HOW WE NuRture

Our Junior School pre-kindergarteners plant, harvest and cook herbs and vegetables from our campus farm. Part of an Academy-wide sustainability initiative, the SSA Farm comprises gardens on all four Shady Side campuses, including five raised garden beds and several egg-laying hens on our Junior School campus. Under supervision from faculty, our pre-kindergarteners help maintain the garden and care for the chickens during the school year.

Beyond experiencing the outdoors and planting seedlings, our pre-K farm activities coincide with the children’s classroom lessons. Students harvest fresh food from the garden for cooking lessons corresponding with the “Letter of the Week” curriculum, such as lavender cookies and Indian curry during “L” and “I” weeks.

Our hands-on approach actively engages students in their learning – from the classroom to the outdoors. Through our farm’s experiential learning activities, students on all four campuses of the Academy actively participate in sustainable agricultural practices. Shady Side presents immersive educational opportunities on the farm and in all areas of the curriculum, inspiring a love of learning and building a strong foundation in our youngest students.