Participant Hub - SGSO Leadership Institute 2022
December 4, 2022 at 4pm – December 9, 2023
Mission Springs Conference Center, Scotts Valley, CA
School Garden Leaders at the 2020 Leadership Institute
What and Who?
Every year, the School Garden Support Organization Leadership Institute provides an opportunity for school garden professionals from across the country to collaborate, learn from one another, and develop resources to share with a national audience. In this way, we all become able to better support school gardens in our regions, and also advance the national school garden movement.
The 2022 SGSO Leadership Institute will prioritize school district-based programs. These are programs that have district school garden program staff, have a strong partnership with one or more school districts, or are working toward partnership with a school district. Each team invited to attend will send 2 key leaders to the Institute. Teams can be comprised of two people from the same organization, or two individuals from different organizations who work closely together to support multiple school gardens in their region. If you’d like to remind yourself about the general idea of the institute, you can read about it here: www.lifelab.org/sgso-institute.
2022 Institute Public Document Folders
Add your Photos to our Album or post to social with #sgso2022
Professional Development Needs and Ideas - Padlet
District Level School Garden Program Ideas - Padlet
Helpful Links
2022 Leadership Institute Participant Agenda - We will be providing you with a printed copy at check in.
Upload your slide decks - refer to the agenda to see when you will be presenting. Please include your organization name in the filename of your upload.
3-Minute Organizational Bios (slide decks are optional for Openlands, Waukee Community Schools, Columbus City School, Prescott USD, Boulder Valley SD, Grow Pittsburg, Growing Healthy Kids, Gardeneers, Friends of the National Arboretum, Schenectady City Schools, City Blossoms, Santa Clara Office of Education, Saint Paul Public School)
(Presented by: Growing Great, Barnett Garden Lab/TVHS, Academy for Global Citizenship/Chicago Public School, Upland USD, Pittsburgh USD, Houston ISD)
Lightning Talks (Presented by: Schenectady City Schools, Santa Clara COE, Gardeneers, Growing Healthy Kids, OSSE)
See suggestions of what to pack
Check out our restaurant and itinerary suggestions. for your Wednesday Night out or if you are coming early or staying late.
Connect on Social Media: If you’re on social media, get your fingers ready! Use #sgso2022 to tag your posts
Where and When?
Mission Springs Conference Center, 1050 Lockhart Gulch Road, Scotts Valley, 95066
Directions: Map It / Driving Directions
Enter at the second driveway, park, leave your stuff in your car, and check in at the Tabernacle Room.
We will provide transportation from and to SFO or SJC for those arriving on the 4th and leaving on the 9th. Look for an email from Kelsey@lifelab.org for carpool information. Plan to arrive at Mission Springs no later than 4pm on December 4.
Mission Springs Conference Center
Items To Pack
Attire for changing weather. At this time of year, we often have daytime temps in the 50s or 60s and evenings in the low 40s. Check the forecast before you come. Rain is definitely possible.
