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NEWS & UPDATES FROM COMMON GROUND February 2012 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director Common Ground had the great pleasure of hosting a visit this week from Curt Ellis, who spoke to staff and students about the journey that led him from eating donuts to becoming a nationally recognized film maker and food advocate. Curt told the story of how he and his room-mate in college would scavenge a garbage bag of day-old donuts outside Dunkin’ Donuts every Friday at 10 pm and spend the rest of the weekend consuming them. One day he picked up a stale glazed donut, and saw it in a different light. He was compelled to ask the question, “What IS this thing?” This was the beginning of a journey that led him to co-create the award winning documentary King Corn, and to found FoodCorps, a newly created national AmeriCorps service program focused on school gardens and nutrition education. The trajectory of Curt’s life clearly illustrates how a lively curiosity can be life changing, and highlights the importance of questioning even the most obvious and mundane things. Children and young people seem to be naturally curious about the world – something of which we take advantage without compunction here at Common Ground. We work hard to ensure this sense of wonder continues to be encouraged and nurtured in our high school students, recognizing that it is the basis for life-long learning. My experience is that as we mature we tend to become more cynical (is it just me?), which makes it harder to maintain that almost-naïve sense of wonder that if pursued with passion can lead to “wonder”ful things. It gives me great joy to watch the young people with whom I have the privilege of associating (including my own kids!) question the world. But I will also admit I have to very conscientiously keep myself from playing the role of cynic or know-it-all when exposed to the curiosity of youth. While I am not a teacher, I know from my colleagues at Common Ground that building knowledge without "giving" the answer is one of the most important skills that a good educator must master. The questions we ask in pursuing understanding are perhaps even more important than the answers we find – because the questions characterize how you are thinking about an issue, and it is thinking about things that leads to real understanding, not simply looking for “the answer”. This is why students at Common Ground begin every new area of study by developing a list of “essential questions” that define an approach and describe what it is important to know in order to understand the challenge at hand. Hearing the questions these students asked of Curt Ellis this week, I was reminded that When Curt Ellis asked: “What IS this thing?” about the donut he was eating, the first thing he came up with was a list of ingredients. But then he went on to ask “What are these ingredients and where do they come from?” and the answer to that question generated a cascade of essential questions that – fortunately for us – began a journey that led to the creation of King Corn (a movie that students in our Food and Environment class watch each year) and the creation of the FoodCorps (one of whom we hope will be working here at Common Ground next year – please Congress, fully fund the program), and that finally led Curt here to Common Ground to share his story with us last week. And for me personally, his story caused me to reflect on the importance of curiosity and led me to a renewed commitment to be less cynical, and to make sure I think about the essential questions that I need to be asking about every challenge I face. So thank you, Curt Ellis, for telling your story, and inspiring me to aspire to be less cynical. I invite all cynical adults out there to join me. I have to admit, I feel younger already! February 2012 | Thank You for Helping Us Win A Teaching Kitchen! It's official! Your votes have helped Common Ground win $10,000 from IKEA New Haven to create new teaching kitchen. Here's what your support will do:
1. This new teaching kitchen will help our high school students launch a dozen different small business ventures using produce from our urban farm.
