RSU 14 outlines Farm to School, outdoor-education plan tied to new middle school
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Summary
District staff and community partners presented a multi-phase Farm to School and outdoor education action plan for RSU 14, describing garden, greenhouse and barn-based learning, a Shelburne Farm Institute grant, partnerships with local farms and plans to integrate produce into school meals and curricula. Phase 1 focuses on the new Windham-Raymond Middle School campus.
District educators and community partners presented a multi-phase Farm to School and outdoor education plan to the Wyndham-Raymond School Board on April 1, saying the effort will connect classroom learning, school meals and community partners across RSU 14.
Christine Ferdette, a STEM teacher who said she works in the Katahdin program, described a vision that would give all of RSU 14’s roughly 3,100 students access to outdoor education and hands-on learning. Nutrition Director Jeannie Riley outlined the program’s roots in a long-standing school nutrition effort and said the district already purchases produce from local farms and has classroom collaborations that bring culinary and nutrition lessons into students’ academic work.
District chef Ryan Roderick described menu work and tastings that incorporate local producers (including apples from Brackett’s Orchard and a maple-flavored yogurt sourced in Monmouth). Presenters highlighted existing classroom projects — mushroom cultivation at Jordan Small Middle School, spinach and lettuce production at the Katahdin classroom and school hoop-houses — and said the district is beginning to weigh yields and track how produce can offset cafeteria purchases.
Speakers said RSU 14 applied for and received a professional-development grant from the Shelburne Farm Institute that supported planning; Justin Derry, a Farm Manager with a decade of experience in Falmouth, urged the district to start small, build partnerships and connect the classroom, cafeteria and community for sustainability. Presenters also showed examples of experiential learning — building boats with local nonprofit Sailing Ships Maine, sap collection for maple syrup and student-led inquiry projects — that they said strengthen engagement and academic gains for learners who struggle in traditional classrooms.
The group described a phased rollout tied to the new Windham-Raymond Middle School campus opening in August 2027. Principals and teachers said the campus’s 55-acre site, barn and greenhouse provide immediate space for phase 1 activities and would let the district scale programs for younger grades in later phases. Tom Nash, the adult-education director, said adult-ed classes could run composting and gardening offerings to create multi-generational connections.
Board members asked about sustainability and next steps; presenters said the action plan calls for a farm-to-school coordinator to help teachers integrate standards and for continued grant and community partnership activity. The presenters also noted challenges: sustaining composting and scaling programs beyond a single, passionate individual in one building.
The board praised the presentations and noted that the committee will continue work on curriculum mapping and coordination to support expanded outdoor and farm-based learning districtwide.
