Hello,
My name is Lauren Hudson and I’m the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Program Support Teacher at St. Margaret’s School. My role is to help find and facilitate engaging educational opportunities for our students to participate in STEM fields.
Last year, our Early Childhood Education teachers, Reesa Vermeulen and Susan Middlemiss, had the idea that we could use beekeeping on campus as a way to teach environmental stewardship through understanding the importance of bees. We developed this idea and shared it with other teachers who jumped on board with finding possible ways to integrate beekeeping throughout the school.
We are looking to develop a partnership with a beekeeper! The SMS property sits on 21 acres in the Blenkinsop Valley area of town, so I think we have a great space for bees. Many of the aspects of the partnership would be up for discussion, but here is an DRAFT outline of what we are thinking:
What St. Margaret’s School provides:
- Secure space for the beekeeper to keep their hives
- Materials (ex. beekeeping suits) for students to participate in beekeeping
- A teacher contact (Lauren Hudson) to help coordinate and be the main contact between the beekeeper and the school/classes
What the partner beekeeper provides:
- Some beekeeping equipment, including hives that would be placed at St. Margaret’s
- Skills and expertise in beekeeping
- Teaching time introducing teachers/students to beekeeping and taking students to the hive
- Some honey
It would be really great to meet and chat with a member of the CRBA who would be interested in this partnership. Please feel free to send this email along to anyone in your group who might be interested.
Thanks,
Lauren Hudson
STEM Program Support Teacher St. Margaret’s School
1080 Lucas Ave, Victoria BC, V8X 3P7 | www.stmarg.ca
phone 250.727.7163 | fax 250.744.1652
Confident girls. Inspiring women.