Programs

Education Outside works at all levels of the green schoolyards movement in order to unleash the potential of these outdoor learning environments and to transform the public education experience. Collaboration, community partnerships, innovative program design and evaluation, sharing of best practices, and equity are at the heart of our work. Our major program areas include:

Green Schoolyards Advocacy

Education Outside works to inform and shift District and City priorities so that green schoolyards become the locus for improving student achievement. We meet with City agencies and Supervisors to inform and influence legislation and budgets; network with local organizations involved in urban agriculture and nutrition; collaborate with SFUSD’s Director of Sustainability and Ecoliteracy Content Specialist to move District-wide environmental initiatives forward; and continue the dialogue with state and national organizations to promote and locate resources for green schoolyards.

Growing Green Schoolyards

Launched in 2009, Education Outside’s Growing Green Schoolyards effort is designed to help school communities successfully navigate the green schoolyard bond-funded master planning process and to develop and maintain their green schoolyards in accordance with best practices. Through this program, Education Outside provides school communities with:
  • Pre-Design Guidance
  • Project Inspiration
  • Horticultural Resources
  • Ongoing Support
  • Community Outreach
  • Green Schoolyard Tours
  • Green Schoolyards Guidelines*
*Developed in collaboration with SFUSD’s Department of Sustainability and Landscape department, the new Green Schoolyards Guidelines identify the roles and responsibilities of school communities, SFUSD staff, and community greening partners; establish parameters for good design of green schoolyards; and guide the selection of plants and other materials. For more information, click here.

The Outdoor Classroom Initiative

In 2011 Education Outside launched its Outdoor Classroom Initiative in order to help school communities successfully integrate their new bond-funded green schoolyards into the fabric of academics and school community life.   The Initiative ensures that all San Francisco public schools—regardless of their financial situations—have equal access to the comprehensive resources and trainings needed to bring their green schoolyards to life for students and teachers.  Serving as a model for urban school districts nationwide, major Outdoor Classroom Initiative components include:  

The Corps for Education Outside

In August 2011, our organization launched the Corps for Education Outside—the first service corps program in the United States dedicated to transforming urban public schools into centers of 21st-century experiential learning, environmental sustainability, and innovation. Expanding on the well-tested “Garden Coordinator” concept, the Corps program is designed to build a centralized network of more than 50 on-the-ground green schoolyards and ecoliteracy staff people to be trained and placed in public schools throughout San Francisco by 2016. In addition to transforming the public education experience in San Francisco, the program is expected to serve as a model for a national Corps initiative for Education Outside. Read more…

Schoolyard to Market

Schoolyard to Market is a youth development and entrepreneurship program that gives high school students the opportunity to grow and sell their school campus-grown produce and vegetable seedlings at San Francisco’s popular Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market. The program was launched in January 2011 by the Center for Urban Education for Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) in partnership with Education Outside. Beyond learning how to grow produce, students’ gain valuable experience in running a successful business. Valuable field trips to local farms and advice from local farmers, school garden managers, and other experts all add to this “real-world” educational experience. During the 2012-13 school year, participating Schoolyard to Market schools include John O’Connell High School in the Mission District and Life Learning Academy on Treasure Island. For the 16-week curriculum, click here. 

Green Schoolyards Conferences & Networking

On a regional, national, and international level, Education Outside hosts and participates in a variety of green schoolyards and education conferences in order to share and disseminate program and field findings, promote best practices, and to provide valuable networking opportunities for educators and green schoolyards practitioners in San Francisco and beyond.  Our organization also provides a variety of year-round networking opportunities for teachers, Garden Coordinators, and school community members.  
 
Education Outside-hosted conferences include:
  • Growing Greener School Grounds Conference (2002, 2004, 2008, 2010)
  • Engaging Our Grounds International Conference (2011)

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