The Salem Public Schools (SPS) Farm to School (FTS) program is gearing up for an ambitious year of hands-on agricultural learning, professional development, and farm-based experiences. With support from New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and Tufts University, the team will implement a series of activities aimed at bringing food education and sustainability to the forefront of elementary school classrooms. The initiative, which runs from May 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, is designed to enhance student engagement with agriculture and equip teachers with the tools needed to integrate these lessons into the curriculum.
Key Activities and Plans
At the heart of the initiative is a comprehensive plan to foster agricultural literacy among students and teachers alike. The FTS team will meet biweekly to coordinate activities, including:
Professional Development (PD) Series: SPS elementary school teachers will participate in a four-part professional development series, learning how to incorporate farm-to-school concepts into their classrooms. The PD sessions will be held across two key periods, fall 2024 and winter 2025, with a focus on curriculum alignment, hands-on activities, and evaluations for continuous improvement.
School Garden Trainings: To help teachers maximize the learning potential of school gardens, the FTS team will offer hands-on garden training sessions. Each of the six SPS elementary schools will receive two sessions, one in the fall of 2024 and another in spring 2025, demonstrating how to engage students in garden-based lessons that tie into classroom instruction.
Agricultural Field Trips: Fifth graders at each of the SPS elementary schools will have the opportunity to visit Moraine Farm for immersive on-farm learning experiences. The field trips, planned for spring 2024 and either fall 2024 or spring 2025, will allow students to engage directly with farming practices and sustainability topics. These trips are designed not only as exciting day-outs but as integral parts of the curriculum, with pre- and post-trip lessons to deepen the learning experience.
Collaboration with New Entry and Tufts University
Throughout the program, SPS will collaborate with New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and Tufts University to ensure smooth execution and high-quality learning experiences. New Entry will assist with field trip planning, support educator training through Google Classroom, and contribute updates to the existing standards-aligned curriculum. Together, the organizations will work on logistical aspects such as permissions, liability waivers, and accommodation requests to make the field trips safe and inclusive for all students.
Timeline of Key Events
Spring 2024: Fifth-grade students will embark on field trips to Moraine Farm in May. The hands-on farm activities will serve as a springboard for classroom follow-up lessons. Simultaneously, lesson plans and evaluation methods will be developed to track the program’s impact.
Summer 2024: During the summer, planning for professional development opportunities will kick into gear. Educators will work with New Entry to design lesson plans, activities, and student evaluations.
Fall 2024: PD trainings and garden reactivation sessions will take place across all six elementary schools. These hands-on training sessions will give teachers practical experience managing school gardens with students and help integrate gardening into daily classroom activities.
Winter 2025: Additional PD sessions will focus on updating and refining curriculum elements based on feedback from teachers. The team will also develop garden plans for spring, ensuring that educators are prepared to manage student engagement with their garden sites.
Spring 2025: As the second year of field trips and garden training approaches, SPS will evaluate the outcomes of the overall FTS program and prepare a comprehensive report on the impact of this initiative.
Moving Forward
The Farm to School program represents an exciting opportunity to connect Salem’s students with the environment in meaningful, hands-on ways. By blending agricultural education with classroom learning, the FTS team aims to spark curiosity, promote sustainability, and create lasting memories for students and teachers alike. As the program progresses, the collaboration between SPS, New Entry, and Tufts University will continue to drive innovation and ensure that Salem’s schools are on the cutting edge of farm-to-school education.
With a packed schedule ahead, the SPS Farm to School team is eager to dig into the upcoming year and plant the seeds for a more engaged, environmentally aware student body.