News
A tent outside Grass Valley Charter School holds fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, sunflowers, eggplant, bell peppers and figs.
Parents bringing their children to the charter school formerly known as Bell Hill routinely drop their children off in front of the school, before dropping coins or a dollar or two after they've bought some fresh vegetables grown by a fellow parent or student at the K-8 charter school.
The money in the tin is going toward funding a new school library.
That the money comes from food of the earth represents a truly grassroots effort for Katherine Schad and fellow parents.
“It's a lesson we can teach” the students, Schad said. “We're teaching them about the honor system, about the community and good food.”
The farmers market at Grass Valley Charter School opened with the start of school. Its proceeds will help pay for renovations on a vintage house across the street at the corner of Dalton and South School streets.
Already, the district has paid $360,000 for the house. Another $20,000 has been set aside for improvements, not including the remodeling work that will be done by parents.
“This is just a piece of the puzzle,” Principal Brian Martinez said.
The school's current library is in the halls of the existing school.
Volunteer parents staff the tent each weekday starting at 8:30 a.m. Schad estimates the school pockets $100 a day in donations. People are free to pay whatever they like for the fruits, vegetables and flowers, as they are on the honor system.
“It's much better than we expected,” Schad said.
The farm stand fits with Grass Valley Charter's expeditionary learning model. Students are learning to be good stewards of the environment by participating in this fundraiser, Martinez said.
All of the product sold is organic, and the bags and containers that hold the materials are made from biodegradable material donated by Xtremely Green, a local company that specializes in earth-friendly materials.
The school has 350 students in preschool through eighth grade. Students often gather before school and have fun eating the veggies at lunch.
“While the gardens are flourishing, the stand will be open,” Schad said.
On Tuesday, Schad brought tomatoes, zinnias and cucumbers. Fellow parent Jenny Maliszewski is allergic to sunflowers that grow at her house, so she brought them for others to enjoy.
“I hope this idea spreads to other schools,” she said. “It's good on so many levels.”
To contact Staff Writer David Mirhadi, e-mail dmirhadi@theunion.com or call 477-4239.
Parents bringing their children to the charter school formerly known as Bell Hill routinely drop their children off in front of the school, before dropping coins or a dollar or two after they've bought some fresh vegetables grown by a fellow parent or student at the K-8 charter school.
The money in the tin is going toward funding a new school library.
That the money comes from food of the earth represents a truly grassroots effort for Katherine Schad and fellow parents.
“It's a lesson we can teach” the students, Schad said. “We're teaching them about the honor system, about the community and good food.”
The farmers market at Grass Valley Charter School opened with the start of school. Its proceeds will help pay for renovations on a vintage house across the street at the corner of Dalton and South School streets.
Already, the district has paid $360,000 for the house. Another $20,000 has been set aside for improvements, not including the remodeling work that will be done by parents.
“This is just a piece of the puzzle,” Principal Brian Martinez said.
The school's current library is in the halls of the existing school.
Volunteer parents staff the tent each weekday starting at 8:30 a.m. Schad estimates the school pockets $100 a day in donations. People are free to pay whatever they like for the fruits, vegetables and flowers, as they are on the honor system.
“It's much better than we expected,” Schad said.
The farm stand fits with Grass Valley Charter's expeditionary learning model. Students are learning to be good stewards of the environment by participating in this fundraiser, Martinez said.
All of the product sold is organic, and the bags and containers that hold the materials are made from biodegradable material donated by Xtremely Green, a local company that specializes in earth-friendly materials.
The school has 350 students in preschool through eighth grade. Students often gather before school and have fun eating the veggies at lunch.
“While the gardens are flourishing, the stand will be open,” Schad said.
On Tuesday, Schad brought tomatoes, zinnias and cucumbers. Fellow parent Jenny Maliszewski is allergic to sunflowers that grow at her house, so she brought them for others to enjoy.
“I hope this idea spreads to other schools,” she said. “It's good on so many levels.”
To contact Staff Writer David Mirhadi, e-mail dmirhadi@theunion.com or call 477-4239.
