In a first-of-its-kind partnership between a local public school and a major Lancaster-based employer, Manheim Township School District and The High Companies announce the construction of the “Schaeffer Environmental Area,” an eco-pond and garden located on the grounds of N.C. Schaeffer Elementary School, 875 Pleasure Road, Lancaster.

Eco-Pond Site Plan

According to Anthony Aldinger, principal of Schaeffer Elementary School, the environmental area is a unique outdoor classroom and will be an important learning tool — not only for Schaeffer students, but also for school districts throughout eastern Pennsylvania.

“We want to bring environmental literacy into the reading, writing, math, social studies and science curriculum,” Aldinger stated. “With an eco-garden and pond of this size and quality, we can take learning beyond the bricks and mortar boundaries of a traditional school — and allow teachers to make the curriculum come alive and hands-on for the children,” he said.

To realize the dream of an environmental studies area that is a model for the nation, the Manheim Township Educational Foundation turned to The High Companies, one of the region’s oldest and largest employers — and a long-time supporter of projects that offer a high degree of benefit to the local community. S. Dale High, president and chairman of the board at High Industries, speaking on behalf of all members of the High family, is very pleased that the company can help bring this powerful learning resource to life.

 

Installation of Foot Bridge donated by High Steel Structures, Inc.

“Part of The High Companies’ Philosophy states that we should ‘contribute to a world of beauty, prosperity and peace,’ and this exciting project does just that,” High said. “This will be a valuable, hands-on outdoor classroom that will help to build students’ interest in nature — by making the words of science books come alive in a real-world environment.  It is the hope of the High family that this first-of-its-kind center will serve students for many generations to come — while motivating other employers to do the same kind of thing for the communities that support them,” High stated.

The High Companies has a long history of dedication of supporting and creating environments like this, with ponds and walking trails at many of their office parks including Greenfield Corporate Center and North Pointe Center in Lancaster.

Some of the key features of the Schaeffer Environmental Area will include:

• A 40-foot, 8,000 gallon pond hosting a variety of native plant life and aquatic pond species.
• A wheelchair-accessible pathway around the pond, with piers, boardwalks and bridges.
• Outdoor lighting, seating and signage to provide a positive learning experience.

Dedication Ceremony — February 2002

Phase One of the site construction for the Eco-Pond area has been completed. Phase Two will complete the landscaping in the area. Teacher training and staff development will be ongoing, to ensure that the Schaeffer Environmental Area remains a model that nurtures young students’ growth in knowledge of our environment and interest in environmental stewardship.

The steel bridge which spans the Eco-Pond was designed, fabricated and donated by High Steel Structures, Inc. of Lancaster. This bridge is one of the smallest ever fabricated by High Steel — the nation's largest fabricator of steel bridge girders.

The High Companies is one of the largest employers in Lancaster County with more than 2,600 co-workers. The company delivers a wide range of products and services to customers across the eastern United States. High products and services include steel bridges; precast concrete offices, parking garages and wall panels; carbon steel products; commercial design and construction; real estate services; hotels; industrial food services; and safety consulting.

N.C. Schaeffer Elementary School, located at 875 Pleasure Road in Manheim Township, Lancaster, has been a true neighborhood school since opening in 1936. With more than seventy-percent of the students walking to and from school, Schaeffer Elementary School and the new Environmental Area provide abundant opportunities for families to be directly involved in their children’s education. The school is currently undergoing a major renovation that will strengthen its ability to focus on the District’s stated mission: “To ensure that each student develops personal integrity and realizes his or her own genius, by paths that transcend the limitations of traditional institutions, within environments that nurture passion for lifelong learning and stewardship in our global society.”

The Manheim Township Educational Foundation was created in 1993 to strengthen and enrich the educational experiences of the students and faculty in the Manheim Township School District. The foundation’s success is built with the involvement of alumni, the community and business support.

Schools and other groups interested in studying at the Schaeffer Environmental Area may contact school principal Anthony Aldinger at (717) 291-1733.