Research from the EdEN Lab at the University of Texas Austin shows that thriving school gardens are 12 times more likely to have good administrative and district support. This month, we focus on strategies for building these essential relationships to ensure your garden program has the leadership support and institutional

School gardens can be places of restoration for students and ecosystems alike. Incorporating regenerative agricultural education, such as studying soil health, nutrient cycling, and habitat conservation, deepens students’ understanding of their role as land stewards. Read this month’s newsletter for practical ways to tend to your school gardens in ways

District farms are unique programs that expand opportunities for school garden initiatives. They give students experience with food production at a larger scale, often allowing them to follow the process from farm to plate. These farms also offer internships for older students and valuable partnerships that deepen students’ understanding of

Integrating a school garden into a broader network of support organizations and schools is key to long-term success. Networks create multiple avenues for connection, expanding capacity and reducing costs through shared resources and peer-to-peer learning. In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find examples and tools for building collaborative school garden networks

Allowing students to consume vegetables they planted themselves in their school garden is an immensely satisfying experience that brings the educational journey full circle. Beyond educational benefits, growing produce on-site to supplement school meals can help reduce costs and reinvest funds into your school community. In this month’s newsletter, explore

Schools and districts often invest in wellness activities to improve student health and that of the broader community. By advocating for school gardens as part of these initiatives, you can strengthen their long-term sustainability regardless of administrative changes. Read this month’s SGSO Network Newsletter for resources to help position your

Now more than ever, it’s essential to maintain a flexible and resilient operating budget for your school garden program. One aspect of this can include finding revenue from unexpected sources, such as space usage fees or purpose-adjacent grants. Read this month’s newsletter to see how SGSO Network members are crafting

Research shows that students participating in school garden programs develop a stronger sense of environmental responsibility. In addition to being a powerful educational tool, school gardens offer tangible ways to adopt green initiatives by depaving schoolyards, mitigating microclimates, and managing stormwater runoff. Explore this month’s newsletter for resources to help

Thoughtful planning of a garden space fosters student engagement and encourages structured and independent learning. Intentional design is what transforms raised beds and outdoor classrooms into thriving multi-purpose spaces. Take a look at this month’s Newsletter for a roundup of resources to help you create a space that maximizes participation

Students aren’t the only ones who can learn and grow in school gardens. Staff training—for everyone from classroom teachers to coordinators—is crucial for delivering impactful programming and developing essential skills. Read this month’s SGSO Network Newsletter for resources to introduce or improve your professional development offerings. Read Full Newsletter

Learning about Indigenous traditions deepens student’s relationship to the land while honoring these ancestral stewards. In this Newsletter, we use the word “Indigenous” to encompass native communities both from within and outside the United States. Read on and find resources to connect Indigenous knowledge to your program, from garden design

Join the SGSO Network in celebrating Farm to School Month in October, organized by the National Farm to School Network! Farm to School focuses on three main areas: procurement of local produce to be served in cafeterias, hands-on school garden education, and in-classroom lessons on our food system. From lessons

School gardens are a transformative experience for young people of all ages. For high school students, garden programming teaches important life skills they will carry with them into their future careers and adulthood. Check out this collection of resources on how to meaningfully engage high school students from academic content

School gardens provide impactful programming to many students. Understandably, we want our programs to reach more of them over time. Scaling up operations intentionally and sustainably takes careful planning and consideration, and it can take many different shapes. Take a look at this resource roundup on frameworks and best practices

All types of pollinators are essential to a thriving and abundant school garden. Additionally, teaching students about their important role is a key component of a well-rounded garden-based education program. Check out this resource round up for tips on helping pollinators thrive in your garden, tools for bringing pollinators into

We know that school garden programs can never have too much funding to help their dreams grow into reality. In this newsletter, discover thoughtful financial strategies to support your garden and contribute to its resilience and broader sustainability. Join us in cultivating not just plants, but a sustainable future for

Youth-led garden programs are impactful as they provide students with hands-on learning experiences, while also supporting them to take ownership of their education and drive their own transformative garden experiences. These programs nurture leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills, while lending themselves easily to entrepreneurship and avenues for engaging students

School garden produce can be used in a variety of ways at school, such as in the cafeteria, taste tests, cooking, or nutrition education. But it can also serve as a source of food for families and the broader community and be a part of the solution for nutrition security.

When we ensure that our school garden programs directly understand, appreciate and adapt to the cultural backgrounds of all students who are engaged, we create a higher likelihood that all students will benefit from the values of the school garden program. Whether it is how you build your lesson plans,

This month we wrap up our focus on how we share the impact of our school garden programs with a focus on storytelling. Once you’ve gathered the data and evaluated your school garden program, you can begin to share your stories with your community, partners, and stakeholders. This newsletter focuses

The theme for the next two newsletters will be all about sharing the great impact of school gardens. This month, in Part 1, we will dive into the process for collecting data, evaluating the effectiveness of our school garden programs, and assessing their impact on the students who learn in

The theme of this month’s newsletter honors indigenous foodways and local community cultural traditions in the school garden. We are highlighting resources that celebrate Native foodways, invite reflection and gratitude for those who have come before us, and provide opportunities for student learning in the garden centered around the rich