Oregon State University’s popular School Garden Coordinator Certificate program now accepting new registrants.
Whether you’re new to school gardening or looking to bring your school’s garden to the next level, this program will meet you where you’re at and give you tips and techniques that you can start using immediately.
The program has been thoughtfully designed and developed to give participants the knowledge, resources and inspiration to implement and maintain an edible school garden built on a foundation of broad community involvement and support.
The course starts with the context of school gardens within the broader Farm to School movement and the multiple research-based benefits of school garden education.
By the end of this program, participants will gain the insight and knowledge to:
- Engage diverse stakeholders in a school community in a collective planning process for a sustainable program.
- Explore the elements of school garden infrastructure and planting for the school year. Take virtual tours of multiple school gardens and learn via discussions and interactive activities.
- Teach in the school garden, from curriculum selection to outdoor class management. Several demonstration lessons will be shared.
- Facilitate cooking with children, understand food safety guidelines and see how you can incorporate the garden into the school’s cafeteria.
- Examine the long-term financial and program sustainability of school gardens.
Each week, participants will have access to videos and other presentations, followed by a live discussion so that you can share your own experiences and learn from your classmates.
This online school gardens training has a focus on elementary school/youth programs, but it can also be adapted to middle and high school-aged students as well.
While the virtual school garden tours are in Oregon, the practical tips on everything from garden design to volunteer management are applicable no matter where you live.
This online course runs September 23 through November 17 and the cost is $300.
For more information and to register