The Kitchen Garden Program is now affordable, flexible and attainable for all Australian schools with a primary curriculum.• Yourschoolcandirectlybenefitfromsubsidisedtrainingofclassroomteachers.LowSESschools

mayqualifyforalimitednumberofAustralianGovernmentgrantsofupto($11,000GSTinc.)togotowardskitchenandgardeninfrastructureandtraining–ifyourschooliseligibleyouwillbenotifiedduringtheapplicationprocess.

• TheAustralianGovernmentfundingassociatedwiththeProgramisnowdirectedtotrainingyourschoolstafftodelivertheProgram,supplyingwrittenandonlineresourcematerialsandprovidingongoingsupporttoyourschool.

• SchoolsrunningaKitchenGardenProgramareresponsibleforcreatingtheirgardenandkitchenspaces.Thereisflexibilityintherequirementsofthegardenandkitchenspaces,andyouwillreceiveavarietyofresourcesdemonstratinghowtocreatethesespacesinyourschoolinanaffordableway.

• EveryschoolisencouragedtonetworkwithotherschoolsestablishingtheProgram,andtoconnectwithschoolsalreadyrunningtheProgramsuccessfullyandeconomically.TheFoundationfacilitatestheserelationships.

‘It gets us ready for our lives.’

Student, Elizabeth Downs PS, South Australia

‘Our students have benefited enormously through the school’s involvement in

the Program. Their academic results have shown tremendous growth, and

their enthusiasm to engage in learning has dramatically increased.’

Alan Watt, Principal, Mayfield East PS, New South Wales

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Why choose the Kitchen Garden National Program?

What can you expect as a result of running the Kitchen Garden Program?• Witnessstudentsengagewiththeirownlearning,andwanttoattendclasses.Takingpartinthe

Programreinforcestheiracademiclearningacrossallcurriculumareasviatherichmediumofthegardenandkitchenspaces.

• Changethewaychildrenapproachandthinkaboutfoodbyhavingthemparticipateinhands-ongardeningandcookingclasses,givingthemtheskillsandunderstandingtheyneedtoenjoyalifelong,positiverelationshipwithfoodthatextendstothefamilyandschoolcommunity.

• Enjoythefar-reachingbenefitsofpleasurablefoodeducation.Thesebenefitsincludeengagementofreluctantlearners,increasedsocialskills,teamworkandself-esteeminyourstudents.

• Gainaccesstoagrowingnationalcommunityofschoolswithasharedvision.• Extendyourschool’sreachintoyourlocalcommunityandbenefitfromasharedcommitmentto

addressingchildhoodobesity.• UsetheKitchenGardenProgram’sstrongreputationtohelpyougainthesupportyouneed.• Developgardenandkitchenspacesatminimalcost,creatingfacilitiesthatcanbeusedbythe

entireschoolcommunity.• Receiveanextensiveandongoingrangeofprintedandonlineresources.

So much of the Australian Curriculum has real links to the hands-on

learning experiences of the Kitchen Garden Program. We have explored

Gadgets and Gizmos - investigating how things work: we applied it to our

kitchen and garden equipment. Looking at the design of tools, students were able

to determine the forces that were needed to create movement and what simple

machine was used. A spade uses an inclined plane; an egg beater a wheel

and axle. Hands-on meaningful investigation; problem solving and learning.

Caroline Lawson, Principal, Benarkin SS, Queensland

What support can you expect to receive when your school joins the Kitchen Garden Program?

TheFoundation’spriorityistosupportschoolstafftodeliveraprovenprogram*.Yourclassroomteachersdonotneedtobekitchengarden‘experts’,norareyouexpectedtohavefullyfunctioninggardensandkitchensattheoutset.Ittakestime,planningandcareforyourProgramtoflourish,andtheFoundationguidesandsupportsyouthroughthisprocess.

