HUSD - Chaparral Elementary

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Last school year Ms. Mack noticed some owls sitting on the lights at Chaparral’s campus. She also noticed that students would holler or throw rocks at these owls. Ms. Mack and her second grade class did some research and found out that these owls are called burrowing owls. Through their research they found that these particular owls are becoming extinct because of all of the construction that is going on in Gilbert. Burrowing owls take over burrows from other animals such as groundhogs or moles. When the ground is dug up and new buildings are constructed the burrows are destroyed and leave the owls without a home. With a bit more research Ms. Mack’s class was able to come up with a dollar amount to build burrows for the current owls on campus. Ms. Mack received an HEA Grant, now titled the Gail Stapleton Grant in the amount of $300.00 at the end of last school year.

This school year the 8th grade science teacher, Mr. Fox, and students helped Ms. Mack’s current class construct the first burrow. The second burrow will be built behind Chaparral’s 300 building early this semester. Ms. Mack and her class hope to teach other students and staff on the campus how to respect animals and give back to them what has been taken away. 3380 East Frye Road. Gilbert, AZ, 85295 | Phone: (480) 279-7900 | Fax: ( 480) 279-7905