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The space, an outdoor doughnut cutout in the middle of the high school’s campus, will go from being a simple, grassy area to an extension of student commons, including an outdoor classroom, a stage, a rain garden, sensory and sculpture gardens and an elliptical lounging lawn.
Bedford FAME is a group of parents, community members, and faculty who are committed to enhancing an already quality educational system by funding meaningful initiatives beyond the scope of the school budget, according to the organization's website.
“The FAME Courtyard is truly a perfect of what can happen from the combined efforts of a public school, a non-profit foundation and members of the community coming together to meet a common goal – creating this outdoor space to enhance student life,” FAME member Susan Groner said.
Groner was joined by Superintendent of Schools Jere Hochman, school board President Susan Wollin and a group of students for the groundbreaking. The project is expected to be completed by May 2014.
“This will be everybody’s space,” Hochman said. “From the arts, literature, the sciences and simply just a place for students to socialize and relax.”
Designed by John Imbiano of IQ Landscape Architects, the FAME courtyard will be a place for high school students to step outside the classroom into another environment that is specifically made to spawn creativity. Four students gave a glimpse of the future by reading poems to the audience on Thursday.
“Thanks to the hard work of FAME and the generous contributions from district families, alumni and local companies, this dormant space will be transformed into a beautiful and functional area, enhancing student opportunities to learn, perform, meet up, or just plain relax,” Groner said.
Here is a breakdown of everything the FAME Courtyard will have:
- A stage for small performing arts groups for scheduled and impromptu concerts, speeches, poetry slams, awards ceremonies and other presentations.
- Extension of student commons will provide much-needed outdoor space for students to relax, have lunch and hold club meetings.
- An outdoor classroom to be utilized by teachers in a wide variety of departments.
- A rain garden will be used for environmental study by science classes and clubs.
- Sensory gardens will be strategically placed throughout the Courtyard, for the benefit of SAIL (Structured Alternatives to Independent Learning) students, specifically those with pervasive developmental spectrum disorders, including autism.
- A sculpture garden will incorporate large-scale sculptures placed throughout the courtyard. Additionally, three large stainless steel rain-shadow panels will be laser-cut with student-designed artwork.
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