Fish tank at Coolidge is microcosm of Lake Quinsigamond
By Mary Pritchard Contributing Writer

Calvin Coolidge School (back, l to r) Instructional Aide Joe Armenti, thirdgrade teacher Shirley LeMay, and (front, l to r) students Chris Marcello and Jake Yankee show off the fish tank in the lobby of the school. Chris contributed a fish he caught with his father and Jake contributed egg sacks of the wood frog.

Shrewsbury - While summer is a time when many local residents take advantage of living so close to Lake Quinsigamond, a new project at Calvin Coolidge School helps make school children who live in the area more aware of what a special resource they have in their neighborhood throughout the entire year.

Amy Clouter, who became the principal of Coolidge School in July 2006, explained how the project came about.

"Being a new principal, you arrive in July to a mostly empty building," Clouter said. "I had a lot of time to get to know the facility and the neighborhood, and I couldn't help noticing our assets. To begin with, there are abundant natural resources in our backyard. We are fortunate at Coolidge to have a large physical plant [natural growth], with ample space for reinforcing learning. [Third-grade teacher Shirley LeMay] was

A large fish tank in the school lobby contains creatures already incorporating the Fish and Wildlife organization's work into her classroom; it was a small step to think through how we might showcase the effort in the lobby and spread the wealth throughout the school."

LeMay and Joe Armenti, an instructional aide at Coolidge, quickly joined forces to put together the project to highlight the lake and create a "central science center" that the entire school community could share. that are indigenous to Lake Quinsigamond. The project got underway in late winter and so far has included fish, egg sacks and tadpoles. More fish, and things like snails and crayfish will be added to the tank periodically. Information is posted around the tank about what types of species are inside. Activities are posted as well, like a prediction box for how the tadpoles that were added to the tank would eat.

Part of the project was funded through the McGowan Grant, a Parent Teacher Organization grant given each year for a science related purpose. The grant is named in honor of Larry McGowan, who was a volunteer at Coolidge for 16 years. He had been a teacher in Marlborough previously, and then spent years sharing his love of science and teaching with the Coolidge community. McGowan was affectionately referred to as the "Grandteacher."

According to LeMay, the aquarium is an appropriate way to honor McGowan, who died last March.

"Kids would flock around him," LeMay said, "and now they flock here."

Every grade had a part in creating the tank. LeMay described the tank area as a way to offer a "community science feel" and to embrace Lake Quinsigamond as "part of our culture" at Coolidge.

The tank is also tied to the curriculum in all grades through both science and history.

Armenti, a 1980 Shrewsbury High School grad- uate, grew up spending time around the lake and is familiar with what is in and around the water there. Drawing from his own experience as well as his research and studies of the history of Lake Quinsigamond, he enjoys sharing his knowledge with students.

Armenti also enjoys the response students have to the tank and its contents.

"Every day, seeing how many kids look at that tank in awe … They get to see what is really out there in our own backyard," Armenti said.