Superintendent Ryan Saxe, Dep Superintendent Matthew Woods, Jason Barrett, Stefinie Aversa, Charity Ballard and Brooke O'Connell

Winchester Avenue Elementary's new outdoor classroom creates more opportunities for students

Berkeley County Schools

November 19, 2025

Article written by Ainsley Hall and published in The Journal on November 19, 2025, link to article HERE.

Winchester Avenue Elementary School unveiled its new outdoor classroom on Monday, Nov. 17, allowing students to spend more time in nature and encourage them to stay engaged in their education. The project was supported by West Virginia State Senator Jason Barrett after talking with former Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) President Brooke O’Connell.

When O’Connell was working on building business partnerships during teacher appreciation week in May of 2024, she reached out to Tudor’s Biscuit World to ask for 40 sandwiches to give to teachers. She got a phone call to confirm her order and ended up talking about everything the school and PTO were working on. She mentioned the outdoor classroom, an ongoing project that O’Connell and the school were trying to raise funds for. Barrett, the owner of Tudor’s Biscuit World, was so inspired by her dedication that he committed to giving $10,000 on the spot.

“The phone call led to an organic opportunity to share about the work we were doing at Winchester Avenue Elementary and what the PTO was working on,” O’Connell said. “I went to partner with a local business and left with a grant to fully fund a project we needed. It was really incredible.”

During the ceremony, O’Connell said that she remembered hanging up the phone, sobbing and thanking God for such an amazing gift. She believes it’s a reflection of all the hard work and time the school community has dedicated to helping students grow and learn.

“I know the seeds the PTO has planted over the years will bear good fruit for everyone who walks into the doors of Winchester Avenue Elementary,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell thanked Barrett for his support and for representing the people of Martinsburg. Barrett also shared a few words, thanking guests for coming and celebrating this moment. He said that he was honored to invest in creating more opportunities for students.

“I’ve been in this community my entire life,” Barrett said. “I’ve been around here and played on these streets and I understand exactly the importance of things like this for children in our community.”

Barrett explained that when Brooke called, he heard her passion and saw that it was a passion shared by many others. He saw the opportunity to help children in the community and decided to take it.

Stefinie Aversa, reading specialist at Winchester Avenue Elementary, was one of the main teachers that led the project. She explained that with this project, the school will start a new garden club, allowing students to learn more about plants and where their food comes from. Not only will it give students hands-on experience but also provides a space for the community to enjoy. Second grade teacher Victoria Raines added that students thrive on excitement, and this will bring something new to make learning even more fun and engaging.

“We’re a small school, so students see inside the building for most of the day,” Raines said. “This gives them a reason to be excited about learning.”

In the future, the school hopes to add more sensory activities and plans to partner with Cook’s Lawn Care Plus to plant trees with the students in the spring. Both students and teachers alike are excited to use the space and see how it will impact the community.