Sun hat and good walking shoes for the garden and redwood forest
Sunscreen
Water Bottle and Reusable Mug
Laptop computer, if you have one – We will be creating documents using google docs (wifi will be available in some areas of the conference center)
Appropriate chargers for your devices
Note-taking supplies
Personal toiletries
Shoes to walk in the forrest
(Optional) small flashlight
2022 SGSO Leadership Institute Participating Organizations
2022 Participants
Organization, State, Attendee, Attendee Job Title
Academy for Global Citizenship, IL, Kris De la Torre, Director of Sustainability & Wellness
Chicago Public Schools, IL, Ilana Marder-Eppstein, CPS Garden Specialist
Boulder Valley School District, CO, Susan Cousins, Operational Services Communications Manager
Boulder Valley School District - School Food Project, CO, Miriam Holleb, School Food Project Food System eeCorps Member
City Blossoms, DC, Rafael Woldeab, Executive Director
City Blossoms, DC, Darian Artis, School Garden Partners Coordinator
Columbus City School, OH, Katie Young, Farm to School/Nutrition Coordinator
Columbus City Schools, OH, Victoria Johnson, PreK teacher
Friends of the National Arboretum, DC, Allie Arnold,
School Garden Program Manager. Friends of the National Arboretum, DC, Ashley Rattanawan, School Garden Program Manager
Gardeneers, IL, Selma Sims, CEO + Head Grower
Gardeneers, IL, Rebecca MacDonald, Director of Curriculum + Learning
Growing Healthy Kids - Mount Diablo USD, CA, Laney Cline King, Program Director
Growing Healthy Kids - Mount Diablo USD, CA, Alice Burns, Garden Educator/Trainer
Grow Pittsburgh, PA, Redding Jackson, Learning Garden Educator
Grow Pittsburgh, PA, Adia Effiong, Director of School Garden Programs
GrowingGreat, CA, Adriana Bikouvaris, Early Childhood Program Manager
GrowingGreat, CA, Meghan Nealon, STEM Program Director
Houston ISD Nutrition Services, TX, Phyllicia Moore
Agriculture Specialist, Houston ISD, TX, Matthew Graham, Farm & Garden Educator
Life Lab, CA, Aisling Mitchell , Pajaro Valley Unified School District Partner Schools Program Lead
Life Lab, CA, Alyssa Ellis, Pajaro Valley Unified School District Partner Schools Program Lead
Life Lab, CA, Sasha Retford Gonzalez. Pajaro Valley Unified School District Partner Schools Garden Lead
Life Lab, CA, Geoff Palla, Live Oak School District/ Santa Cruz City Schools Partner Schools Manager
Life Lab, CA, Whitney Cohen, Education Director
Life Lab, CA, John Fisher, Director of Programs & Partnerships
Life Lab, CA, Judit Camacho, Co-Executive Director
Life Lab, CA, Regi Jones, National Curriculum and Training Specialist
Office of the State Superintendent of Education, DC Sam Ullery, School Gardens Specialist
Openlands, IL Jessica Fong, Director of Education
Openlands. IL, Danielle Russell, School Gardens Coordinator
Pittsburg Unified School District, CA, Mary Helen Nicolini, Garden Specialist
Pittsburg Unified School District, CA Elizabeth Oberender, Child Nutrition Supervisor
Prescott Unified School District No. 1, AZ, Sara Reveile, Farm to School Coordinator
Skyview School, AZ, Ashley Fine, School Garden Coordinator/ Educator
Saint Paul Public Schools, MN, Kirsten Saylor
School Garden Specialist Consultant/Grow Our Own Program Coordinator
Saint Paul Public Schools, MN, Chelsea Moody, Environmental Specialist 2
Santa Clara County Office of Education, CA, Jennifer Mutch, Science Coordinator
Santa Clara County Office of Education, CA, Marie Bacher, Director of Environmental Education-Walden West
Schenectady City School District, NY, Rebekka Henriksen, Farm to School Project Manager
Schenectady City School District, NY, Nicole Marriner, STEM/Media Specialist
SGSO Network, TX, Tristana Pirkl, Director
Upland Unified School District, CA, Cassidy Boardman, Farm to School Program Manager
Upland Unified School District, CA, Ksenia Glenn, Director of Nutrition Services
Waukee Community Schools, IA, Kaitlyn Scheuermann, Dietitian
Waukee Community Schools, IA, Ali Locker, Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning
Ysabel Barnett Elementary/TVHS, CA, Andy Hintz, Garden Lead
Temecula Valley USD, CA, Meghan Manion, Garden Lead
COVID 19 Policy
In an effort to reduce the risk of COVID transmission, we ask that all participants take a self COVID test the evening of December 3rd or the morning of December 4th and share your negative test results via this form. The form will allow you to upload an image of your negative COVID test result saved on your computer. If you are using your phone to submit the form, you will be able to upload an image file or take a photo of your test result when you get to the “Upload an Image” question of the form.
Participants who test positive will be asked not to attend and a refund will be provided.
At this time, masks will not be required. Masks may be required if COVID numbers spike or a meeting host venue requests the use of masks.
We will have masks and Covid rapid tests at the conference center.