Edible School Gardens in Watertown? Please join us for a Community Conversation Wednesday, February 12th 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm Lowell Elementary School Cafeteria 175 Orchard Street, Watertown Refreshments provided RSVP BY FEBRUARY 4th to watertownschoolgardens@gmail What’s it about? We’re holding a community conversation in world café format* about school gardens. In particular, to talk about the new edible garden at the Lowell Elementary School, and the possibility of establishing such gardens at other schools in Watertown. Questions for discussion What are the opportunities and dilemmas in establishing edible school gardens in Watertown? What would it take to fully engage our community in supporting this initiative? What would be 100%? Who’s invited? You’re receiving this invitation because we think your voice is important in the conversation about school gardens in Watertown. We’ve also invited many others—parents, student reps, educators, school administrators, town officials, gardeners, and chefs. Backstory In 2013, a small but determined group of teachers, parents and gardeners launched the first officially supported edible school garden in Watertown. It exceeded expectations and generated a lot of excitement in the school community! But its future is uncertain and needs to be secured. We also want to fulfill our mission to spearhead such gardens at other Watertown schools. It takes a community to grow a school garden. That’s why we think a community conversation is the place to begin. What IS an edible school garden? The Lowell Learning Garden is part of a nationwide movement to integrate garden-based learning into the curriculum. Edible school gardens are outdoor classrooms that demonstrate the transformative power of growing, cooking and sharing food. They help kids learn to make lifelong healthy eating choices and see the connections between their own health and the health of the environment. They provide experiential learning for the entire curriculum and help kids develop bonds with the natural world. They help kids develop responsibility, patience, cooperation, initiative, and self-esteem. RSVP - RSVP BY FEBRUARY 4th to watertownschoolgardens@gmail so we can plan for adequate seating and refreshments. Also feel free to contact us for questions or more information. We hope to see you on February 12! Organizers Elizabeth Kaplan - Principal of Lowell Elementary School Anna Yoo - Parent, child psychiatrist, & Watertown Community Gardens board member Victoria Thatcher - Garden educator & designer; Lowell Learning Garden coordinator Judy Beecher - Parent & co-president of Hosmer Elementary PTO A world café is a facilitated conversation format in which participants sit at small café-like tables with four people per table. The facilitator poses two or three key questions, after which there are three 20- to 30-minute rounds of conversation. Between rounds, participants shift to different tables and talk with new people. This format maximizes the exchange & harvesting of ideas.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 02:25:12 +0000
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