Superintendent Michael S. Nelson is pleased to announce that Sippican Elementary School has partnered with the Marion Institute to participate in the Grow Education Farm-to-School (Grow FTS) program for the second year in a row.
“We are very happy to partner for another year with the Marion Institute to offer this program to students,” said Superintendent Nelson. “Our students and staff enjoyed the first year, discovering new healthy habits and learning from Grow FTS leaders. They had many fun and hands-on educational experiences while beautifying the Sippican School grounds.”
The Marion Institute’s Grow FTS program works within school districts to build a more equitable food system that promotes ecological literacy, health and sustainability. It supports teachers, engages families and educates students in creating healthier eating and living habits. This program currently partners with 23 regional elementary schools, serving students and staff in grades three and four in four school districts.
Grow FTS and the Sippican School are working together to provide another year of positive learning experiences for students.
Year two consists of much of the same programming as the previous year, including outdoor classroom activities and providing a curriculum that directly correlates with classroom lessons and professional development for staff members. This year, the Grow FTS program will reinforce the importance of nutrition, healthy eating and living habits more intensely. Additionally, the Marion Institute recently partnered with AmeriCorps staff to place a FoodCorps member in the school at least twice a week to directly oversee the lessons embedded into the classroom, the cafeteria and the community.
During the first Grow FTS, Sippican Elementary School’s third-grade students and teachers were supported by Nate Sander, the Marion Institute’s Grow Education Program Manager, for outdoor garden lessons throughout the school year. Students learned about science while beautifying their school by planting a variety of fast growing crops in Sippican’s newly-built raised gardening beds. They learned how the sun and soil work together to produce an environment conducive for plants to grow and thrive.
“We are thrilled to be working with the Sippican Elementary School again,” said Marion Institute Executive Director Liz Wiley. “The students, teachers and administration have all been so supportive and welcoming. Sippican was the site of our very first Grow Education garden. Since then, our program has expanded to include year-round farm-to-school lessons that utilize the gardens as outdoor classrooms that excite and engage students to learn more about where their food comes from, how it is grown and why making healthy food choices matter to their bodies and the environments.”
Throughout the program’s first year, third-graders and staff members attended “virtual field trips” and heard from guest speakers involved in the program during the winter months. Sippican students conducted a butterfly study and spring planting, as well as a harvest workshop and a planting workshop this summer.