Thirty-four staff from twenty schools in Maine took School Garden 101 and 201 trainings between 2010 and 2011. The trainings provided hands-on gardening lessons, planning sessions, and networking opportunities. As a result, eight schools started new gardens, seven improved existing gardens, seven started composting programs, and twelve grew produce for cafeterias. All twenty schools incorporated gardening into their classrooms. The school gardens remained active after the trainings.

1. School Garden 101 and 201:
Two Courses that Empower School Staff to Plan, Install, and
Effectively Use Gardens to Teach and Feed Their Students
Marjorie L. Peronto1, Susan Deblieck2, Katie Freedman3
1UMaine
Abstract
Cooperative Extension, Extension Educator, Hancock County, 63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605 Schoolyard gardens and greenhouses have experienced a tremendous resurgence in Maine. In too many cases however, due to inadequate
2Healthy Acadia, Farm to School Coordinator, 1366 State Highway 102, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
3Healthy Acadia, Farm to School Coordinator, 1366 State Highway 102, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 planning, pinched budgets and lack of horticultural know-how, the gardens become neglected weed patches, and greenhouses serve as
storage places. School Garden 101 is a five-part evening course that provides school staff with basic organic gardening skills, focused
planning time, networking opportunities, and curriculum ideas to start and manage a school vegetable garden that is tied to the classroom
and cafeteria. School Garden 201 is a two-part follow-up course for schools with established gardens, that teaches the advanced techniques
of succession planting and season extension, and introduces a process to fully integrate gardens throughout the school system.
Project Goals Participants learned basic gardening skills. Program Results
•! School staff will increase knowledge about organic gardening. School Garden 101 & 201 Course Assessment
•! School staff will gain experience using garden-based learning 80
activities in their classrooms. 70
•! School staff will plan, install, and effectively use gardens to 60
teach and feed their students. % participants 50
who found 40
highly useful
(n=35) 30
20
Participants worked in teams to create their school garden plan. 10
Methods 0
Hands-on Course School garden Networking
gardening reference planning with other
1.! Each of seven three-hour classes contained lessons manual sessions schools
-! a hands-on gardening lesson (how to compost, build soil,
grow seedlings, manage insects & diseases, succession
plant, extend the season) Accomplishments of Participating Schools*
-! a school garden planning session and
-! a group discussion with time for networking. 100% Incorporated garden-based learning into classroom
Participants piloted garden-based
lessons in their classrooms. 60% Grew produce for school cafeteria
2. Between weekly classes, participants piloted garden-based 40% Started a new school garden
learning activities in their school classrooms.
35% Improved an existing school garden
3. Between weekly classes, participants completed team 35% Started school composting
assignments that moved their school garden project forward.
* Data from one-year follow-up phone survey, N=20, 100% participation
4.! Participants received a course reference manual that contained Teams completed weekly homework tasks that
Extension gardening publications, school garden planning
tools, sample classroom activities and a bibliography of school
moved their school garden project forward.
Summary
gardening resources. TEAM HOMEWORK School Garden Tasks Worksheet TEAM HOMEWORK School Garden Roles Worksheet
In 2010 and 2011, thirty-four staff from twenty schools took the
School Garden 101 and 201 trainings in Hancock and Washington
What is your plan to address the following tasks? Who can you engage in the following roles?
Tasks Target Date What will you do to complete this? 1. FACILITATOR name:_____________________________
to Complete
Seek administrative Facilitator will plan and convene the meetings, enlist community support, help with
approval fundraising, and take on other leadership responsibilities
Create a support network 2. GARDEN COORDINATOR name:_____________________________
The garden coordinator will work with the facilitator to create a core team; make
plans for the garden (location, planting and harvest plan); and order seeds
Counties, Maine. Of the twenty schools, 1) eight started a new
school garden, 2) seven improved or expanded a pre-existing school
Identify goals and link the
garden to your curriculum
3. PLANTING DAY LEADER name:_____________________________
Design the garden The planting day leader will work ahead of time to secure access to water and tools,
garden, 3) seven started a classroom worm composting system,
and work ahead of time to get seeds started in classrooms and train staff
Identify supply needs and 4. RESOURCE LEADER name:_____________________________
funding needs
The resource leader will collect, store, and distribute educational materials to help
4) twelve grew fresh produce for their cafeteria, and 5) all twenty
teachers use the garden.
Obtain supplies and funds
5. PARENT-TEACHER LIAISON name:_____________________________
The P-T liaison will keep the school PTA informed about the garden and recruit
incorporated garden-based learning activities into their classrooms.
Plant the garden
parents and community members to help along the way.
Maintain the garden 6. FUNDRAISER & OUTREACH name:_____________________________
All of the above-mentioned school gardens are still active.
The fundraiser/outreach coordinator will work with the facilitator and garden
coordinator to make a garden budget; seek funds for the garden from grants and
Sustain the garden community organizations, and document the garden’s progress with photographs
and articles to the school newsletter and local newspapers.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension