History of Living Classroom
Vicki Moore, the Founder of Living Classroom, knew that there had to be a way to bring nature to the classroom so students could learn from nature on a regular basis - without having to take a field trip to do so. During this time Ms. Moore was also building a native habitat garden at Oak School, followed by the Oak School Edible Garden. Ms Moore realized that a structured, educational program was needed to take advantage of all the learning opportunities the gardens provided.
Living Classroom began as a special program in the Los Altos School District in 2007-2008, supported by a one-time CA Department of Education school garden grant. This grant allowed Ms. Moore to develop the program and pilot lessons informally with K-3rd grade teachers. The Living Classroom program officially launched in the 2008-2009 school year. After many successful years of progressive growth, the Los Altos School District was sufficiently impressed with the program. The district hired the Living Classroom staff as district staff and took over fully funding the program.
In 2013, Living Classroom became a separate 501c3 non-profit organization, while also expanding the program into the Mountain View Whisman School District. Over several years Living Classroom expanded to all 11 schools in grades T/K- 6th. Funding from the Mountain View Education Foundation, the El Camino Healthcare District Community Benefit Program, Morgan Family Foundation, Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation, and other community organizations enabled this robust growth.
MVWSD is also home to the Farm to Lunch program, launched in 2015, and funded through a grant from the El Camino Healthcare District Community Benefit Program. School edible gardens produce food for taste testings, rotating amongst 11 schools and serving an average of 250 servings per taste test.
The classroom lessons, along with the Farm to Lunch taste testings, inspire healthier eating habits, and a connection to nature. Many lessons engage students in planting, harvesting and preparing foods while also learning critical science, math and social studies content.
From 2015-2019, Living Classroom provided lessons to six schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District, grades K-5th.
In 2018-2019, Living Classroom received grants from the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to expand into the Campbell Union Elementary School District in 6 schools, grades T/K – 3rd. This program continued for four years until the end of the 2023 school year.
In Spring 2018, St. Simon School piloted 12 lessons, followed by a full curriculum offering in grades K - 6th in 2019-2020 and continuing through 2024.
In 2022, The Santa Clara County Office of Education Deaf and Hearing Impaired Program at Oster School, began Living Classroom lessons.
In 2019, the Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department launched an after school garden program as part of the Youth Activity Center (YAC). A summer camp program was launched a year later. The garden program takes place in the Eddie Souza Community Garden.
Living Classroom’s curriculum-aligned lessons build from one year to the next, providing children an average of 35-40 different lessons through the elementary grades. Living Classroom has proudly delivered thousands of lessons over 14 years of programming. Living Classroom has also built, improved, maintained, and educated students in 70* school gardens at 35* school sites. To date, Living Classroom has served more than 40,000 students.
Living Classroom is committed to inclusiveness, diversity, equity and access - serving all students as we continue to expand our reach providing excellence in environmental education.
*Total schools served since 2007, including Los Altos School District, Mountain View Whisman School District, Campbell Union School District, Palo Alto Unified School District, Braly School, Oster School, and St. Simon School.
Living Classroom began as a special program in the Los Altos School District in 2007-2008, supported by a one-time CA Department of Education school garden grant. This grant allowed Ms. Moore to develop the program and pilot lessons informally with K-3rd grade teachers. The Living Classroom program officially launched in the 2008-2009 school year. After many successful years of progressive growth, the Los Altos School District was sufficiently impressed with the program. The district hired the Living Classroom staff as district staff and took over fully funding the program.
In 2013, Living Classroom became a separate 501c3 non-profit organization, while also expanding the program into the Mountain View Whisman School District. Over several years Living Classroom expanded to all 11 schools in grades T/K- 6th. Funding from the Mountain View Education Foundation, the El Camino Healthcare District Community Benefit Program, Morgan Family Foundation, Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation, and other community organizations enabled this robust growth.
MVWSD is also home to the Farm to Lunch program, launched in 2015, and funded through a grant from the El Camino Healthcare District Community Benefit Program. School edible gardens produce food for taste testings, rotating amongst 11 schools and serving an average of 250 servings per taste test.
