Fwd: Volunteer Orientation and Garden Days
Keenan, Caitlin M.
From: Jen Keohan Capuano <je...@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Volunteer Orientation and Garden Days
Date: April 9, 2014 8:36:29 AM EDT
To: "Caitlin M. Keenan" <Caitlin...@tufts.edu>, <allie...@gmail.com>
Cc: Karyn Novakowski <knova...@k12.somerville.ma.us>, Abby Luthin <abbyl...@gmail.com>, Helen Brown <helenbar...@verizon.net>
Greetings Kate and Allie!
I wanted to check in and provide a couple updates, please feel free to forward to your Tufts Garden crew and others. Attached are updated garden guidelines and contact information.
So far this Spring we've been able to open the garden for two recesses. We planted lettuces and snap peas, and students found and observed a garter snake. We're hoping to open the garden at least once a week with more support. Lunchtime recess and after school hours are available, any day.
Changes to Volunteer Signup! The City's new Farm to School Director, Karyn Novakowski, is developing a Citywide School Garden signup link for anyone serving in a school garden in Somerville. We will be using this link instead of the separate Healey Garden signup and I can forward it as soon is it's operational. For now, folks can email Karyn Novakowski: KNova...@k12.somerville.ma.us with your volunteer schedule for the Healey Garden.
There are several Somerville Public Schools seeking School Garden support. If the Healey is more difficult to get to for Tufts students, or if there's a surplus of garden support at a school (oh happy day!), the new signup link will be a good way to plug in where and when help is most needed.
There will be a Volunteer Orientation for new Somerville Public Schools volunteers this Thursday, April 10 at 6:00pm. at the Parent Information Center, 42 Prescott St., Somerville. It's a good time to submit your CORIs, meet other SPS Volunteers and hear about Spring and Summer Volunteer Opportunities with Somerville Public Schools. Please remember to bring a photo ID (license, passport or school ID).
I'll be opening Healey Garden April 15 and April 29 from 10:45-12:30. Anyone is welcome to join in then, or sign up to open garden another day.
Many thanks!
Jen Capuano
From: "Caitlin M. Keenan" <Caitlin...@tufts.edu>
To: "Jen Keohan Capuano" <je...@comcast.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 4:13:12 PM
Subject: Re: starting up the Tufts Student Garden/Healey School partnership
Jen,
Thanks so much for all the info! I'm forwarding this to the list of interested Tufts students.
-Kate
On Mar 24, 2014, at 2:42 PM, Jen Keohan Capuano wrote:
<2013-2014 SPS Calendar.pdf>Hi Kate and Allie!
Welcome back from spring break! That's great news, thank you for sharing this need for more support and getting so many students interested. See more information below and feel free to call or email with any questions/thoughts. Cc'd here are fellow Healey parents Abby Luthin, Josh Safdie and Somerville's Farm to School Director Karyn Novakowski.SchedulingWe can use the same doodle link tool to sign up for now:See attached Somerville Public Schools calendar and note that 1/2 day Wednesdays students do not have outdoor recess. However, these are good days to offer a pre-planned and longer activity with an after school group such as the Boys & Girls Club, Community Schools, or opening the garden up for informal use and activities. Students are on April Vacation from Friday, April 18 through Friday, April 25.For scheduling after school activities with the Boys & Girls Club the contacts are Jenn Pascual JPas...@kidsclubs.org and Rob Fujiwara RFuj...@kidsclubs.org.I will also share with them your names so they have it. This is the group that has approx. 90 students every afternoon at Healey 2:35pm-6:00pm. Students are always eager to help in garden and staff appreciate the opportunity to offer students a variety of activities--hands-on sciences, cooking, arts, etc. Make sure to keep student:volunteer ratio 1:10 or less. Last year they adopted a garden bed where they planted greens/chard/spinach and made signage for it--would be great if they wanted to do this again and with extra support this bed could be very productive!Instructional Garden ToursVolunteers should sign up for a half-hour instructional tour of garden before they start volunteering. If below times don't work let's arrange an alternative time after school.Next Tours:Tues., March 25 10:45am-12:30pmTues, April 15 10:45am-12:30pmTues, April 29 10:45am-12:30pmThese will be occurring during lunchtime recess.
Lunchtime recess start times by grade are as follows:10:50am - Kindergarten (they use totlot so won't be using garden during this time)10:50am - grade 111:00am - grade 211:30am - grades 5/611:45am - grades 3/412:15pm - grades 7/8
Students generally have 15-20 minutes outside for recess. I'd recommend pairing up with another volunteer, parent volunteer or Tufts student during your first sessions. It gets busy in the garden and students' exhuberance to get in there and explore, especially after a long winter, will be palpable!CORIsMust be submitted in person and can be submitted through the Healey School or through me at the Parent Information Center (42 Prescott St., Somerville). The next district Volunteer Orientation is this Thursday, March 27 at 6:00pm at the Parent Information Center. If this time is not convenient we can arrange an alternative time through Healey School staff to accommodate your group. Volunteers should bring a photo ID (license, passport or school ID) when they submit their CORI.DigSpring Healey Garden Work DaysAre being planned through the Healey Shared Spaces Action Team. We'll share the dates as soon as we have them. All are welcome to get their hands dirty!Looking forward to many hands in the soil soon.Thank you!Jen CapuanoHealey Garden Liaison, mom to 7th and 4th graders at HealeySPS Volunteer Coordinator
From: "Caitlin M. Keenan" <Caitlin...@tufts.edu>
To: "Jen Keohan Capuano" <je...@comcast.net>
Cc: "Allison Wainer" <Allison...@tufts.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 11:37:44 AM
Subject: starting up the Tufts Student Garden/Healey School partnership
Jen,
Allie and I have a list of nine students (not including ourselves) who are interested in volunteering at the Healey School! We are currently on spring break, but everyone will be back on campus by Monday, March 24.
Is this doodle still being used to sign up for time slots?
http://doodle.com/3fw3gedrssymhbib73zqegwk/admin#table
If it is, I can send out the link to everyone who is interested so that people can start signing up. I can also pass along information about the CORI forms - what is the best way for volunteers to fill out and submit these forms? Should they visit the school to fill them out, or are they available online?
I hope you've been well over the past few weeks! We're all really excited to get this program started.
-Kate