Investment in schoolyards and food education is over

For more than 20 years, Cultivating Communities and Portland Public Schools have worked together to build experiential learning programs related to schoolyards, nutrition, STEM, Wabanaki studies, and food systems. This includes incredible efforts and dedication from parents, community members, local businesses, and state, regional, and national organizations (SNAP-Ed, FoodCorps, Audubon, and Cumberland County Food Security Council, to name a few). is related.

Although Portland public schools face challenges, they also have advantages that other parts of the state don't have. One of those benefits is the strong support network of organizations and agencies that exist to assist with programming, including playground-based experiential learning that takes place throughout the school.

Amidst the disruption and losses caused by the pandemic, one positive was that these programs received a huge boost. For the past two years, Portland Public Schools has used federal funding to staff schools with experiential learning teachers to provide students with healthy meals, social/emotional learning, and physical wellness. We have provided a deeper connection to the curriculum through the use of the schoolyard. As the COVID-19 Relief Fund expires, we are at risk of losing these great programs.

A bill introduced in the Legislature, LD 1682, could help solve that problem, not just for Portland, but for all schools and school districts that want to take advantage of the myriad benefits associated with school gardens and food education. there is. This bill would allow school districts to phase in costs associated with gardening and food educators and the integrated curriculum they support into local school budgets over time, rather than in full in one year. However, this is often very difficult. This is a bill that will build much-needed program stability.

No wonder it passed the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry unanimously. It is up to Governor Mills, Senator Duson, Representative Collings, and the other members of the Appropriations Committee to fund this year's supplemental budget and appropriations process.

According to the Maine Environmental Education Association, the majority of experiential learning that takes place in Maine is connected to school gardens. However, research by the Maine School Garden Network shows that one of the biggest obstacles for schools implementing experiential learning programs is a lack of capacity. In other words, it's the power of people.

Without a school full-time staff, the garden and its many benefits become another challenge that must be managed by someone within the school. If there is no capacity in the existing teacher's plate, the garden will quickly turn into an eyesore, and the greenhouse will become a warehouse.

Our children and teachers deserve better. They deserve a vibrant and fun learning space.

LD 1682 helps districts build their own programs by supporting the creation of horticulture educator positions that meet the unique needs of districts. It is no secret that school funding is always more limited than necessary. Portland is no exception, and this year we're working to foster deeper neural connections with lessons, support children's social and emotional well-being, and enrich children's lives, especially as COVID-19 relief funding dries up. We face the real possibility of losing these incredibly valuable programs that provide us with the best of our lives. Our city is connected to the science, environment, people and ecosystems that produce our food here in Maine.

We hope that Governor Mills and his representatives on the Appropriations Committee will prioritize experiential learning that benefits our students today and our communities in the long run.

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