Thank you so much for participating in the School Gardens Initiative. This initiative was active from 2020-2022 and is no longer running.
You can access the video resources by following the link to the playlist above, including rain garden tutorials, garden inspiration, invasive species, hydroponics, and more!
Click here to automatically download the School Gardens Infobook.
If you would like to stay up to date with future opportunities to get involved, sign up for the Sustainability Education Alliance newsletter here.
Spring Inspiration Session - March 17, 2022
This year’s springtime School Gardens session will be all about planning your school’s garden projects! Come get inspired, talk to other teachers, trade tips, and learn from some local experts. Bring a drafting pencil and get creative!
Participants will receive a copy of the School Gardens Infobook before the session, filled with ideas for types of growing spaces, mentors in your N.B. school district, and links to other resources.
This session is free! Registration is required.
Dig into soil and plunge into water at this year’s first School Gardens Initiative networking event!
OCTOBER 5TH, 3-5PM
Dig into soil and plunge into water at this year’s first School Gardens Initiative networking event!
At this online networking event, we will dig into hands-on learning with your school gardens! You will learn where to access water and soil sample kits, the basics of how to use them, and see some tried-and-true ways to link your curriculum to it, and best of all, have time to meet other school gardeners around New Brunswick getting their hands dirty!
Presented by: Water Rangers, Nutrients for Life, and the NB Soil and Crop Association
Link your school garden to curriculum goals! August 31, 2021
There is an exciting PL day coming up on August 31 about how to teach any subject outdoors, but with an emphasis on gardens of all kinds and sizes!!
We know that some of you may struggle to connect your school gardens to meet curriculum goals. This is where Great Minds Think Outside comes in – the outdoor learning professional development program for educators. This PL day will be school-garden themed and will help teachers link their gardens to any subject or age level.
This will be perfect for teachers that already have established school gardens, however, already having an established school garden is not necessary for participation! This session also applies to those who are hoping to start a garden and give them the mentorship and resources they need to use those spaces to their fullest curriculum potential, even if it’s as small as an indoor potted plant greenery.
These full-day sessions will be at host schools Florenceville Elementary and Hampton High School. Sign up now to reserve your place!
Sign up for Year Two of the School Gardens Initiative!
Have you dreamed about starting a garden at your school but aren’t sure where to start?
Do you already have a growing space at your school, and want to find new ways to use it as a teaching tool for any age or subject matter?
The first year long school garden initiative has come to an end!
We know every single one of you deserves accolades just for making it through the new challenges and restrictions. You sent us pictures, videos and descriptions of green projects you have been working on this past year!
The second year of the School Gardens Initiative
is set to launch in August 2021!
Sign up now to make sure you don’t miss your invitation to the first event
• professional development sessions
• networking and connections events with other gardener educators
• community mentors
• grant opportunities
• teaching resources for the 2021-22 school year
• Facebook group for sharing successes and asking questions
School Gardens Photobooth - Win $50 for your school!
As the school year comes to a close, we know every single one of you deserves accolades just for making it through. We want to see your garden accomplishments! Send us a picture or video of your school greenery that you worked on this year! This could be anything: food forest, garden box, indoor potted plants at the school, or any other greenspace you have cultivated this year.
These pictures will be compiled into a slideshow showing off the amazing growth everyone has undertaken this year!! It will be visible on SEA social media, and the climateeducation.nben.ca website.
But, it gets better: these submissions will be placed into a draw for a school to win a $50 gift certificate from Canada’s Outdoor Learning Store for Educators!! NBEN is a new partner of their initiative.
Here are the details on how to win:
Students, teachers, parents, community members, or anyone associated with the school can submit
Any school in New Brunswick is eligible to win
- Each photo or video is one entry for the school. You can submit as many photos as they would like – the more photos you submit, the higher the chance your school will win!
Submit your photo/video with your email, phone number, and the school who will receive the certificate. Your email and number will not be shared, other than to contact the winner.
If anyone’s face is visible in the photo/video, please make sure you have their permission to distribute
Home gardens are not eligible for this contest
We will draw the winner on June 22 at noon Atlantic time. Submit your photos and videos by email to tzomi.burkhart@nben.ca with the subject line “School Gardens Contest”!
SPACE: An interactive online event
Thursday May 20, 3:30-5:30 pm
It’s time to announce the 3rd School Gardens Initiative interactive online event: “SPACE”
Using rain gardens as a baseline, this event will provide participants with an interactive discussion to make the most efficient use of the land and resources at their disposal.
Join your peers on May 20 from 3:30-5:30 pm by registering at this link! (Registration is mandatory). As this event is discussion-based, please be aware that it will not be recorded.
If you haven’t already, make sure to register for the NB School Garden’s Initiative for details and updates on all of our events and additional opportunities!
Scroll to bottom of page for more information.
GROWTH: An interactive online event
Wednesday January 27, 3:30-5:30 pm
We are thrilled to announce the next School Garden’s Initiative event “GROWTH” taking place Wednesday, January 27, 2021 | 3:30 – 5:30 PM.
With all of the positive feedback we received at the last event “DREAM”, we are confident this event will be our next best!
With our dreams now becoming reality we turn to our next area of focus – growing community, growing knowledge and growing participation! We present to you… GROWTH. An event that will address all of these areas and beyond.
Expect to hear expert presenters on areas of community engagement, networking and food sovereignty from speakers including Amy Floyd, Tegan Wong-Daugherty & more!
Do not miss this opportunity to network, learn and achieve growth.
Registration is required for meeting information. Sign up at: bit.ly/GROWTH-NB
If you haven’t already, make sure to register for the NB School Garden’s Initiative for details and updates on all of our events and additional opportunities!
Scroll to bottom of page for more information.
DREAM: An interactive online event
Thursday November 26, 3-5 pm
It is officially time to open our minds and DREAM BIG!
Our first NB School Gardens Initiative event will feature experts from the food, gardening and funding sectors. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to receive advice, guidance, and support from mentors around the province, plus tips for sourcing grants and funding opportunities. This is not a webinar – it is an invitation to meet neighbours, ask questions, and share ideas with experts and aspiring school gardeners in your community and around the province.
We can’t wait to help bring your school garden dreams to life!
Registration is required to receive the meeting information. Sign up at bit.ly/DREAM-NB
2020-2021 School Year
Have you dreamed about starting a garden at your school but aren’t sure where to start?
This is the New Brunswick School Gardens Initiative – a project designed to revolutionize the way we use plants as educational resources. Sign up here!
The great outdoors offers new and exciting ways to keep students engaged with their studies while developing the essential skills of working with nature, sustainable living and teamwork. With a growing demand for social distance and wide-open spaces, there has never been a better time to utilize the areas outside of our classrooms and living rooms to stay safe and promote education.
Those participating in the initiative will be provided with mentorship, garden inspiration, access to community garden networks, assistance accessing funding, and knowledge building. These supports, in conjunction with a series of interactive online events throughout the school year will enable participants to get the most out of their efforts, placing fewer demands on teachers and making this an overall fun and exciting experience!
Grow a garden, Challenge yourself, Change the world!