Dedication for Connie Spellman Nature Classroom

On Tuesday, Oct. 6 John Gottschalk and College of Saint Mary dedicated the new Connie Spellman Nature Classroom. The former Omaha World-Herald CEO and publisher, together with the Dr. C.C. and Mabel Criss Memorial Foundation donated the funds for the classroom, located at the Spellman Child Development Center. Gottschalk joined with Connie Spellman, children and their parents, faculty and staff for a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new outdoor space will help create another opportunity for the children to discover and learn outside of the classroom.

The open area includes green space, as well as planted areas with spruce trees, daylilies, hostas and native grasses. The design of the space incorporates a rich mix of activity areas. A winding path meanders through Messy Material, Movement and Music, Nature Art and Climbing areas, which promote healthy interactions with the natural world. A wrought iron fence encloses the classroom overlooking Aksarben Village and Little Papio Creek greenway.

Research has shown that children’s interaction with nature helps them develop powers of observation and creativity, and fosters language and collaborative skills. In fact, children who learn in nature classrooms learn skills across all learning domains. The new Connie Spellman Nature Classroom is one of only a handful in the Omaha area. Paperwork is being filed to have the classroom certified by Nature Explore, a collaborative program of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation.

If you’d like to help us stock our nature classroom with fun and educational items to help our children learn and grow please contact Rita Wiley at 402-399-2422, or rwiley [at] csm.edu. Thank you for your generous donation!