Green Roof Offers New Learning Experiences

It has only been about a month since we’ve been back in school, and many of us have already adapted the new bright and shiny science wing into our hundred year old school. However, many students have yet to experience one of the most environmentally captivating parts of the new wing: The green roof.

The green roof is available for teachers to reserve class time in the area. Dr. Monaghan, Glenbard West Principal, said, “The green roof will be open to all classes, under teacher supervision.”

Mr. Lindberg, West science teacher, said, “AP Environmental Science and Ecology [students] are going to be spending some time up there [doing] projects involving germination or plants and soil testing.”  The green roof can be utilized by science classes as an outdoor lab to do hands-on work with the different plants growing there.  Another idea in progress, according to Dr. Monaghan, is starting an herb garden to implement in different classes.

The green roof wasn’t in the first original plan for the addition, however it “Wasn’t too much more expensive to turn it into a green roof which would allow for an opportunity for students to be outside and incorporate that into some of our courses,” said Dr. Monaghan. 

The roof displays specialized mixtures of plants that are drought resistant and easily manageable. Also, because it is a non-reflective roof top and is able to absorb water, unlike a regular roof, it will also serves as a “modern engineering solution,” said Mr. Lindberg.

The green roof is, according to Dr. Monaghan, “nova terra, new ground” for both faculty and students, and it is up to us to come up with new ideas for how to use this interactive space.