical Therapy, injury recovery, and post surgical rehabilitation; covering sports therapy, balance/agility/power rehab, work conditioning, vestibular rehabilitation, maxillofacial rehab, post-oncology therapy, pediatrics, women’s health, and geriatric rehabilitation. He has become an ergonomic specialist, holding a certification from the Back School of Atlanta, as well as being a member of the Orthopaedic and Sports specialty sections of the American Physical Therapy Association and National Sports & Conditioning Association. He is a Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist recognized by OSHA/DOL and a physical tactics instructor. He is also undergoing expansion of his clinic and continues to train Physical Therapists, consults and lectures often, and provides educational series to surgeons, companies, organizations, schools, and physician groups.

Dean has lately been creating activity-specific injury prevention and conditioning programming for the Dennis-Yarmouth High School Athletic Department, local Police and Fire Services, and Cape Cod businesses and factories. He continues to provide ergonomics, renovation, and productivity/retasking consulting to individuals and companies across New England. He has recently completed an Orthopaedic Manual Therapy degree program from the Ola Grimsby Institute of Norway to become a Credentialed Orthopaedic Manual Therapist and specialist in Scientific Therapeutic Exercise Prescription. He resides in Yarmouthport, Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his loving wife Shannon, a Medical-Surgical RN.

Garden Dedication Plans

Last night, I went to the school committee meeting in order to formally present our community's desire to dedicated The Garden at BCHMCPS to retiring principal, Ken Keenan.  Here is the public comment that I made at the school committee meeting.

My son has had the privilege of attending the elementary charter school when it was in Marstons Mills and we followed it across town to the old Hyannis East building.  I was asked in the fall of 2010 to become the Project Coordinator for a new endeavor between the school, the Barnstable Recreation Division and the Mid-Cape Farmer’s Market. It was to create an organic school based garden.

Since then, the Garden has become a reality. The garden’s perimeter measures 245 linear feet. It will connect over 400 children of diverse demographics and socioeconomic status to the outdoors and nature. With more than 30 raised beds, The Garden at BCHMCPS will contain assorted organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Currently planned crops include tomatoes, various potatoes, beans, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, lettuces, cucumbers and herbs. These will be planted, harvested and sold weekly at the Mid-Cape Farmer’s Market throughout the year in the HYCC’s parking lot, adjacent to the school. Crops will be in production during the Spring, Summer and Fall months

The garden offers learning on multiple levels. Some of the learning opportunities provided by The Garden at BCHMCPS include discovering where food comes from, composting and worm farming, agricultural techniques and skills, responsibility, financial aspects of running a business, counting and sorting crops, art opportunities, journal keeping, problem solving, teamwork and building relationships. In addition to these goals, we are also attempting to combat childhood obesity and encourage children to make healthier dietary choices. We plan to integrate produce from the garden into our school’s lunches, provide tastings and host guest chefs for healthy cooking demonstrations.

Our leadership team is comprised of members of the health care field, local farmers, landscapers, educators, various school personnel including the head of Dining Services and School Facilities manager, local community volunteers, town officials and master gardeners. In addition, we are fortunate to have the support and partnership of local businesses including Emerald Physicians, Bass River Pediatrics, Massachusetts Audubon-Long Pasture, Ocean Song Farm, Cape Cod Organic Farm, Country Gardens, Barnstable County’s Healthy Connected Cape Cod Project, AmeriCorps, Slow Food, and The Cape Cod Organic Gardeners, Reliable Fencing and Pine Harbor Sheds.

Over the course of our planning, it soon became evident that our work with the garden has mirrored the work and accomplishments of Mr. Keenan’s long career within the Barnstable school system. Through his dedication and commitment to the schools, he has helped to shape and form the schooling experience in Barnstable.

When he first began at the charter school some years ago, he took the newly formed school from its beginnings and transformed it into a success story to be proud of. Like planting seeds and watching them grow, he nurtured the students, faculty and staff in a positive educational environment with guidance and support. When it was time to move across town, with the utmost care, he enthusiastically led us into the unknown. Our school is thriving. Our enrollment is at capacity and waiting lists exist. Our Garden is in its beginning stages. Mr. Keenan is at the end of his career in the Barnstable School system. It is the desires of the school community, students, the garden committee, faculty and staff that we dedicate our Garden to Mr. Keenan. It is symbolic of his work within the schools. It mirrors his career. Mr. Keenan is a role model and his dedication to the students and the school should be recognized.

As we till the soil, we hope that the garden dedication will serve to remind us of Mr. Keenan’s legacy. It will serve to remind us what we can achieve with hard work. Remind us about patience; remind us about unity and partnerships. It will remind us of the impact that he has had on thousands of individuals who have had the pleasure of working with him.

A Teacher's Perspective

BCHMCPS students lend a hand

The Garden kick-off day was here! I was so excited to be participating in such an important event for our school community. When I arrived at our school I was amazed to see a group of workers already totally engaged in their tasks, working side-by-side, embracing the effort and spirit of the day. Students, staff, parents, and community members worked together with support, laughter, joy, and a true feeling of equal partnership as they labored together, helping each other to create such an important gift for our school and community family.

As I walked around taking photographs, I was struck by the power of the collaboration I was fortunate enough to witness. Students from all grade levels were represented in the effort, working together, forming new friendships, sharing their excitement about working in the garden, talking about what they might like to plant. Students were everywhere – working at the craft table, raking woodchips, shoveling topsoil, spreading mulch, helping to herd the goats, and so much more! Kindergarteners with third graders, students forming new connections, our school family strengthening and connecting as we shared the common goal of building a garden.

