A series of successful community children’s book swaps created a not unpleasant dilemma for Nicole Campbell. “We always have a few books left over after each event,” says Campbell, the founder and executive director of Shire Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to books for children in Southern Vermont. “They were filling up my second floor hallway. I needed a plan to both reclaim space and distribute these treasures for kids to read.”
When The Dorset School’s art teacher David Paarlberg-Kvam heard of Campbell’s quandary, he started to ponder. Paarlberg-Kvam is always looking for opportunities for students to incorporate art into traditional learning at TDS, especially if the work benefits the greater community.
His creative solution: The Dorset School Free Library. With the full support of teachers and staff, TDS students from multiple grades would design and build a sustainable book drop, located on campus, where families from our community could leave and take home children’s books throughout the year. Just as important, the Free Library would be designed with the intent of creating a piece of public art as a reminder of the importance of beauty and nature to learning and our community.
The Free Library formally opens on Wednesday, June 7th from 5:30-7 pm at the school’s Family Picnic hosted by the Dorset Parent Volunteers.
“This project offers a case study of how a school can transform the basics of learning into a tangible benefit for the entire community,” says TDS Principal Rosanna Moran. “Teachers and support staff recognize that learning and success can come in different ways. The Free Library is something that benefits everyone and promotes reading, sharing, and protecting the environment across the greater Dorset area.”
The construction of the physical structure came under the guidance of Kirk Dennison, the school-based social clinician at TDS. In January, Dennison pulled together a trio of eighth graders — Mason Roy, Owen Griffis, Devin Boshart — who would locate, design and construct a shed to hold the books. Only Mason had real experience, (“I helped my father build our house.”), but Owen and Devin were game to volunteer. They used a mix of math, design, communications, decision-making, and handiwork skills to envision, build and perfect their project.
“A pre-made shed kit was never a real option,” Dennison says. “We wanted to give the kids a chance to build something from the ground up with their hands. It took longer, but the full construction process was a much better learning experience.”
The shed would be located near the driveway entrance to the school, easily seen from Morse Hill Road and accessible to the community. The carpenters worked inside most of the winter, measuring and sawing the wood, before assembling the shed outside in the spring. During the building process one lingering question remained. Could the door be placed into its allotted space once the structure was up? “With a few minor tweaks, it fits like a glove,” Dennison says proudly.
While the middle schoolers were building the shed, Paarlberg-Kvam brought his first grade art class into the process. The first graders decorated the one outside wall of the shed with colorful wooden flowers. They deployed colorful construction paper to fashion their design. The bright flowers can be seen from the road.
“I think people will marvel at their creativity,” says Paarlberg-Kvam. “The first graders measured, designed, and assembled shapes to produce an image that will catch your eye and make you smile.”
Once the floral pattern was complete, Paarlberg-Kvam cut pieces of wood based on the first grader’s design that were then painted by the students. Once ready, the wooden flowers were fastened to the shed wall by the three middle school craftsmen.
The next assignment for the Free Library went to Holly Hjelt's fourth graders. Hjelt’s class would plan and plant a flower bed placed conveniently next to the shed. It would serve as a perennial garden that would protect pollinators and native species in the years ahead. .
Hjelt lined up a class trip to the Mettawee Mint for a lesson in spring planting and care of flowers, including spacing and height information. The kids selected and planted perennials native to Vermont. Once the digging was done and the plants in place with the help of first graders, both classes sat next to the shed and drew pictures of how they imagined the garden would look when the flowers were mature bloomers.
The final piece of the Free Library puzzle will be the shelf-stocking and maintenance of available books. TDS students, with help from TDS staff and Campbell, will volunteer to manage the inventory throughout the year.
Shire Kids’ Nicole Campbell pronounced the entire project a dream come true: “This was a great project to work on with wonderful people. Like the culmination of a great book.”
