School Grounds
Start a School Garden!
City Green provides garden design & installation services and teacher training for schools starting their own garden program.
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Eligibility:
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Program Service Area includes: any municipality in Passaic County, and the following towns: Elmwood Park, Garfield, Lodi, Bloomfield, Nutley, Belleville, Montclair.
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Pre-K - Middle Schools only. High School garden clubs or green teams can apply for garden support within our Dig In! Community Garden Grant program.
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Schools with 75 - 100% free and reduced lunch will be given preference and may be eligible for discounted service costs.
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The City Green School Garden Process:
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Interested schools can submit our School Garden inquiry form on a rolling basis through October 3rd for a garden installation the following year. (see below)
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After the form is submitted, City Green will reach out to schedule a site visit to assess the proposed garden site and discuss the garden project in more detail.
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After the site visit, City Green will collaborate with your school garden comittee to design and install a low-cost garden at your site the following spring. In addition to the installation, City Green will provide teacher training to support you in planning & maintaining the garden, and integrating the garden into the class curriculum. Teachers are able to continue receiving support from City Green through the School Grounds Educator Hub.
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Ready to start your school garden?
Join Our School Grounds Educator Hub!
City Green's School Grounds Educator Hub provides services and resources to support active school gardens in Northern New Jersey.
Through the Educator Hub, Schools have access to:
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Curriculum resources and garden guides
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Free seed and seedling kits
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Discounted bags of garden compost
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Teacher workshops
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An educator forum
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Garden consultation with City Green staff
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Free garden clean-ups in the spring and fall (service-area partners only)
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Discounted garden additions, repairs, and bed replacements (service-area partners only)
To create an Educator Account and join the
School Grounds Hub:
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1. Fill out this Membership Form. ​
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2. Once you have filled out the membership form, you will receive an email to create your account login. The email will arrive within 2-3 business days.
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3. Once your login is established, you can access the School Grounds Membership Portal here or at the top of this page.
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Questions? Contact Kirsten at kyascko@city-green.org or
call 973-869-4086.
The purpose of City Green’s School Grounds Program is to provide our partnering schools and educational institutions with:
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Outdoor school garden classrooms
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Teacher training
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On-going support
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​School gardens enhance academic achievement across disciplines. And ensure student interaction with the natural world, access to hands-on experimental learning, and an understanding of where food comes from
The School Grounds Program provides teachers with curriculum, resources, and knowledge so that they can confidently use their outdoor garden classroom.
The school gardens we provide serve as an educational asset and as a tool to cultivate a farm-to-school culture that values and celebrates garden education as an integral part of developing the whole child.