Montgomery School Rain Garden
A Living Classroom for Sustainability
Montgomery School students helped create and install a 2,200-square-foot rain garden designed to protect Pickering Creek, a tributary of the Schuylkill River, from stormwater runoff and pollution. Supported by a $20,000 grant from the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund, along with Constellation Energy, Aqua Pennsylvania, and the Delaware River Basin Commission, the project reflects Montgomery’s commitment to environmental education and stewardship.
The rain garden acts as a natural filtration system, capturing and cleaning stormwater before it reaches the creek. Because Montgomery’s 60-acre campus slopes toward Pickering Creek, the garden’s native plants and trees now help slow runoff, reduce erosion, and improve water quality, turning a potential problem into a long-term solution.
This project not only benefits the local ecosystem but also creates hands-on learning opportunities for our students. They saw first-hand how their work supports the health of our watershed.
JAY kULKARNI, science department chair and sustainability coordinator
Our students don’t just learn about sustainability—they live it. The rain garden shows what’s possible when education, community, and care for the planet come together.
tom mcmanus, head of school
Learning by Doing
Developed in collaboration with GreenWeaver Landscaping, the West Pikeland Township Environmental Advisory Council, and the Green Valleys Watershed Association, the rain garden reflects Montgomery’s belief that students learn best through experience.
The rain garden joins Montgomery’s other outdoor learning spaces, including the meadow, creek classroom, and student-run beekeeping program. Together, these initiatives form a living classroom that inspires curiosity, responsibility, and environmental leadership.
See sustainability in action.
Schedule a Visit to experience how Montgomery connects students with the natural world every day.