real school gardens 2012-2013 annual report

2012-2013

ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NAME SCHOOL

STAFFJEANNE McCARTY, Executive Director

MARISSA BLAND, Program Assistant

JEFF CROSS, Director of Finance and Operations

SCOTT FEILLE, North Texas Regional Director

SARAH GEER, Director of Foundation and Individual Relations

MATT HACKLER, Director of Development

KENDRA LEMON, Program Assistant

NANCY PAYNE, Sr. Project Manager and School Garden Designer

CAROLYN PHILLIPS, Manager of Corporate Engagement

COLLEEN PORTER, Educator

ALISON RISSO, Director of Marketing and Communications

ELLEN ROBINSON, Program Director

ERIC VANDERBECK, Educator

KELLY WARDLE, Executive Assistant

BOARDFRED THOMPSON Board Chair; Principal, The Communications

Collaborative, LLC

KAREN DIELMAN Board Member; Portfolio Manager, The Jenesis Group

DELAINE EASTIN Board Vice-Chair; Former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction

KELLY GARRETT Board Member; Executive Director, KIPP: St. Louis

JEANNE McCARTY Board Secretary; Executive Director, REAL School Gardens

CAROLINA MATA-TOVAR Board Member; Vice President, Sales Operations Excellence, Xerox Global Document Outsourcing Business Group

ROBERT MENZI Board Treasurer; Executive Vice President, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

JULIE NEIMAT Board Member; Vice President, Human Resources, Discovery Communications, LLC

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Letter from the Executive Director

What Makes a REAL school garden?

The Design Process

REAL Learning : Math

REAL Learning : Science and Language Arts

The Big Dig

Teacher Training

Evergreen Support

Statement of Activities and Financial Position

Donors and Contributors

Merits and Achievements

REAL School Gardens2012-2013

There’s just something about a composition book. New

ones are so full of potential. Old ones are so full of rich

experiences and lessons learned. I’ve found that in the

right hands, even the simplest tools, like the humble composition book, can work

wonders. That’s the idea behind REAL School Gardens. Our mission is to create

learning gardens that grow successful students. We use gardens to get students

engaged because the simplest way to get kids learning is to harness their “natural”

curiosity. And while teachers in low-income schools often don’t have access to the

latest technology, they do have access to a door outside. REAL school gardens are

powerful educational tools that get children engaged in Science, Math and Language Arts lessons. So, in this

annual report, I want to document how we created 88 learning gardens, how we trained 2,640 teachers, and

how we enriched the education of almost 49,000 students. Once you’ve seen all that we’ve achieved, I know

you’ll see just how much potential there is in learning and teaching in the garden. First, we’ll take a look at

some of the accomplishments that made the 2012-2013 school year great; then, I’ll walk you through how we

design and create a REAL school garden, and show you how we turn it into an active learning space. Along the

way, I’ll share some of the assignments and activities students master when learning in the garden. It’s been

a busy year for our organization, one composition book is barely enough to contain our accomplishments and it

certainly can’t contain our enthusiasm for the cause. Interest in the power of teaching outdoors is growing,

thanks to supporters like you. Thank you for opening this composition book, opening the door outside and

joining us on this journey!

Sincerely,

Jeanne McCarty ///// Executive Director

P.S. You can also check out our Garden Tour Videos online to see us in action!

///////////////////////////////// Letter from the Executive Director

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//////////////////////////What makes a garden a REAL school garden?

REAL school gardens are more than veggie beds; they’re rich and dynamic learning environments, full of interesting educational elements and stations that get kids excited and engaged. Children love spending time learning in the garden.

Shade structures

Our Landscape Architect helps tailor each REAL school garden to the school’s particular needs. In addition to vegetable, herb and native perennial beds, we install ADA compliant pathways and much more!

Engaging water features


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2013 Math Quiz!There are 88 REAL school gardens in the ground as of June 2013, with an average of 550 children per school. Estimate how many kids currently have access to a REAL school garden?

