Thomas Jefferson High School PETE MURPHY , PRINCIPAL est Jefferson Hills
WEST JEFFERSON HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS — THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
Apple Orchard
Thomas Jefferson High School
Gifted Education teacher Mr . Dan Giger is building upon the success of the Apiary Science Program that was introduced last year by overseeing the planting of a new apple orchard . This October , ten apple trees were purchased as part of a grant received from the Allegheny County Conservation District to create an orchard in the area adjacent to the district ’ s bee hives . Last year , Mr . Giger helped the district ’ s special education secretary and resident beekeeper , Laurie Woodward , mentor a group of 10 -15 students during the high school ’ s Personalized Learning Time ( PLT ) on the basics of beekeeping . Mrs . Woodward introduced topics that included such subjects as bee types / anatomy , colony systematics , environmental importance , and threats to bees . In conjunction with the apiary PLT ’ s , Giger also collaborated with Construction Technology teachers Ken Gruntz and Matt Betler to assemble a team of students who designed and built a Concrete Pad and Bee Shed near the apiary . The shed houses the equipment needed by Woodward to manage the hives and was completed last spring as part of student PLT sessions . It was designed not only to be a focal point and meeting place for future Apiary
Science PLT sessions but also as a handson learning tool for students who were enrolled in the Construction Technology classes .
The new orchard will provide the bees with a ready source of nectar and pollen in the spring when the trees bloom to support our ecosystem . There are currently three hives that house approximately 60,000 honey bees within the apiary . According to Woodward , “ we harvested around 140 pounds of honey this year from the three current hives . While the pandemic pushed back the timeline of the students getting involved this past spring , classes will be held throughout the winter to educate and prepare students to help manage the hives for the 2021 season . The goal is to split the three hives into five in 2021 !”
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