Primary School Kitchen Garden News

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program

Kitchen-Garden News

Wominjeka students and families,

Excitingly, this is a milestone year for our school as we celebrate and acknowledge the 20th anniversary year of the Kitchen Garden Program beginning at our school as an idea by Stephanie Alexander AO, one of Australia’s great cooks and food educators for a new educational model centred on growing and cooking seasonal food. Working with and developing this “idea” with the then Principal Francis Laurino, teaching staff and importantly the past students of Collingwood College, this then Pilot Program is now it its 20th year. Initially,  funded through The Innovation Commission of The Victorian Department of Education, it has over the past 20 years developed in conjunction with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation into our renowned school Kitchen Garden Program 

Collingwood College staff and students should be very proud of their early hard work and commitment working with Stephanie Alexander and her P.A. Anna Dollard. This combined partnership, developing this new educational model has enabled our “pilot program” to be documented, reviewed and validated as an exciting and effective educational resource for learning across many Victorian curriculum domains. Our whole school effort has had a very important example role in enabling a new curriculum model for teaching and learning in schools to flourish and spread to many 1,000’s of Australian and overseas schools, early childhood educational settings and community groups working with children.

During the last 20 years, Collingwood College’s Kitchen Garden's many Specialist Teachers have developed and refined our program and importantly shared their program evolution and curriculum resources to SAKGF and more widely. Specialists have welcomed and mentored many new K.G educators, presented information to Principals Australia wide, spoken to ACARA curriculum managers and State and Federal politicians of the benefits of a K.G curriculum for students' successful learning. K.G has partnered with Deakin University Nutrition Department to enable student mentored placements to occur in our school. This year we have also partnered with Melbourne Polytechnic TAFE-Horticulture Department to share our school K.G garden as a teaching and learning resource for their TAFE teachers and students. TAFE teachers will be utilising our garden as they teach their adult students to prune fruit trees, learn basic garden building and maintenance and care for an organic garden with organic pest management strategies. This is a very exciting partnership, as the assistance these TAFE teachers and students will bring to the very large on-going maintenance load of our garden, will benefit myself as a teacher, assist our extraordinary groundsman Trevor Andrews and ultimately our students by ensuring the garden can be maintained as is needed for teaching and learning.

However, none of these Kitchen Garden successes above would have been possible without the committed, loyal and passionate energy of OUR famous K.G VOLUNTEERS!

Our school has welcomed and benefitted from the extraordinary efforts of a very long-list of volunteers. There has been over 200 amazing people volunteering their time, supporting students in garden and kitchen classes over these past 20 years. Many have also supported our students and school by assisting at Spring fairs, Open days, K.G media events and fundraising. Each person has bought unique skills, knowledge, camaraderie and positivity to each lesson and have always supported our students in their K.G learning goals. It has been so wonderful to finally welcome back to our school after the past COVID year, our…….2021 K.G volunteers!

Welcome back: 

MERRAN, SUSAN, JULIE, ZAK, SUSIE, TOM, ANGUS, GENEVIEVE, NICOLE, TARIK! 

However, I do wish to acknowledge and thank on behalf of past and present students the extraordinary 20 year commitment of two of our volunteers; Susan Williams and Merran Fergusson. Yes, that is correct…20 years of volunteering at our school in the K.G program. Both Susan and Merran, came to our school in 2001, after reading or hearing Stephanie in the media talking about this pilot program and that it needed volunteers to assist in the classes.  

Merran has such a verve for education and loves working with children, always supporting them to succeed. She intrinsically understands how a student's success at school can support their life-long positive educational development and self-esteem. Merran was a teacher before retiring and also spent many years working in disability education. She has shared these skills and knowledge freely with K.G staff for our benefit. She has always advocated that there are many “ways” to learn and engage students, she knows the importance of diverse educational opportunities to ensure all students feel included and have a voice. Merran has shared her passion for learning while supporting our students and school community for 20 years. Merran is renowned for her fabulous sense of humour and “just gets” a child's perspective on the world. She is also a “gun” on the automatic dishwasher! 

