3-06-2021 10:04pm

Clearcreek Elementary Students Work With Warren County Park District on Bat House Project

Rick Amburgey Neighbor

Springboro, OH --- Earlier this school year, Alyce Haren and Laura Parlett, first grade teachers at Clearcreek Elementary, began teaching their students about bats and the important role they play in our ecosystem. The students were fascinated to learn that bats help control the insect population, serve as pollinators, and disperse seeds. The students became inspired to assist the bat population and help our community after learning about bat houses in class.

Mrs. Haren and Mrs. Partlett’s students had the idea to write letters to Shannon Pennington, a Naturalist with the Warren County Park District, requesting permission to install bat houses throughout the parks in Warren County. When the Park District agreed, the Clearcreek Elementary teachers reached out to Roy Broderick and Scott Fetzer, Engineering teachers at Springboro High School and Butler Tech, respectively. Both agreed to partner with the first-grade classes for the project.

On Saturday, March 6 at 11:00am at the Armco Park Office (1223 OH-741, Lebanon, OH 45036), between Shelters 24 and 25 (right hand side as you enter from OH-741), the students will be recognized by the Warren County Park District with a ceremony to commemorate their work.

Armco Park

1223 OH-741, Lebanon, OH 45036

Park Office – Shelters 24 & 25

Saturday, March 6 (11:00am)

At the ceremony, the students will speak about the project and discuss a bat house scavenger hunt that has been created by the Warren County Park District. The locations of each bat house will be marked on a map that the students can use at any time to go on a hunt for the bat houses. The students will also be presented with a special certificate naming each one of them as a "Bat Expert," signed by the Warren County Park District.

“Our classes are now planning to meet in one of the parks so the students and their parents can see the end result of all their hard work,” said Alyce Haren. Laura Parlett continued, “We wanted our students to know that their efforts, big or small, can make a positive impact in their community.”

Home Depot discounted the cost of building materials, and Sherwin Williams’ Springboro location graciously donated paint and supplies. Once the students in Mrs. Haren and Mrs. Partlett’s classes had all the necessary materials, the high school students in Mr. Broderick and Mr. Fetzer’s classes designed and built the bat houses for the first-grade students.

The bat houses were delivered to Clearcreek Elementary for the first graders to paint and decorate. The front of the bat houses were adorned with “Springboro Panther” emblems, so patrons of the Warren County Park District would recognize these as the work of Springboro students while visiting the parks. All total, Mrs. Haren and Mrs. Partlett received and painted twenty-six (26) bat houses for donation.

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* This story was written by district staff.