Slow Food organization teams up with Lamar ES

                                   Media Advisory


What:    Slow Food organization teams up with Lamar ES on school garden that
                   yields much more than vegetables

When:    Monday, (Nov. 12), 1:40-2:25 p.m., Lamar ES, 201 Parland Place
       
Lamar Elementary School’s garden will have yielded more than vegetables come harvest time. The small garden is providing a bounty of real-world math and science lessons and is serving as a valuable tool in teaching students where food comes from and how it gets to their tables.

On Monday (Nov. 12), students will gather around the school garden (weather permitting) to learn about summer and winter vegetables, a lesson that will include a tasting. Slow Food South Texas, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that represents a global grassroots movement that “links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment,” will conduct the lesson.

Lamar is one of two schools in SAISD – the other is Bonham Academy – that has partnered with the organization to maintain the garden and teach classes weekly, alternating between the two schools. The small number of vegetables and herbs grown in the Lamar garden are used for tastings.

So far this year, students have learned about starting seeds, compost, ecology and the plant life cycle. Topics for the future include bugs and pollination, recycling and the carbon footprint and farm and food systems, among other topics.

Slow Food provided funding and built garden beds at Lamar and Bonham last school year. Maintenance of the gardens this year is made possible by an SAISD Foundation grant of $3,700, which pays for seeds, soil and curriculum materials.

Mission

To transform SAISD into a national model urban school district where every child graduates and is educated so that he or she is prepared to be a contributing member of the community.

Vision

Our primary purpose of improving lives through a quality education is driven by an unrelenting determination to graduate all of our students and prepare them for success in higher education. Our ideology is reflected in our fundamental beliefs, commitments and core values that guide us in our daily practices.

Core Values

  • Student Centered
  • High Expectations
  • Commitment
  • Passion
  • Integrity
  • Respect
  • Teamwork

Core Beliefs

  • Every student can learn and achieve at high levels.
  • We are responsible for the education and safety of every student.
  • We are responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the school system.
  • Everyone should be treated with respect.
  • People support what they help create.