SPEC School Gardens Program - 2025 Programming and Resources

[Sharlene Singh]

Hello Everyone! 

Apologies for any cross postings! 

SPEC is excited to share our resources and program offerings for 2025. Please share this email with anyone that may be interested. 

 

Programming and Workshops - Bookings Now Open! 

 

The SPEC School Gardens Program offers a variety of programming including:

• Facilitated garden lessons (4 lesson minimum)
• Out of School Care programming  
  
• ECE programs (must have a garden space onsite) 
• Individual workshops (0-65+) on a specialized topic
• Garden site assessments (March only) 
• Climate friendly garden design
• Grade specific curricular resources

The School Gardens Program is seeking schools within and outside Vancouver, primarily within Richmond, Surrey and Burnaby. If you are an educator with a new or existing school garden and are interested in any of our available programming, please email me or for inquiries, please complete the booking request form (allowing for a 2-3 day response time).

 

Garden Site Assessments

We are once again offering a garden site assessment service for K-12 schools (for March only) seeking to start a school garden and or those that have an existing school garden in need of guidance. Assessments are $150 which includes an in person visit and a detailed written report with resources. Based on location, additional fees might be charged for mileage/travel. 

For inquiries, please complete these forms (forms are accessible as of February 1st)

New School Garden Site Visit Questionnaire 

Pre-existing School Garden Site Visit Questionnaire 

 

Volunteer Opportunity - School Gardens Program Assistant 

 Volunteer Position Description Please share this posting with those that may be interested. The SPEC School Gardens Program is currently recruiting for a group of  engaged and committed volunteers to assist at various schools to support food/ecoliteracy lessons from April to June.  Organic gardening knowledge/skills are preferred. The deadline for volunteer applications is February 28, 2025. 

 

Teaching Resources 

We are in the process of revising our Green Thumbs at School Food Garden Lesson Book to address the changing landscape of both the education system, and our climate. Stay tuned for an updated version in late 2025 which will be grade specific and accessible. 

In the interim, please visit our website to access seasonal environmental literacy resources under the Neighbourhood Nature School platform. 

Kind regards,

Sharlene Singh (She/Her)

SPEC | School Gardens Program Coordinator 

E: shar...@spec.bc.ca 

W: spec.bc.ca/school-gardens

 

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I acknowledge that I am unlearning and relearning on the unceded, ancestral and traditional lands of the sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.

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