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Blooming Heights Mission Will Guide Program’s Future
Since its inception, the Blooming Heights Edible Schoolyard & Outdoor Classroom has offered unique programming within Columbia Heights Public Schools. Over the past two years, staff has worked diligently with the guidance of students, teachers, administrators and community members to craft a mission statement for Blooming Heights that will reflect and guide the strengths of this program.
“We hope clearer definition of our programs will allow us to more fully tell our story and to inspire others engaged in experiential education,” said Agriculture Specialist Maya Lemon. “All of our work is based on the District’s mission of ‘creating worlds of opportunity for every learner’ and we feel that our program is uniquely placed to achieve this goal.”
The intentionality of the Blooming Heights mission and guiding principles have allowed the program to refine its assessments to align with these values and to measure program outcomes more deliberately. Blooming Heights stands out as an example of the kind of innovative programming made possible with the support of administrators, teachers, families, students and School Board members.
“The Blooming Heights mission and guiding principles strive to embody the last eight years of work and to plant seeds to grow future projects and leaders within Columbia Heights Public Schools and beyond,” said Lemon.
MISSION
Blooming Heights is a Columbia Heights Public Schools program that uses school garden and nutrition programming to facilitate equitable experiences that engage all the senses, while building the skills and knowledge necessary for cultivating a healthy life and planet.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
• We are committed to hands-on teaching and learning that highlights beauty, wonder and joy, and encourages positive risk taking.
• We facilitate interactions with the natural world that value both individuality and mutuality.
• We provide professional development and support to educators involved in experiential education.
• We conduct practice-based nutrition curriculum built on the belief that healthy food should taste good and connect eaters to the earth.
• We teach garden skills and knowledge as a lifelong means for self-advocacy and independence.
• We seek to center marginalized voices and to elevate leadership from all members of our community.
• We provide opportunities for personal and cultural connection with the land.
• We believe learning should feel relevant and urgent, inspiring questioning and curiosity.
• We offer multi-age and multi-discipline learning experiences that utilize techniques such as Social Emotional Learning and mindfulness as well as academic content.
For more information on Blooming Heights, contact Lemon at LemonM@colheights.k12.mn.us or 763.528.4508.