A Farm to School Celebration

For most school administrators, their work has been non-stop since the pandemic first came to Vermont. From ever-changing health guidelines to troubleshooting class schedules and how to safely bring students back to in-person learning, and all the different technologies they’ve had to adopt, there hasn’t been much time for rest and reflection. Thanks to the generous support of Members 1st Credit Union, Food Connects hosted administrators and school nutrition professionals from across the region for an afternoon celebration of all that’s been accomplished despite the odds. 

On a deceivingly sunny day, 14 school staff members from 9 different schools gathered together for the first time, in what seems like, ages. Each school has a unique Farm to School program, yet schools rarely get to see all the interesting things happening elsewhere. The guests had the opportunity to cross-pollinate and share ideas on how to improve school gardens, share unique ideas about incorporating local food into their cafeterias, and generally celebrate the amazing (and challenging) Farm to School year.

“It was so nice to be able to connect with other area schools and hear about the tremendous impact of Food Connects.” said Kelly Dias, Academy School Principal. “ I'd love to keep up the networking throughout the year with our school-based teams if we can find a way to do so.”

Despite some surprising heavy rains midway through the event, principals were able to connect and learn from each other. Each attendee was paired with another school that had a similar program that they could learn from. From the new Where in the World are We Eating program in Windham Southeast Schools, to the new Farm to School program starting up at Central Elementary School, the full spectrum of programming was represented at the event.

Evelyn Sirois, CEO at Members 1st Credit Union, said that they support the Food Connects Farm to School program because “It enriches our educational practices and emphasizes local involvement in our agriculture." Food Connects is grateful for the fiscal support of Members 1st Credit Union for making this event possible. As a nonprofit organization, Food Connects relies on the generosity of our community donors, like Members 1st Credit Union to hold celebratory events and professional development offerings for our school teachers, administrators, and food nutrition professionals in our community.

Farm to School Spotlight: Julianne Eagan

Julianne got her shovel in the dirt last May, helping to plant a new orchard at Dummerston School with trees donated by Scott Farm.

“Watching children prepare beds, plant seeds, and nurture young plants with their teachers was a highlight of our last academic year together and critically important during a year of unprecedented challenge,” states Julianne Eagan, a first-time principal and new administrator at Dummerston School during the 2019-2020 school year. 

We're celebrating Julianne Eagan as our Farm to School (FTS) Champion this month! We applaud her efforts, which have resulted in getting a new Farm to School program launched on a solid foundation at the school and keeping the momentum going despite the challenges of the past two school years. Julianne finds this work energizing, stating, "I have been so inspired by the Dummerston School community's passion and commitment to expanding our food production at Dummerston School, integrating the garden into our school curriculum, establishing partnerships with local farms, and realizing the potential of our beautiful and sunny rural campus.”

Julianne chatting with colleagues about Farm to School success stories at a recent Food Connects event.

Julianne serves as an active member of the Farm to School committee, participating in monthly committee meetings and prioritizing this important work at the school. Some of the new Farm to School initiatives at Dummerston School that have benefitted from Julianne’s leadership include: 

• Launching a share table at school (pre-pandemic), which they hope will continue when school meals return to something more normal

• Starting a school breakfast program

• Hosting a workshop for all staff on the topic of trauma and nutrition (led by Sheila Humphreys and Ali West)

• Moving the school garden to a sunnier, more centrally located space adjacent to the playground so that students can have the option of gardening during recess

• Planting a small apple orchard on campus last spring

• Finding creative ways to increase funding and capacity for Farm to School related activities

• Securing funding to hire a part-time garden coordinator for the school

Julianne says, “I look forward to continuing to work with Food Connects to foster this growth and learning for years to come,” and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Julianne and Dummerston School. Dummerston School and WSESD are very lucky to have you as a leader. Bravo, Julianne!

Dummerston School’s garden is thriving this year!