I was also struck by the connections being made by parents and community members. Everywhere I looked there were people who were once strangers, now working side-by-side, chatting, getting to know each other, supporting and helping each other, and extending their own ties to our school family. New friendships were sprouting along with the raised beds. It was becoming apparent to me that this garden would be growing so much more than produce. When people who were once strangers saw each other at school, they would now be familiar faces.

As an educator, I was struck by the amazing opportunities that garden project was providing us with. Virtually every core subject could be explored through the garden experience – keeping journals, charting growth, writing reflections, reading and researching information about plantings, creating artistic responses to the experience, and so much more. The possibilities were endless, and tremendously exciting.

Finally, I was struck by the power a project has to create a common ground, bringing together a diverse group of people to work on an equal footing, unifying people from all walks of life, from all backgrounds, from all ages. I was truly moved to see the unity fostered by people working shoulder-to-shoulder in an effort to create a unique place of growth, nurturing, and harmony for our children and our community. Thank you to everyone who worked so thoughtfully and diligently to create our special place of growth and education. It will be a permanent symbol of what a community can do when they come together as one.

--Mrs. Keenan

Teacher of the Multi-Age Class at BCHMCPS

Mission Accomplished

A final view of our achievements

This morning at the Kick-Off,  the community at large came out to support the building of our garden.  In four hours, we built 30 raised beds from scratch, filled the beds with soil and compost, woodchipped the majority of garden pathways and mulched the school's front flower beds.  We had a great day and will be compiling photos and feature some guest bloggers to write about their first hand experiences. Thank you everyone who turned out today!

Silent Auction

ALL BIDDING IS CLOSED. 
Thank you all who supported our garden.  We would not be here without you!  We decided to keep the details of our auction on-line so you could still enjoy viewing the generous donations from our community.

GOOD LUCK and HAPPY BIDDING! 

Cape Cod Beer Private Tour and Tasting
 Value $100

This certificate entitles six people to a private tour of the brewery and tasting.  This would make for a great date night with friends or a night out with the ladies or guys.  It would also allow you to sample some of the best beer on Cape Cod.

Children’s Nature Basket

Value $30 

Packed with goodies for exploring nature this basket is filled with great activities for the Spring. It includes a child’s apron, plush bee toy, bug collecting kits, a festive pinwheel, and activity books.   This would also make a fantastic gift for someone you know.

Edible Cape Cod

Value $50

This item includes a signed copy of the book Edible by Tracey Ryder and Carol Topalian and a lovely broad brimmed gardening hat

Southwest Basket

Value $50

Enjoy an escape to the Southwest with a signed copy of Sol Y Sombra by Steve Brown, two glass cactus motif margarita glasses, a festive bowl, chips and salsa.

Outdoor Experience
Value $65

 This basket includes a stylish collapsible shopping tote, a sweet pepper planting kits, an adorable terra cot rustic jug style birdhouse and a signed copy of Sol Y Sombra by Steve Brown.

Gardening Basket
Value $25

You will get a head start on your garden this year.  Included in this basket are gardening gloves, garden pruners and assorted vegetable and wildflower seeds.

Close to Home

Value $35

This item includes a beautiful metal fruit bowl with a banana hook and a copy of Cooking Close to Home by Diane Imrie and Richard Jarmusz

Maffei Landscaping

$100 gift certificate for lawn mowing

Joyce Landscaping
$135 Value
 3 yards of dark pine bark mulch-delivered to Barnstable, Mashpee, Sandwich or Yarmouth

Trader Joes Gift Basket
Value $40

Everyone loves our neighborhood Trader Joes! This is a fantastic time to sample some new items and enjoysome old favorites.


UPDATED 4/16/11 3:24pm

Our Thermometer is Rising!

Today was a great day!  We received over $400 in cash donations today.  It was such a great feeling to check our mailbox at the school and be surprised with so many individual and corporate sponsorships.  We have almost raised enough money to build the raised beds for our garden.  We need to raise about $300 more over the next week and a half.  We are optimistic!  If you haven't taken a look in a while, we have listed all who have contributed on our web page's "Donor List".  We are incredibly grateful to all who have given so far.  Your contributions, whether product or financial, will directly impact over 400 children this year alone.  Thank you so much for everything and let's continue to watch our thermometer fill with green!  Our next major purchase will be our garden shed.

Thank you!  We appreciate all of your generosity!

Flyers Go Home Today

Kick-Off Celebration

in

The Garden at BCHMCPS

Located at

165 Bearses Way~ Hyannis

In partnership with

Barnstable Community Horace Mann Charter Public School

Hyannis Youth Community Center

Mid-Cape Farmer’s Market

All are Welcome

Come out for a fun day with friends and family!

Saturday, April 16

8:00am - 12:00pm

Help build raised garden beds with players from

The Cape Cod Cubs and The Cape Cod Barons

Enjoy refreshments

Visit with

 baby goats, chickens and “Drumstick”

Decorate and take home your own planter and seeds

Create a snake or worm bookmark

Facepainting/Temporary tattoos

Bid on silent auction items

Special appearance by THE BEAST

ALL FUNDS RAISED GO DIRECTLY TO

 THE GARDEN FUND