97%550x 88

48,400 children

Rain collection & drip irrigation systems


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Weather monitoring stations

Animal habitats

What percentage of the learning gardens in the REAL School Gardens network over the past 10 years are still actively used?

What makes a garden a REAL school garden?

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Every REAL school garden is designed in part by the children who will use it. Our Student Design Competition not only invests children in the long-term success of the garden, but it’s also a real-world way to get kids learning math skills.

Teacher’s note :

Some of the most creative ideas students have included in their garden designs are rock-climbing walls and petting zoos!

did you know? :

We held 9 Design & Dine

events in the 2012-2013

school year engaging almost

500 community members in

the garden design process.

Student Design CompetitionStudents learn what makes a great garden and design their own; they then vote on the best ones to present to the community.

Design & Dine Parents, teachers, students and other community members gather to review the winning student designs, discuss key features and get a timeline of next steps leading up to the Big Dig.

the design process


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//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Math Assignment

How many seeds are

produced on one stalk of

basil?

Show your work.

Everything we do, we do to help children in low-income schools succeed academically. By getting kids learning hands-on lessons in

the garden, they have an easier time understanding the concepts they’ll need for long-term academic success. Our program is proven to promote student engagement.In a recent study, 94% of educators said that the REAL School Gardens Program was a major contributor to increased engagement in learning for their students. What does this level of engagement look like? We’re glad you asked.


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real learning

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Build the structures : With hundreds of fresh volunteers, it’s best to tackle big structures first thing.

The Big Dig brings together hundreds of volunteers to help get the garden installed in just one day! Parents, teachers, corporate volunteers, and students come together at 8 AM and work side-by-side to create an engaging place for children to learn.

Add native perennials, herbs, edible annuals and trees,

and surround and protect them with a thick layer of mulch.

THE BIG DIG


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//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Train the garden team on basic garden maintenance, such as managing the compost. Not only does this help feed the garden, but kids learn about decomposition and the nitrogen cycle.

Although it’s a lot of hard work, we make sure everybody has a good time.

this year we held :

7 Big Dig Events and

6 Garden Enhancement Projects

and hosted almost 2,000 volunteers

Corporate partners volunteer with their families

for a meaningful day of service.

Make sure the pumps and piping are working on

the water features, drip irrigation and rainwater

collection systems so water is used wisely in the

garden. Children and adults alike learn water

conservation techniques and basic hydrology.

Our Big Dig FundersUnited Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Bank of America, FedEx, The Esping Family Foundation, The Real Estate Council, The Miles Foundation, Chase, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, The Meadows Foundation and ORIX Foundation

THE BIG DIG


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//////////////////////////////////////////////////Science AssignmentUsing text and diagrams, demonstrate the different types of energy at work in the REAL school garden.

real learning


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Language Arts AssignmentFind a leaf in the garden and describe it so that someone else could pick it out of a group.

REAL LEARNING


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504T

E A C H E R ST

R A I N E D

Building the garden is just the first step in creating an engaging educational environment. REAL School Gardens’ expert educators also train each school’s teachers as part of a three-year partnership.

Full Staff Trainings To kick the program off right, we provide a full day of training for the whole staff. We hold a similar session at the end of the first three years to ensure the learning garden program lasts for years to come.

Teacher-to-Teacher Training REAL School Gardens educators conduct on-the-job training during class, modeling effective outdoor teaching methods and engaging lesson ideas.

Garden Coordinator MeetingsThree times a year, REAL School Gardens brings our Garden Coordinators all together to share resources and best practices to help their gardens thrive.

did you know? :

There are 82 school gardens in Washington D.C. To help turn those spaces into learning gardens, local nonprofit DC Greens called upon REAL School Gardens staff to train the city’s Garden Coordinators how to get teachers to use the gardens as an educational resource. In 2013 REAL School Gardens was also working hard to expand our organization into the national capital region.

Teacher Training


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1.0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

3.0

2.0

4.0

5.0

Training Events Attended

Eff

ect

iven

ess

only 8% disagree

AGREE!

