WeHa School Board Vote To Support Gardening Curriculum In Elementary School

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A local elementary school has been approved to partner with the state on an education program encouraging Connecticut-grown agricultural products and teaching children to grow them.

And, eventually, it is hoped all West Hartford elementary schools will have a similar program that will teach youngsters about the benefits of growing their own food and gardens.

The West Hartford Board of Education earlier this month unanimously approved a resolution for the school board, through Charter Oak International Academy, to take part in the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program.

The academy, located at 425 Oakwood Ave., West Hartford has applied for and received $11,000 from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture for the program.

A condition of getting the cash, however, is a formal school board resolution declaring participation, which the board did Feb. 7.

The speciality elementary school, which serves grades K-5 serves pupils in all of West Hartford, has a curriculum based on environmental sustainability, global awareness and culteral diversity.

School officials said the program's intent is to promote "CT Grown" products to school-aged children up to 12th-grade.

Charter Oak will use the money to incorporate garden education into its curriculum, even creating a so-called "farm-to-school" program where school-grown products are utilized by the school, such as food in the cafeteria.

The hopes is Charter Oak's programming along these lines can, eventurally, be replicated in West Hartford's 10 other elementary schools.

Board members approved the resolution which authorizes West Hartford's superintendent to sign any necessary documents on behalf of the school for participation in the program.

West Hartford Interim Superintendent of Schools Andrew Morrow said such a program was actually discussed when the school opened in 2016.

He said part of the school's planning included a courtyard and gardens to be maintained by the school, with this resolution giving the school access to state grants that help that initiative along.

Elizabeth Hewitt, the West Hartford school system's director of finance and planning, briefed the school board about how the funds, specifically, would be utilized.

"They'll be using these funds to develop curriculum, purchase garden materials and books, to conduct outdoor field experiences for each of the students and then, ultimately, to create plans to expand a farm-to-school program to the other schools," Hewitt said.

School board members easily supported the resolution and program.

"This is amazing and so beneficial for kids to see this at such a young age," school board member Claire Neseralla said.

"I also want to say I think it's a very great program and I think its really important for kids to want to learn about this," added board member Gayle Harris.

School board member Jason O. Chang said he is a parent of a pupil at Charter Oak, echoing prior board sentiments.

"This is something that, being a Charter Oak parent, that many other parents have been supportive of, so the funding will not only help address the need for this curriculum and for the space, but it will also really help the community to feel validated in the work that they have done and maintain the gardens and other programs, like teaching kids about composting and other issues like that," Chang said.

"So this is really a wonderful program."

For a full copy of the resolution, click on this link.

For more information on West Hartford's Charter Oak International Academy, click on this link.