EveryschoolrunningtheKitchenGardenProgramreceivesanextensive,constantlyincreasingrangeofresources,includingwrittenmaterialsandaccesstoanonlinecommunity,tohelpyouestablishandmaintaintheProgram:• Training:Arangeofprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesareofferedatkeytimesduringyour

Programdelivery.Teachersorhired-inspecialiststaffaretrainedtoincreasetheirskillssotheycandeliverkitchenandgardenclassestostudents,andintegratetheProgramwiththeschoolcurriculum.Face-to-facetrainingisofferedacrossAustralia.Aseriesofwebinarandphoneconferencesessionsisalsoavailable.

• The Shared Table:ThisonlinecommunityspaceiswherestafffromallKitchenGardenSchoolscanconnectwitheachother,viewschoolactivities,participateinonlinediscussionsandusetheResourceLibrarytoaccesslessonplans,recipes,gardenactivities,cookingtips,plantingguidesandavastrangeofotherlearningtoolsandinformation.TheSharedTableisapopularspacethatalsoenablesKitchenGardenSchoolstoeasilykeeptheirPrograminformationuptodate.

• The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program Implementation

Manual:TheImplementationManualisa200-pageloose-leafhandbookthatcoversthefundamentalsoftheProgram.ItisfullofideasthatinspireKitchenGardenSchoolsanddescribeshowtoestablishthe‘ideal’versionoftheProgram.Itcoversplanning,budgeting,designingandbuildingthegardenandkitchen,howtoseekfundingandsponsorship,recruitmentofstaffandvolunteers,aswellasthenutsandboltsofrunninggardenandkitchenclasses.AllschoolsjoiningtheProgramreceiveacopyoftheImplementationManual.

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‘I can already see the potential this program

has for growth not only in our school, but

our community as well. Even more rewarding

is to see, already, the changing eating habits

of students within the school.’

Sheridan Heinze, Program Coordinator,

Loxton PS, South Australia

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• The Kitchen Garden Program Syllabus:EveryKitchenGardenSchoolreceivesaspeciallywrittenSyllabus,customisedtoyourschool’sclimatezone(cool,temperate,tropicalorsubtropical).TheSyllabusprovidescompleteinstructionsfor16gardenclassesand16kitchenclassesperyear,givingyouflexibilityaroundtimetabling.Itincludesgardenactivities,menus,recipesandcurriculumextensionsforthefirsttwoyearsofyourKitchenGardenProgram.TheSyllabusbooksareprovidedatyourfirstKitchenGardenProgramTrainingandprovideschoolswithalltheinformationtheyneedtobeginkitchenandgardenclassesimmediatelyaftertraining.

• Tools for Teachers:Thesesetsofcurriculumresourcebooksareaimeddirectlyatclassroomteachersandfeaturecomprehensiveunits,lessonplans,proformasandstudentactivitiesontopicsrangingfromusingleafshapestoexplorethecataloguingofplantstoexperimentingwithrisingagents,fromusingICTtodesigngardenareastoinvestigatingculturalcuisines,frombudgetingforarestaurantmenutowritingdescriptivepiecesonstudents’connectionwithnature.Theresourcesaimtoimprovestudentengagement,participationandlearningoutcomesandarewrittentocloselycomplementthelearningobjectivesexplicitintheAustralianCurriculumfordifferentyearlevels.AllKitchenGardenSchoolsareprovidedwithcopiesofthisongoingseries.

• The Schools Support Line:ThisdirectemailandtelephoneserviceprovidesongoingsupportforschoolsseekingadviceonsuccessfullyestablishingandmaintainingtheirKitchenGardenProgram.AllKitchenGardenSchoolscaneasilyaccessexperiencedandfriendlyFoundationstaffwhowillhelpyouwithanyquestionrelatedtoestablishingandrunningtheKitchenGardenPrograminyourschool.

Not sure if your school can afford the Program?• YouhavetheflexibilitytodeliverthePrograminanysuitablespacewherestudentscangrowand

preparetheirownfood.• Thereisnoneedtostartoffwithexpensivekitchenfacilities–accesstowater,stovetops,

ovens,preparationbenchesandbasicequipmentwillgetyougoing.ThekitchencangrowasyourProgramgrows.

• Youcanalsostartoffwithasmallgarden,whichcanbecreatedandextendedaspartofyourgardenclasses.

