Southdown Gardens Get a Makeover
Kimberley Steinberg is as energetic a parent as there is. The Southdown Primary School mom has a green thumb and one recent day led an effort to beautify the garden area near the main entrance to the Browns Road school building.
"It's so wonderful to walk outside and see the beautiful gardens," Southdown Principal Michelle Marino said. "It's a tremendous amount of work, but makes a strong statement about our school and how much we care about providing an inviting environment for our entire school community."
Southdown's PTA has a 56-year history of active involvement school improvement projects. The group has repeatedly reshaped various garden areas surrounding the building and the work has created a park-like atmosphere.
"Over the years some of the shrubs had become overgrown and Kimberley saw an opportunity to revitalize the front gardens," said Dawn Weir, Southdown's PTA president.
One recent day, Mrs. Steinberg teamed up with staff members from the district's buildings and grounds department and Oakwood Road Gardens for a major renovation project. The new look is fresh, colorful and pleasing to the eyes. The work has been praised by faculty and staff, students and parents.
Al Hendrickson, Carlos Claudio, Juan Diaz, James "Butch" Lloyd and Lamel Beard from the buildings and grounds department spent hours working on the renovation project.
"Oakwood Road Gardens donated most of the shrubs and "Kimberley set up a wish list for parents to buy and donate plants to the new gardens," Ms. Weir said. The buildings and grounds workers and Southdown's new head custodian Frank Conforti, spent several hours working hard to transform the garden areas and beautify the spaces.
"We are extremely fortunate to have such talented and supportive parents like Mrs. Steinberg," Mrs. Marino said.