The SGSO Network is an open peer-to-peer learning network with the goal of growing, sustaining and elevating a movement of equitable garden-based education. They provide professional and leadership development, resources, and platforms to connect members serving at a school, district, regional, state or national level.
The SGSO network is made up of school garden professionals, serving programs at any level, from individual school gardens to School Garden Support Organizations (SGSOs) who support multiple school gardens.
Currently, their network consists of over 4,500 individuals representing more than 2,000 organizations or schools that collectively support over 100,000 gardens.
Head to their Membership page to learn all about their free membership which includes:
- monthly webinars
- an online Google forum of 985+ users
- bi-monthly newsletter pulling together resources focused on a theme
- Promising Practices resources organized and curated by leaders and experts
- in person gatherings such as the annual SGSO Leadership Institute in partnership with Life Lab and the bi-annual Growing School Gardens Summit in partnership with Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation and Life Lab.
- Peer Learning Communities creating a space for school garden professionals to connect on specific topics
Upcoming webinars include:
- Music in the Garden: how to incorporate multi-sensory musical experiences into your school garden curriculum on January 18, 2023
- Decolonizing Garden Education: how one small school garden nonprofit explores new ideas to center equity and inclusion by facilitating BIPOC farm partnerships, incorporating Indigenous knowledge models, diversifying staffing, and prioritizing professional development focused on uprooting white supremacy constructs on February 15, 2023
- Non Linear Garden Design as an Identify Affirming Garden Practice: re-center the practices of ancestral growers and invite conversations about identity and heritage into our garden programs on March 15, 2023.
Want to know more?!
- Dive into their website at sgsonetwork.org
- Join their newsletter to receive updates
- Follow them on social media @sgsonetwork
- Join their Google Forum
- Email their Director, Tristana Pirkl, at tristana@sgsonetwork.org with any questions