• Yourschoolcommitstodelivering16gardenandkitchensessionsperyear,totwoconsecutiveyearlevelsthatparticipateconcurrently–whenandhowyoudeliverclassesisuptoyou.

• Ifspaceisaproblem,considersplittingyourclassessothatfewerstudentsareworkinginthekitchenandgardenatthesametime.

• YourexistingteachingstaffwillbetrainedbytheFoundationtodelivertheProgram.

Questions?RingoremailtheKitchenGardenFoundation’sSchoolsSupportline:

13000SAKGF(1300072543)

support@kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

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Not sure if you have enough or the right space or facilities?• Requirementsareflexible,allowingyoutomakethemostofyourschool’sexistingspaces.• Youcanstart small.MinimisethespaceyouneedbysplittingclassesandbeginningtheProgram

withonlytwoyearlevels.Fewerstudentsmeanslessspaceisneededforthegardenandkitchen.Asyoufeelmorecomfortable,theProgramcanexpand.

• Youcanuse a multi-purpose room,canteen,staffroom,flexibleworkstationsand/orexistingfurnishingsassuitsyourschoolandyourcommunity.ExamplesofhowthiscanbedoneareontheFoundation’swebsite.

• Kitchensdo not requireexpensiveequipmentandfurnishings.Usingrecycled,pre-lovedkitchenutensils,furnitureandcookwareiscompletelyacceptableforallkitchenequipmentexceptknives,whichshouldbenewandgoodquality.

• Youdo not needahugegardenfullofraisedbeds.Theamountofgardenspaceneededdependsonhowmanystudentswillbeinvolvedinclasses,withmanyschoolsstartingsmall.Ifspaceislimited,youcanreducethenumberofclassesinvolvedtoensuresufficientgardenproduceforkitchenclasses.Wewillworkwithyoutomakethemostofwhatyoualreadyhave.

Not sure about running the Program?• YoucantailorstaffingtheProgramtosuityourschool:yourexistingstaffcanbetrainedtodeliver

gardenandkitchenclasses,oryoucanruntheProgramwithspecialiststaff.• Youcantailorthefrequencyofkitchenandgardenclassestosuityourschool,basedoneach

studentreceiving16kitchenclassesand16gardenclassesperyear.• Yourschoolwillreceiveastep-by-stepKitchenGardenProgramSyllabus,empoweringstaff

withtheconfidenceandskillstosuccessfullydelivergardenandkitchenclasses.YouwillalsoreceiveassociatedintegratedcurriculumresourcesthatwillhelpyouusetheProgramtoreinforceacademiclearning.

• YourstaffwillreceiveallthetrainingnecessarytoconfidentlydelivertheKitchenGardenProgram,aswellascontinuingprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities.

• YouwilljoinanetworkofschoolsdeliveringtheKitchenGardenProgram,collaboratingandsharingcommonexperiencesandchallenges.

• YouwillhaveaccesstotheFoundation’sdedicatedSchoolsSupportLine–helpisjustaphonecalloremailaway.

• ThebenefitsofthisProgram–toyourstudents,staffandschoolcommunity–faroutweighthechallengesassociatedwithestablishingandrunningit.

Stephanie Alexander believes every child should have access to the Kitchen Garden Program to form the basis of positive lifelong eating habits.

ThecontinuationoftheStephanieAlexanderKitchenGardenNationalProgramfrom2012–2015isfundedbytheAustralianGovernment.

*Findingsfromthe2012AustralianGovernment-fundedindependentevaluationconductedbytheUniversityofWollongongfoundthattheStephanieAlexanderKitchenGardenProgramresultedinrealhealthbehaviourchangeforchildren,familiesandschoolcommunitiesparticipatingintheProgram.SeeYeatmanH,QuinseyK,DawberJ,NielsenW,Condon-PaoloniD,EckermannS,MorrisD,GrootemaatPandFildesD(2013)Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program Evaluation: Final Report.CentreforHealthServiceDevelopment,AustralianHealthServicesResearchInstitute,UniversityofWollongong.