92% of teachersagree they are better prepared

more effective educators index :Teacher training is critical for school gardens to produce academic results.• The more REAL School Gardens training teachers receive, the more effective they become. Twice as many teachers score top marks for effectiveness after three years of the program.

• After just one year of training, our most recent partner schools see 58% of their teachers using the garden regularly for academic instruction.

REAL School Gardens training helps

teachers become better prepared.

• More than 90% of all educators said that

REAL School Gardens’ trainings are

immediately applicable and directly

connected to their state standards.

The REAL School Gardens Program

improves teacher job satisfaction.

• More than twice as many teachers report

being satisfied with their jobs after completing

the three-year training program.

Teachers are more effective!

REAL School Gardens has been working with PEER Associates on a comprehensive three-year evaluation of our program. Between 2010 and

2013, PEER collected and analyzed more than 5,000 surveys from educators in REAL School Gardens’ teacher training program. Their findings show that teacher training is critical in transforming a school garden into an outdoor classroom.

Teachers are better prepared!

teacher training = real results


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72SCHOO L S

IN THEEVERGREEN

SUPPORTPROGRAM

We set up all our schools for long-term success. After the first three years of our partnership are finished, schools can join our Evergreen Support Program and continue to receive seasonal seedlings, volunteer opportunities, and training sessions.

In 2003, REAL School Gardens partnered with Sam

Rosen Elementary to create a learning garden that

helped their students achieve in Science, Math, and

Language Arts, and the program has been growing

strong ever since.

“We use potatoes for Math, covering charting,

prediction, addition and subtraction, and simple

fractions,” says Cristina Armenta, a 5th grade

teacher and the school’s current Garden Coordinator.

“To teach the water cycle, we created a solar still in

the ground. I was just as shocked as the kids were

that it worked when we did it the first time. It’s

certainly opened my eyes to different ways to teach

just about everything.”

To celebrate the garden’s 10th anniversary, students

and teachers harvested, measured and weighed

kale, onions, salad greens, carrots, and about 150

potatoes, and then prepared them for a garden feast!

Sam Rosen Elementary Celebrates 10th Anniversary with REAL School Gardens!

evergreen support


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TEACHER TRAINING

LEARNING GARDEN DESIGN & BUILD

PROGRAM SERVICES 77.2%

FUNDRAISING 14.7%

MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL 8.1%

REAL School Gardens’ total revenue for the year was $1.4 million and we continued to grow our base of public support. Of this total, 56%

represented support from public and private foundations, 24% cash and in-kind donations from corporations and corporate foundations, 13% support from United Way, 4% gifts from individual donors, and 3% income from other sources, including program revenue. Our expenses for the year totaled $1.39 million. $1.07 million (77%) was invested in program services, including educator training and resources; design, installation and support of learning gardens; and community engagement.

Distribution of Expenses

statement of activitiesand financial position

Distribution of Program Services


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Year Ended June 30, 2013 with comparative total for 2012

T O TA L

TEMPORARILY

UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED 2013 2012

Contributions $499,988 $862,185 $1,362,173 $1,692,892

Interest income $2,286 $0 $2,286 $2,436

Rental income $0 $0 $0 $500

Other income $43,135 $0 $43,135 $71,155

Net assets released from restrictions:

Satisfaction of program restrictions $1,013,947 ($1,013,947) - -

TOTAL REVENUE, GAINS,

AND OTHER SUPPORT $1,559,356 ($151,762) $1,407,594 $1,766,983

T O TA L

2013 2012

Program services $1,073,100 - $1,073,100 $943,413

Management and general $111,722 - $111,722 $137,394

Fundraising $204,467 - $204,467 $173,602

TOTAL EXPENSES $1,389,289 - $1,389,289 $1,254,409

Change in net assets $170,067 ($151,762) $18,305 $512,574

Net assets at beginning of year $650,637 $390,000 $1,040,637 $528,063

NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR $820,704 $238,238 $1,058,942 $1,040,637

REVENUE

AND OTHER SUPPORT

EXPENSES

statement of activitiesand financial position


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We are deeply grateful to all of our funders and supporters for making our work possible. Though very different, this diverse group of individuals, foundations,

corporations, and other organizations are united in supporting our mission to create learning gardens that grow successful students.

CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS

$100,000+The Jenesis GroupUnited Way of Metropolitan Dallas

$25,000-$99,999Bank of AmericaThe Boone Family FoundationChaseEsping Family FoundationFedExHarold Simmons FoundationHoblitzelle FoundationThe Meadows FoundationMercedes-Benz Financial ServicesThe Miles FoundationRainwater Charitable FoundationThe Real Estate Council Foundation

$5,000-$24,999AlconChipotle Mexican GrillEcolabM.B. and Edna Zale FoundationThe Mike and Mary Terry Family FoundationM.R. and Evelyn Hudson FoundationThe Nancy Ruth FundNational Fish and Wildlife FoundationORIX FoundationResearch NowRicky Rudine Memorial FundThe Sprint FoundationSurgical Care AffiliatesTexas InstrumentsThe Thomas M., Helen McKee & John P. Ryan FoundationVHA, Inc.Wallace Genetic FoundationWells FargoWhole Kids Foundation

$1,000-$4,999AXA Equitable Life Insurance CompanyBlue Mesa GrillCaptain Planet FoundationColonial Country Club Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of North Texas

Communities Foundation of TexasFounders Garden Club of DallasThe Human Source FoundationJohnson Ohana Charitable FoundationJunior Group of the Marianne Scruggs Garden ClubJunior League of Dallas

Up to $1,000Albertsons LLCAlliance DataCold Springs FarmFreese & NicholsGoodSearchGRACE RestaurantSafeway, Inc.Spindrift SodaTexas Nursery and Landscape Association

SUZY PEACOCK FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE

AnonymousJessica & Todd BarrDr. Laura CarstensenJane & Terry ChadseyJoAnn CollinsCrescent Real Estate Equities, Ltd.Jeff CrossSuzanne & Charles DavisDonnette DurhamKelly & Scott FeilleElizabeth & Kelly GarrettSarah & Scott GeerMatt HacklerMelodee & Joe HalbachPat HarrisonMartha HayesBonnie & Randy JonesRuth & Dick KinlerBeatrice & Dusty KuykendallJohn LangdonJeanne McCarty & Jason HewittJessi & Matt RainwaterKathleen RallRichard RallKaren ReynoldsMichelle SchneiderSebastian ConstructionJanet Shull

Jason Simus & Heather Ross SimusJohn SimusJeremy SmithSara & Sy SohmerKimberly SpeairsSuzanne TuttleEric Vanderbeck & Kathy CashTisha & Sunny Vanderbeck

INDIVIDUALS

Ryan AbbottDr. David Aftandilian & Dr. Sara RoseNicole AndersonAnonymousRebecca AyerGabrielle BabcockCelia BarajasAlison BeckClaudia BlalockKatherine BoltonLinda & Michael BourlandAlexis BranamanJasmin BrandDorayne BreedloveCarla BrownNicole BullockTraci BuschnerLevi ByersSaralyn CarrilloEdward CaspersPam ChamberlainGinger CiminelloPhilip CombsLori ComoTodd ConnorKathleen & Murray CovensSam CoxCraig CrossMarylou CrossLynda CrouchSuzan CrouchTrammell CrowLorraine & Merrick DarleyRyan DarleyRoss DarrowGiles Davidson & Dan WaldmannLeslie DellMaribeth DeLorenzo & Eric Winslow

DONORS & CONTRIBUTORS


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(in alphabetical order by giving level)

