eters Township
PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Growing Opportunities at PTHS Through Community Partnerships
Grants offered in a school district often present a chance to dream – to try something new and fund an idea that might not be possible through a traditional school budget. That’ s exactly what happened when PA Smart Grants opened an opportunity through their Innovation Grants last year.
Almost immediately, the idea of a greenhouse came to mind for District Administrators, based on the success of the Coffee Tree Roasters location at Peters Township High School. What do a coffee shop and a greenhouse have in common? It’ s all about the students and providing opportunities beyond the classroom.
In 2021, Peters Township High School debuted the school’ s own Coffee Tree Roasters location in the heart of the new high school. While the delicious coffee is a pretty big perk for staff and students alike, the educational partnerships that benefit our students has become a model worth repeating.
Students began visiting Simmons Farm this fall to help out in the markets.
“ The success of Coffee Tree is the difference we see in our students,” said Assistant Principal Joie Conroy.“ Watching our business students manage the resources, track inventory, watch trends and create sales reports, all while working alongside our students with special needs who are also making the coffee,
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PETERS TOWNSHIP
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Clarissa Crist from Penn State visited our students to introduce greenhouse concepts to the students and they had a chance to build their own model for different climates.
handling deliveries, and filling supplies in the warehouse – it’ s truly all been better that we ever imagined.”
“ We always want more opportunities for our students,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeannine French.“ The greenhouse will expand the real world work experiences for our students into brand new areas, and will provide even more opportunities with the amazing partners we have on board.”
Our partner relationships were key to the success of this program and the District quickly found eager partners with Simmons Farm and Penn State Extension – Washington County to help provide the expertise needed to make this a success. With their help, students will learn how to grow, market, and sell a variety of domestic plants, shrubs and flowers. In addition to understanding proper plant health, and horticulture care and technology through Penn State, working with Simmons Farm also includes employment skills with real world experience in their thriving local markets and job training for students with disabilities.
With the grant funding in place, work began on the planning for this new venture. Administrators worked with contractors to ensure that the new structure would be safe for students and included all the necessary utilities to ensure year-round use for our students. Construction got underway early this spring, and with completion just around the corner, plans are underway to have the greenhouse operational for the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
Students in our Learning Support classes worked at Simmons Farm markets this fall and will head back to those markets this spring for more job shadowing and training. Penn State also visited our students in April to introduce the science behind the greenhouse and the benefits of being able to plant year-round in the Pittsburgh climate.
Plans are in the works for Penn State to return in the fall and work with the District’ s Horticulture Club to set up the new greenhouse and get the operation moving.
“ Adding this greenhouse to our school opens so many possibilities for our students to learn in new ways,” added Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Murphy.“ As we get this off the ground we’ ll be looking at how we can involve science students, business