Alpine students attend trout release

SPARTA — The Trout in the Classroom program at Alpine School is run by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.

In October, volunteers meet at the Pequest Hatchery in Hackettstown and deliver trout eggs to schools that have signed up to participate in the program. About 300 rainbow trout eggs were delivered to Alpine School in October.

The school had a very successful hatch rate.

Most of the eggs hatched, over 250, between Oct. 25 and 27. The newly hatched eggs, called sac fry, stayed in a small container inside the tank for about a month.

In late November, the fry were released into the full tank and began eating trout food supplied by the program.

Students watched the trout grow over the course of the next several months. They learned about life cycle, life needs, the importance of clean water and oxygen, and practiced scientific observation and scientific writing.

Students also kept “Trout Journals” in which they wrote and drew about what they observed in the tank. All students in grades kindergarten through second grade participated in journal writing.

The school program also assists with obtaining permits for the trout’s release at the end of the program.

On June 15, 25 healthy, hardy rainbow trout were released into the Wallkill River at Station Park.

The release was attended by more than 100 people who came to say “good bye and good luck” to them

Alpine School has been participating in the TIC for the past six years. JoAnn Ostrowski introduced the program to the school and raised the trout with her second graders.

When the new STEP program came to be at Alpine, Patti McGovern took over the trout project so that all students could participate in their weekly visits to her class.

Alpine’s PTO helps support the program by funding supplies necessary to maintain the 55 gallon tank.