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Christine DeVineJane DidearKaren DielmanLeonard DombrowskiJeff DriesMichael DuffinDelaine EastinCathy EddyDeborah EndsleyBryan FeilleRachel FeitMarie FiskAndrew FortRyan Jill FoxTracy FridayLaurie FrySusan GamminoCindy Gay DrewDerek GibsonGil GloverTesa GoldenVinita & Eric GottingMelinda GratwickKathy GrodeonCrystal GroseCatherine GrundyBlake HacklerDarlene & Jerry HacklerScott HacklerCourter HallAnita HardwickBlake HestirRachel HillTracy HollisKathrin & Stefan HuberJoAnne HughesKristen HurdLaura HyattChase JohnsonKia JohnsonCaroline & Adam JonesVanessa JonesTiffany KaiserJames KassonMichael KerriganLorie & Michael KinlerJennifer KolmesJanelle & Erik KraemerLaura KrinockTamara LawlessChristina LeKendra & Christopher LemonHelen LyonsShailin MakhaniKay & Bob ManryLucila MauriJohn MaysWendy Mazur

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth McCarty, Jr.Kent McCartyDr. M. Dwain McDonaldBlair & Bill McGroartyJT McPhersonRobert MenziLaura MillerMarianne & Brian MinnehanDarren MooreDiana MorganSusie & Gene MorrisseyJulie Neimat Eric NelsonPheba & Andriy NemchenkoKathy ParkBeverly PayneKirby & Vicki PayneNancy Payne & Dale BoissoCarla PhillipsCarolyn & Wiley PhillipsWendy PhillipsChrystin PleasantsMichael PollardPatricia PolzerColleen & Chip PorterDorothy PorterWendy QuandahlRonald RamosLisa RelloKerry RentaAdam RichardsonBecky RobinsonEllen & Michael RobinsonRuss RootApril SaweyRobyn SchaubSharon & Richard SchoechLoretta SmithRick SorrellsChristina SteffeyJeffrey StraterPaul SuggNeil SweetFrederick G. ThompsonLisa & Mark TrammellSabrina TristanAlyssa VijilAmy & Ray WalkerAshley WaltonKelly WardleLinda WattsJo Ann WhitmanKeith WhitworthAndy WicklessClement YehPatricia YungclasCarrie Zimmerman

GIFT-IN-KIND DONORS

Botanical Interests, Inc.Botanical Research Institute of TexasGregg BrownCalloway’s NurseryCenter for Nonprofit ManagementChipotle Mexican GrillCockrell EnovationDallas Independent School DistrictDeloitte Consulting LLPDripping Springs OllasFort Worth Independent School District GRACE RestaurantKayla GreenrodHarvest SupplyMartha HopkinsIn A Pickle FoodsNancy LambMarshall GrainMJB Wood Group, Inc.Philip Combs DesignMatthew RainwaterRedenta’sTechSoupTrimble BuildingsWater Gardens Galore

SWEAT EQUITY

AlconArlington Independent School DistrictBank of AmericaBBVA CompassBirdville Independent School DistrictBotanical Research Institute of TexasDaisy Troop 5394Dallas County Master GardenersDallas Independent School DistrictFedEx OfficeFort Worth Independent School DistrictGrand Prairie Independent School DistrictChaseMercedes-Benz Financial ServicesNorth Texas Food BankRain RanchersThe Real Estate Council’s Associate Leadership CouncilTarrant Area Food BankTarrant County Master GardenersTexas AgriLife ExtensionVHA, Inc.Villegas LandscapingWater Gardens GaloreWells Fargo

(in alphabetical order)


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DONORS & CONTRIBUTORS cont.

Giving Library

H O O R AY

MERITS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Superintendent of Schools Mike Miles selected

REAL School Gardens to receive the Emmett J.

Conrad Extra Mile Award for outstanding

ongoing support of Dallas ISD.

So cool!

Outstanding!Certificate of Appreciation Texas State Senator Wendy Davis awarded REAL School Gardens partner schools in Tarrant County a Certificate of Appreciation.

The Giving Library, an online video archive that connects donors to non-profits, funded a video featuring Executive Director Jeanne McCarty.

The Real Estate Council, or TREC, chose REAL School Gardens to

work on two Big Digs with their Associate

Leadership Council as part of their yearly

class project.

realschoolgardens.org

Fort Worth, Texas

817.348.8102

Washington, D.C.

202.621.2375

OUR OFFICES

real school gardens 2012-2013 annual report

Documents

learning gardens

math real learning

school year

director of marketing

director of finance

director of foundation

design process real

kids learning