In March of 2011, Nebinger was “on the chopping block” as one of nine schools in the Philadelphia School district slated for possible closure. In response to this daunting task, Principal Ralph Burnley took a grassroots/grasstops approach, reaching out to neighborhood and city non-profits and agencies.
The school has remained open and its antiquated playground was demolished by the water department in 2013 to make way for green infrastructure improvements. Since that time The Big SandBox has been working with the school to develop a plan to redevelop the rest of the schoolyard. Throughout this process three important outcomes were identified for a successful redevelopment:
1) physical activity opportunities for all ages;
2) an outdoor learning environment; and
3) a welcoming park space for the school and community to enjoy.
The current principal Natalie Catin-St Louis works diligently with TBS, Friends of Nebinger, and her staff to raise the academic bar at the school and improve community relations.
For the first time since the Rain Garden was created, in 2016, The Big SandBox working with Nebinger School and Dr “D” Javier Dominguez the science teacher, opened up this nature area for use by the students.
The results have been transformative. Thanks to funding from The McLean Contributionship this work continues. Here are some of our reports and news to date: