Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Agriculture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Upper Adams SD showcases greenhouse, hydroponics and classroom plans
Summary
District administrators and staff described a completed high-school greenhouse, commercial hydroponics systems and plans to scale tabletop hydroponic units to elementary and intermediate classrooms; staff cited vendor costs, grant funding and regulatory limits on serving grown food in reimbursable school meals.
Administrators and teachers described the Upper Adams SD agricultural program and plans to expand hydroponics in classrooms across grade levels.
Speaker 6 introduced the district's greenhouse as a learning lab where students grew tomatoes, herbs and hanging baskets after a recent completion of a state-of-the-art greenhouse supported by community donations. He said the high-school greenhouse included small-animal habitats and technology that gives students hands-on experience.
Mrs. Michelle Miller (Speaker 4), who presented classroom hydroponics details, said the district used a $1,000 gift from a local garden club to pilot tabletop units in elementary classrooms and has run a larger four-tier commercial unit at the high school. She said the commercial unit cost about $20,000, produced more than 100 pounds of lettuce, kale and spinach last year, and requires attention to light and water-temperature management.
Miller described lower-cost options for younger students: a bucket or small counter-top hydroponics system that can be assembled for about $200–$300 plus an optional $50 grow light; those units are easier for teachers to maintain. She said eight teachers have already volunteered to pilot the smaller classroom units and that she wrote a grant to buy premade classroom systems.
Speakers cautioned that a full "farm-to-table" lunch program run by the district faces regulatory and liability barriers: food served as part of reimbursable lunches requires inspection (U.S. Department of Agriculture/food-safety oversight) and the district would need to address potential allergic reactions and insurance coverage. While some intermediate-level gardens sell produce to faculty (with proceeds used to buy supplies for the next cycle), Miller said produce for students is currently distributed free and not sold as part of the district's reimbursable meal service.
The presenters urged building-level curriculum integration: horticulture and hydroponics can be incorporated into science and career-education pathways, and the greenhouse is intended as a lab experience available to multiple classes. Board members thanked Miller for her work and noted the program's ties to environmental-literacy goals in the district's comprehensive plan.
The district plans to present related resource requests in April for classroom expansion and to continue seeking donations and grants to fund additional units.
