Today is the first day of a new schoolyear. I'm still mourning the end of a beautiful summer, full of friends, lakes and sea, gardens and sunshine. The kids' excitement about school and learning and life itself is helping me transition, and also the generosity and enthusiasm of International Wwoofer volunteers, who have maintained the gardens with me over the summer, and the families who've helped get the new toolshed installed and spruced up the spaces for students at the SSE School Garden Work-Bees these past weeks. Thank you.
Thanks to generous funding from Island Savings Credit Union, Vancity, Presidents' Choice, the CRD, GoByBikeBC, TD Friends of the Environment, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and the SSI Foundation, we've got some great programs lined up for 2022-23!
Next week, I'll start with the K-3 classes with weekly garden activities, including seasonal field trips to Bullock Lake Farm. For older students, they're invited to join an Eco-Awareness Club on Thursdays at lunchtime, mentored by GISS students and myself, to focus on school and community projects throughout the year.
A big focus this year will be composting our waste, with a pilot funded by the CRD that includes weekly compost pick-ups by Laurie's garbage, so that the school gardens remain a learning space, rather than an industrial waste depot.
Another focus will be developing a seating circle and signage in two native languages plus French and English at the welcome pole at the south end of the Hydro Field.
We'll continue with local-produce Mealkits for long weekends, starting Thanksgiving weekend.
We'll also feature bicycle-blender smoothies for GoByBikeBC Weeks Oct 3-Oct 15!
In Spring, we'll expand to Fulford and Fernwood Schools!