The classroom lessons, along with the Farm to Lunch taste testings, inspire healthier eating habits, and a connection to nature. Many lessons engage students in planting, harvesting and preparing foods while also learning critical science, math and social studies content.
From 2015-2019, Living Classroom provided lessons to six schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District, grades K-5th.
In 2018-2019, Living Classroom received grants from the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to expand into the Campbell Union Elementary School District in 6 schools, grades T/K – 3rd. This program continued for four years until the end of the 2023 school year.
In Spring 2018, St. Simon School piloted 12 lessons, followed by a full curriculum offering in grades K - 6th in 2019-2020 and continuing through 2024.
In 2022, The Santa Clara County Office of Education Deaf and Hearing Impaired Program at Oster School, began Living Classroom lessons.
In 2019, the Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department launched an after school garden program as part of the Youth Activity Center (YAC). A summer camp program was launched a year later. The garden program takes place in the Eddie Souza Community Garden.
Living Classroom’s curriculum-aligned lessons build from one year to the next, providing children an average of 35-40 different lessons through the elementary grades. Living Classroom has proudly delivered thousands of lessons over 14 years of programming. Living Classroom has also built, improved, maintained, and educated students in 70* school gardens at 35* school sites. To date, Living Classroom has served more than 40,000 students.
Living Classroom is committed to inclusiveness, diversity, equity and access - serving all students as we continue to expand our reach providing excellence in environmental education.
*Total schools served since 2007, including Los Altos School District, Mountain View Whisman School District, Campbell Union School District, Palo Alto Unified School District, Braly School, Oster School, and St. Simon School.
Living Classroom Timeline2007-08: Living Classroom (LC) pilots lessons at Los Altos School District (LASD) in grades K-3rd(1).
2008-09: LC lessons launched at LASD, eventually including 7 schools, K-7th grades. Dec 2013: Living Classroom achieves 501c3 non-profit recognition. 2012-13: LC expands into Mountain View Whisman School District (MVWSD) at 5 schools in one grade.
2015: Farm to Lunch Program launches in MVWSD(3). 2015-16: LC launches Palo Alto Unified School District Program at 4 schools, K-5th grades(4).
2018-19: LC launches Campbell Union Program at 6 schools, TK- 3rd grades(5).
2019-20: St. Simon engages LC for full year programming, TK- 6th grades.
2020-21: LC launches Virtual Learning/Distance Learning platform for Fall 2020 in response to ongoing school closures due to COVID 19. 2022: Living Classroom begins programming at Oster School Deaf and Hearing Impaired Program through the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Key Funders ** Packard and Morgan Family foundations (1) CA State Dept. of Education grant (2) El Camino Healthcare District, Morgan Family Fdn, MVWSD, Mtn View Educational Fdn (3) El Camino Healthcare District Grant (4) Partners in Education grant (5) Open Space Authority, Morgan Family Fdn, Farrington Fdn, CUSD and Leslie Family Fdn grants |
A Success Story: Living Classroom and Los Altos School District
Living Classroom began as a special program in the Los Altos School District in 2007-08. Supported by a one-time CA Department of Education School Garden grant, the grant allowed development of the Living Classroom curriculum and lesson plans program and pilot lessons.
The Living Classroom program officially launched in the 2008-09 school year. After many successful years of progressive growth, the Los Altos School District was sufficiently impressed with the program. The District hired the Living Classroom staff as district staff and took over funding the program in 2014-2015, with ongoing support from school PTAs. The LASD program serves T/K-6th grade students at 7 elementary schools. Living Classroom, a 501c3 non-profit organization since 2013, continues a close relationship with LASD and supports the LASD program through sharing best practices, a software platform, curriculum revisions and docent events. As new lessons are developed, each organization will often collaborate with the other for ideas and piloting of lessons. While Living Classroom has no financial, fiduciary or oversight responsibilities for the LASD program, there is great pride in its success in engaging docent volunteers and modeling a successful transition from a “program provider” to a beloved institutional program in a school district. For additional information about the Living Classroom program at Los Altos School District, contact Caroline Chan, Program Coordinator, at [email protected]. |