Rachel Carson College

2026 School Garden Leadership Institute

Participant Hub

June 22-27, 2026 - UC Santa Cruz

Participant Tasks


Leadership Institute Agenda

All meals provided, Thursday night option to eat downtown, Saturday box lunch provided at AM check-out


Monday, June 22: Arrive by 3:30, Check-in, Welcome, Move-in, Dinner, Optional Evening Networking
Tuesday, June 23: Getting to Know Program Models, Introductions, Local School Garden Design Tours, Sunset S’mores
Wednesday, June 24: Exploring Instructional Models, Effective Professional Development, Optional UCSC Farm Tour
Thursday, June 25: Funding & Staffing School Garden Programs, Assessment & Evaluation, Sustainability Survey Review, Peer to Peer Mini Conference, Optional Night Out Downtown - Afrobeats DJ, Sunset Walk and More…
Friday, June 26: SGSO Network Engagement Planning, The School Community Domain & Beyond, Team Action Planning, Closing, Dinner on UCSC Farm
Saturday, June 27: Departure, Optional Post Excursions to Redwoods, Farmers Market, Coastal Drive, Etc.

Preview Participant Agenda

2026 Attendees

View the roster here

Partner School Sustainability Survey Results

Thanks for having your partner school gardens submit sustainability surveys!

During the Institute we will provide time to review and discuss results. Meanwhile, we welcome you to browse the survey data. Find your team’s tab which displays raw data survey responses along with averages of your partner school results.

View Partner School Sustainability Survey Results

Items To Pack

Attire for changing weather. At this time of year, we often have daytime temperatures usually range from the mid-60s to low 70s°F, while evenings can cool into the 50s°F. Be prepared for the region's famous coastal marine layer, often called "June Gloom," which can bring cool, foggy/wet mornings that usually clear to sunshine by afternoon. We recommend dressing in layers and bringing a light jacket or sweater for mornings and evenings.

Sun hat

Sunscreen

Water Bottle and Reusable Mug

Laptop computer, if you have one

Appropriate chargers for your devices

Note-taking supplies

Personal toiletries

Good walking shoes for the garden, trails, and redwood forest

*Bed linens and towels are provided.

Helpful Links

  • Description text goes hereLink to School Garden Sustainability Survey

    1. How many School Garden Surveys does each Leadership Institute team need to complete?

    • Each team is required to complete surveys with four (4) partner schools.

    2. When do the surveys need to be completed?

    • Pre-Surveys: All four schools must complete the pre-survey by May 15, 2026.

    • Post-Surveys: A follow-up survey must be completed by those same schools between March and May 2027.

    3. Who are we surveying?

    • Life Lab will request a list of your four partner schools that your School Garden Support team plans to survey. These should be the schools you are directly working with and supporting.

    4. How will this information be used?

    Life Lab will:

    • Track survey respondents

    • Monitor participation across schools

    • Compile and report survey response data back to each SGSO team as responses are received

    The data will help measure growth, sustainability, and impact over time. We will report outcomes to the Leadership Institute funder, Whole Kids, in our grant reports.

    5. Can we submit more than four surveys?

    Yes! Your team is welcome to submit surveys from more than four schools. Please notif us of the four schools whose data you would like us to loook at. 

    For evaluation purposes, Life Lab will only analyze and report data from four schools per team.

    6. What if I leave my position before the post-survey is completed?

    If there is a staffing transition, your organization should designate another team member to ensure the post-survey is completed between March and May 2027. We recommend documenting your four partner schools and sharing survey expectations internally to support a smooth transition.

    7. How will my partner schools know which survey to complete?

    When respondents fill out the survey, they will be asked to select you as their School Garden Support Organization from a list.

    Please be sure to send Life Lab the exact name your schools know you by, so we can ensure it appears correctly in the survey.

 

    • In cases of illness or emergency, a partial refund may be considered on a case-by-case basis, minus a minimum processing fee of $165 per attendee.

    • Cancellations more than 2 weeks prior to the retreat start date may be eligible for a refund, minus a $165 processing fee per attendee. Or registration may be transferred to a replacement participant.

    • Travel expenses are not refundable by Life Lab.

    • Due to our van pool scheduling, if you need to depart outside the suggested flight travel times, transportation to/from the airport is not included, and you will be responsible for making arrangements.

    If you have any questions, please contact us at (831) 400-8577.

Questions? Contact Kelsey Cerdas kelsey@lifelab.org

 
 
 

Hosted by Life Lab and Whole Kids, a project of Whole Foods Market Foundation, in partnership with the SGSO Network.