          Thank-you Merran for your wonderful 20 year contribution to our school community!

Susan has always bought her vivacious smile to every day she has volunteered. Like Merran, she supports every student group she has worked with in the past 20 years by listening fully to them and respecting their opinions. While cooking together, students have enjoyed her calm and caring manner. Susan also shares her passion and considerable knowledge in all areas of “Art” for the benefit of our students. Susan also volunteers as a guide at The National Gallery of Victoria and shares with our students wonderfully descriptive stories about artists, their art and creative processes. She also shares her well travelled knowledge of famous architectural landmarks and cities around the world and her love for Australian Indigenous art in all its forms, always resulting in excited responses from students. Susan is also well-known for her delicious “crust-free” gourmet sandwiches and cheese platters for those class days where there is no cooking. Always sharing delicious food with her volunteer friends. 

Thank-you Susan for your wonderful 20 year volunteering contribution to our school community!

I am sure all our Collingwood College school community present and past will join me in a heartfelt thank-you to Merran and Susan-two extraordinary women! If any student/parent wishes to send a message to these wonderful people, please leave them at the front office.

As always….. when you can“garden, cook and share with those you love”

Desley Insall

RESOURCES NEEDED IF YOU HAVE ANY AT HOME: 

• Assorted coloured wool or string.
• Worm juice-if you have extra at home.
• Potted cuttings of beneficial insect attracting plants eg: Lavender, Echinacea, Salvias, Daisies-all varieties & colours, no-thorn roses.

Please drop into the office or to K.G room Monday> Wednesday.

If any parents or community members are interested in volunteering in 2021, please email me 

desley.insall@education.vic.gov.au

Desley

GARDEN PHOTOS

Recipes

Term 1 - Menu 1

Plum & Herb Focaccia

Quinoa Salad

Salad of our Cucumber, Tomato, Zucchini & Basil

Warm Potato Salad, Celery & Herbs

KITCHEN PHOTOS

About the Kitchen Garden Program

Collingwood College students participate in our Kitchen Garden Program as part of their school curriculum in Grades 3-6. Garden classroom occur outside in all weather conditions, with students learning, exploring and practising the skills and knowledge to grow a diverse range of vegetables, fruit and herbs using organic growing methods. Students then harvest our seasonal produce for cooking a range of (95% vegetarian) delicious dishes in their kitchen classroom. The student’s learn and practise kitchen skills, techniques and terminology and also importantly, their communication skills, creativity and teamwork while dishes are being prepared.

Students, staff and volunteers sit at beautifully set tables sharing the dishes created. Voicing opinions respectfully, as all students can benefit from sharing their individual learning efforts. Knowledge is documented in Kitchen garden books and shared to our school community via email, E/news, display boards and importantly by our students.

For our students, an integral part of the enjoyment and richness of the classroom experience is the depth and loyalty of volunteering we have for our school program. These exceptional people of all ages, interests, backgrounds and skills ensure our curriculum goals are supported for our students.  Potential volunteers do not need garden or cooking experience! Attributes we seek are a personal interest to support our K.G program philosophy, assisting students in their learning around food diversity, seasonality, sustainability, garden and cooking skills. The K.G learning importantly supports and explores student’s emotional connection and enjoyment in regards to growing and cooking seasonal food. Good humour and the excitement of learning new skills and knowledge in a shared environment, the ability to commit to a day/time are also attributes we seek in our volunteers.

We welcome applications from persons in our school community, or friends/family who wish to apply to be a Kitchen garden volunteer. Please send an email to me at

Insall.desley.d@edumail.vic.gov.au

Please look at our school website (K.G page), if you are new to our school community for more information. Classes run in Monday-Wednesday. 

For those who may want to support our students and teachers in another way-we are always thank-full for people to garden outside class times or on other days. Please feel free to email me with any questions. Tours for potential volunteers will usually occur after school hours with arrangement.

With thanks,

Desley Insall

Kitchen Garden Specialist Teacher & Volunteer Coordinator