Spring branch elementary garden volunteers
We have been gardening with students for over 30 years at SBE !!!
Our current garden was built the year after our new school building was completed over 10 years ago, but we continue to improve and change it every year.
All adults helping to maintain the garden and working with students in the garden are registered SBISD volunteers. We have a friendly group of parents, community members, and Master gardener volunteers that weed and care for the garden and plants each week on Friday mornings:
Summer time: 7:30 -9:30am
Fall time: 8:00-10am
We invite any parents or community members to join our volunteer team! Contact Deb Stutsman, the garden coordinator, if you are interested in helping.
No gardening experience needed!
We have a Family Garden Day on a Saturday morning each Fall and Spring so families can come enjoy helping in the garden together.
Our next Family Garden Day this year will be on November 7th. 8:00-11:00 am
We hope your family can join us!
Every year, volunteers help all students plant, grow, and harvest vegetable crops to take home and share with their family.
This Fall:
3rd grade will grow broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage
1st grade will plant carrot seeds
2nd grade will plant sweet onion sets
Life skills and Apple classes will plant spinach & lettuce seeds, and flowers
This Spring:
4th grade will grow sweet and hot peppers
5th grade will grow cherry tomatoes
We also have an herb garden that can be used by the school staff and volunteers.
About half of our large garden is devoted to growing vegetables and fruit, while the other half is a habitat to raise butterflies and supporting pollinators, along with many other garden creatures.
The garden is designed to be an outdoor classroom, and is open to teachers and school staff to bring students outside any time during the school days.
Volunteers also do garden related activities with students, and offer optional Recess Gardening weeding and observation days throughout the year. During Recess Gardening, students can choose to come help weed, trim, sweep, or observe the garden habitat during their recess time.
Our garden and all student planting and activities is funded totally through donations from individuals and community organizations.
We have a 3 week long fundraiser at the school each spring that gives parents, students, and staff a chance to donate money to the garden fund.
Anyone can contribute to our garden fund at the Spring Branch Education Foundation at any time during the year. Just scan this code that takes you to this secure, online, and tax deductible way to support our garden financially.
