Program Overview

From January to October 2024, Farm to School BC offers a free mentorship program for K-12 educators and community organizations supporting existing school gardens or building a new school garden. This mentorship program provides valuable skills that support the development of a robust school garden community, hands-on student learning and a thriving garden ecosystem.

This program includes a series of monthly after-school online workshops, each featuring a guest speaker who will share their expertise to mentor you through the season in your school garden. Along with the workshops, the program offers an online library of resources and online connections to other garden educators. Join the third year of the School Garden Mentorship program and be part of our growing community of garden educators across BC.

About the Workshops

This program includes monthly after-school online workshops on Tuesdays. The hour-long workshops start with a short introduction to the topic and an overview of resources facilitated by Farm to School BC staff who have a wealth of experience supporting and teaching in school gardens. Following the introduction, the focus of the workshop is a presentation by a different guest speaker each month, and a facilitated Q & A with the guest following their presentation. The workshops are targeted to discuss seasonal garden tasks and prepare participants for the month ahead in the garden (although the specific timing of garden tasks will vary depending on your growing climate). Each workshop is designed to build off previous workshops, however, participants are encouraged to read the workshop descriptions and sign up for as many sessions as they like. See full details below. 

For those who attended last year, you will find the workshop themes are similar to previous years, however for the 2024 series, we are focusing on guest speakers and the unique knowledge and expertise they bring. Also, the longer Q&A time will provide the opportunity to tailor the discussion to the current needs of your school garden.

Establishing a School Garden Culture A garden committee contributes to a positive culture around the school garden, which reduces burnout, leads to a more sustainable garden, and helps build the school garden movement across the school district.  When: Tuesday, January 23  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM Build a garden committee with clear goals Define the roles of your team Consider school district policies Explore community connections Register here

• School Garden Crop Planning Guide
• Lesson Plan: Saving Garden Seeds
• School Garden Summer Maintenance Guide
• Connecting to the Curriculum: Elementary (Gr.K-7)
• Connecting to the Curriculum: Secondary (Gr.8-12)