The Pennsylvania Farm to School Network is proud to join states like Vermont, Massachusetts and Mississippi in offering a unique learning and action planning opportunity for school, district and ECE teams interested in strengthening their farm to school activities. The Pennsylvania Farm to School Institute will bring teams together at Fox Chase Farm on Monday, June 27 for a full-day farm to school retreat. Each team will work with a coach to develop a farm to school action plan for the 2022-23 school year. In addition to team planning, the retreat will include training and technical assistance — and delicious meals amid a beautiful farm backdrop.

Benefits of Participation:

  • Team Planning Time: The Institute will provide dedicated time for colleagues to work together to create farm to school action plans with specific next steps to implement procurement, school gardening, and education activities at their school, district or ECE site.
  • Coaching & Technical Assistance: Each team will work with a PA Farm to School Network-affiliated coach to facilitate the action planning process and to support implementation during the school year.
  • Funding: Each team will be provided with $1,000 to be put towards farm to school activities.

To be considered, teams must:

  • Represent an individual school, district, or early care and education site that participates in the National School Lunch Program and/or the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
  • Include a school food service professional, a classroom teacher and an administrator. Additional team members may be included, but are not required. For example, a team could include a school food service director, a cafeteria manager, a second-grade teacher, a principal, a school nurse, and a parent or community member.
  • Be located in the Greater Philadelphia area with the ability to travel to Fox Chase Farm to attend the retreat in person.

If you are interested in participating in the Institute, please fill out an application HERE by May 20. Priority will be given to applicants serving high-need populations (40% or more of students qualify for free/reduced rate lunches; schools may use this tool and ECEs may use this tool to look up rates). Applicants will be notified the following week of their application status.

 


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