Vision

Our vision is to promote more healthy eating and buying less packaged food. Our plan is to establish a garden that will grow food to be shared with the students in the school and their families. Many of our families deal with food insecurity and might find fresh food too expensive. We have noticed many students bringing high sugar, packaged foods to school, cookies, snack bars for lunch and we would like to give them exposure to other healthier food options. Having the gardens will help teach the students how to grow and prepare their own food and they can share those lessons with their families.

Action

In our school courtyard we have 8 raised bed containers. We plan to plant herbs and vegetables in the spring. The students will be taking care of them and in the fall we will return and harvest our vegetables. We will make a plan to water throughout the summer with staff volunteering to open the courtyard on Watering Wednesdays for families to help water. In the fall we will have a celebration where we harvest the food and use the vegetables in our snack program and also send home food when possible. In addition, we will be partnering with Public Health to do parenting workshops on food choices and nutrition. The Parenting Centre in our school will also plant and care for part of the garden bins. We are in need of seeds, top soil for the raised bins and other planting tools.

Reflection & Celebration

Students will have exposure to a variety of vegetables that we hope will expand their food choices. They have an opportunity to learn life skills of gardening and learn about where food comes from. Our students will be encouraged to work together to grow their own food and share their knowledge with their families. A garden celebration at harvest is one of the ways our school creates a sense of pride and belonging in our students. We plan to have the garden as an ongoing project, students will learn to take responsibility for various garden roles and edible plants each year.