Join the Sprouts Gardening Program!

A program of HIPS, “Sprouts” is Hacienda’s community of volunteer parents and grandparents who connect students to the natural world through gardening. Gardening provides a hands-on approach to science. By working with the soil and the plants, students experience and connect with the cycles of nature. Harvesting and eating the fruits of the garden allows students to experience the joy of growing their own food and tasting fresh produce. Through gardening, students learn about ecology, botany, horticulture, nutrition, earth science and more.

At Hacienda, Sprouts volunteers work with students and teachers in the class gardens and with garden-related projects. Sprouts works to support and assist the garden volunteers with gardening education, curriculum, and activities.  Sprouts works to obtain seeds, compost, pots, potting soil, garden gloves and more through donations, grants, and fundraisers, such as plant sales. Our 5th grade classes experience Sprouts in our campus permaculture food forest. Our food forest contains many fruit trees, vegetable and herb plants, and native and drought tolerant plants.

Each class is successful with at least 1 Docent and 1-2 Helper(s). 

DOCENT:  

*Attend monthly trainings/material prep meetings 30 min - 1 hour per lesson (6 total per year).  The lessons are provided.  The Docent will teach the lesson in person.
*Coordinate with classroom teacher to schedule a time for each lesson.
*Deliver Sprouts Lessons – 6 scripted lessons total per year to entire class (approx. 45-60 min plus 15-20 minutes for set-up/clean-up)
*Additional time at home to become comfortable with the lessons before presenting to the class 

*Work in the classroom assigned garden bed with the support of the Helpers.

HELPERS:

* Help Docent plant, tend, water, and harvest the classroom garden

* Assist during Lessons 

* Coordinate a garden care schedule 

At this time, the year plan is to:

* Clear out the garden beds and prep soil for planting

* Teach lessons of the science of what is happening in the garden beds

* Plant, water, and tend the beds

* Harvest 

* Seed collection

We would love to have volunteers from every class to help accomplish these tasks throughout the school year. Before gardening commences, we do ask that volunteers understand our garden protocols as these gardens are school property with years of love and hard work to keep them on our campus. Keep an eye out for training dates for each lesson.

Please consider being part of the core parent team. If you have any questions, contact the group by emailing sprouts@hips.rocks or post a message in the Konstella Sprouts group.