School Garden Readiness Assessment

[Melina Barker]

Hello SGSO Community,

I know I've seen some good readiness assessments floating around out there, but can't seem to locate them. I've been asked by a colleague for some resources to help determine school readiness for a garden program. If you know of one, please share. 

Thanks for all you do out there in the world!

Melina

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Melina Barker   

Program Director

Rogue Valley Farm to School
mel...@rvfarm2school.org
541- 890-7004
P.O. Box 898 Ashland, OR 97520
I work part-time, so it may take a few days to hear back from me. If you need immediate assistance, please call or text the number above. 

[John Fisher]

Hi Melina,

I have been in similar discussions of people asking how best to assess the "readiness of a school garden", but I don't remember a clear cut answer.

Here is a tool, although not exactly what you are looking for it could be adapted. It is the GREEN Tool for Well Integrated School Gardens developed by folks at the Tisch Center and they also created a Checklist to assess schools.

Here they are

The GREEN Tool https://www.tc.columbia.edu/tisch/resources-overview/reports-and-briefs/briefs/the-green-tool-for-well-integrated-school-gardens/

And the associated checklist 

Grow To Learn in NYC builds off of the Green Tool for garden assessments and created a self evaluation survey

and I just came across Kansas City Community Garden School Garden Integration tool.

I also know that FoodCorps had looked at this question of optimal readiness so you could follow up with them.

Great question, thanks for bringing it up.

John Fisher

www.lifelab.org

www.sgsonetwork.org