Springside Chestnut Hill Academy's Lower School has recently earned the first "Bird Safe Schools" recognition from Bird Safe Philly for their efforts to safeguard wild birds. The school's cafeteria, which features beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows, had an unexpected consequence due to its location adjacent to the Wissahickon Valley Park. The reflection of the trees and woodland in the windows was responsible for birds striking the glass panes and dying.

So SCH parent and bird biologist Stephanie Egger approached the school with a solution: thousands of tiny white vinyl dots and student-designed vinyl decals using Feather Friendly products. The 3rd-grade students, along with their science teachers, enthusiastically took on the challenge – researching native bird life and designing vinyl decals featuring their studied birds, such as Tufted Titmouse, House Sparrow, and Carolina Chickadee.

The project received funding from various sources, including a grant from the Clean Earth Challenge, an alumnus and former SCH trustee, and the Wyncote Audubon Society. Both the Middle and Upper School Eco Clubs also contributed to the effort.

No casualties have been reported since the decals went up. Students will be on the lookout for bird strikes and will upload their data to the Bird Safe Philly, Bird Strikes Project on iNaturalist, a citizen scientist app to help gather data for scientists.