The smell of freshly cut cedar filled the air outside the Francis F. Wilson Elementary School on Oct. 22 as faculty, staff and students gathered to unveil the newest addition to the school: a greenhouse.

The unassuming 8-foot by 8-foot cedar structure abuts the school building and faces south, providing optimal sun exposure for the plants that will soon fill it.

“We feel the greenhouse is an important part of our education here at Wilson,” said Principal Thomas Ricupero to the assembled crowd of about 50.

The greenhouse was assembled by Ricupero and Michael Travers, a Wilson school parent who donated his time. (Ricupero joked that even though the packaging said the assembly should take two people one day, it took him and Travers two days.)The kit, which cost about $3,200, was funded mostly by the Rockville Centre Education Foundation.

“They Education Foundation funded about two thirds of that,” Ricupero said. “And then the student government, which does fund raising here in the school, did the other third of that.” Money was also donated by the graduating fifth grade class, the Achiever’s Club, and by some Wilson School parents as well.

“[There was] a lot of fundraising in the school, but the primary one was the Education Foundation,” said Ricupero. “Without them, we couldn’t have done it.”

The greenhouse idea was spearheaded by fourth grade teacher Kara Spinelli, who wrote the grant proposal that was submitted to the Education Foundation.

“I did the research on the right greenhouse to pick for a school, and then I connected it to the curriculum for K-5 making sure it could be used in the classrooms,” said Spinelli.

Green was the theme of the day — most of the students wore green shirts and the ribbon that was cut to officially open the greenhouse was green.

Students stood behind one of the cedar tables and read about the Native American legend of the Three Sisters—corn, beans and squash— three main crops they grew, that Wilson's fourth grade students have already begun to cultivate. The fourth graders will be the first to use the greenhouse, as they are already in the middle of a unit learning about growing plants. But by the end of the year, Ricupero said that all the school's students be involved.

“It’s an extension of the classroom,” said Ricupero. “When the kids get outside, it just creates a whole new world. When you go inside [the greenhouse] and smell the cedar, it just helps bring you back to nature.”

Comments about this story? ACostello@liherald.com or (516)569-4000 ext. 207.