THANK YOU for making this possible! January 2012 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director Liz Cox (Director of Common Ground High School) and I spent a little time in Hartford last week. At the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture I was there with Jiff Martin (Educator in Sustainable Food Systems with UConn Cooperative Extension System) presenting “A Proposal for Growing Connecticut Farms, Food and Jobs” to the Governor’s Council for Agricultural Development. This white paper was prepared by the Farms, Food and Jobs Working Group, a coalition of agriculture and food activists who joined together in the fall of 2011 to develop a shared understanding of the major opportunities for and challenges to strengthening Connecticut’s food system. The same day I was presenting to the Council Liz was attending an Education Workshop organized by Governor Malloy and his Commissioner of Education to discuss the Governor’s recently released six point agenda for educational reform. Interestingly, that Tuesday Governor Malloy went straight from making remarks at the meeting of the Council on Agricultural Development to speak at the Education Workshop. His appearance at both of these forums is testament to the fact that he has identified both education and agriculture as areas where his administration will be focusing effort. Given that agriculture and education are at the heart of what we do as an organization, I am very excited that Common Ground has been given the opportunity to participate in this work at the state level. It is not just that we feel have a lot to contribute to the conversation. More importantly, we see a real opportunity to improve both our local food system and the education system – and through them the lives of the community we serve – largely through policy reform. Policy reforms recommended by the Farms, Food and Jobs Working Group in “A Proposal for Growing Connecticut Farms, Food and Jobs” focus squarely on redefining and strengthening the path that connects the local food supply to the demand for local food. It calls for strong state leadership, planning and coordination of efforts to improve our food-based economy; it outlines actions that can be taken to increase the flow of locally grown food from farm to institutions such as schools, hospitals and universities; it suggests expanding the production of certain “key foods” with high consumer demand that are easily and efficiently grown in Connecticut; and it advocates for strengthening educational programs that will increase general knowledge and awareness of local agriculture, nutrition and the safe preparation of healthy food. When it comes to education reform the charter school community understands that our schools are not likely to be at the center of these efforts. But I also believe the contribution schools like Common Ground are making to the educational system will not be disregarded. We recently compiled some new data that allowed us to compare our performance in several key areas to that of schools statewide and in New Haven. Here is what we have found: Between 2007 and 2011, the percentage of Common Ground students earning proficient scores on the state-wide CAPT test doubled in every subject. After four years of significant gains – including the largest of any Connecticut high school in 2010 - in 2011 our students outperformed their peers across the city and the state. Comparing 8th grade CMT scores to 10th grade CAPT scores demonstrates that in their first two years at Common Ground students made significant gains in every subject area. Finally, using the new methodology adopted nationwide to evaluate graduation rates, we can see that Common Ground students are more likely to graduate on time, and less likely to drop out than their peers across the state and city. This kind of performance is hard to ignore when talking discussing what needs to be done to improve our education system. But one thing needs to be made very clear: while we are extremely proud of our performance, these gains have been hard won, requiring an extraordinary effort on the part of our staff in a school environment that is significantly underfunded compared to locally funded public schools. Unless the rising tide of education funding reform raises our ship along with all others it will be very difficult to continue the positive trends we have established. We know what we need to do and we know how to do it. Now we just need the resources to make sure we can continue the effort. There are many issues that education reform needs to address statewide, and we are ready and willing to help where and how we can. But for Common Ground the issue is not so complicated – for us it is simply a matter of having adequate resources at our disposal to keep doing what we have been doing for the past four years: using data effectively to guide our teaching strategies, employing student centered approaches to learning; and providing ample opportunities for students to engage in authentic, experiential learning. Liz and I are both feeling hopeful. The environment in Hartford feels full of potential for real and meaningful reform. Whether focused on education or our food system, we will do what we can to support reforms that will have statewide impact, that will strengthen food systems in both rural and urban communities, that will benefit all schools in Connecticut, including charter schools. It is up to us – and you as our community – to watch carefully, and to push when needed to make sure that this time, reform really does happen. We will certainly let you know when your help is needed. Your comments and observations on anything I reflect on in these missives are welcomed! In the meantime, I wish you a Happy New Year. Link to CT-N broadcast of meeting of Gov’s Council on Ag Dev: http://www.ctn.state.ct.us/webstream.asp?odID=7309&odTitle=Governor%27s%20Council%20for%20Agricultural%20Development%20First%20Meeting&caption=true December 2011 | Holiday Open House December 17th Please join Common Ground for warm libations and tasty treats in celebration of the year gone by and in anticipation of good things to come Saturday, December 17, 3-6 pm 358 Springside Avenue in New Haven RSVPs appreciated bsneath@commongroundct.org Earlier this month, Jill Keating -- Common Ground's Environmental Education Program Manager -- was named "Farm Based Educator of the Year" at the National Farm Based Education Conference at Shelburne Farms in Vermont.She was particularly honored for her tireless work in aligning the field trip program to academic standards, and for her amazing leadership at Common Ground Summer Camp. Jill has a number of goals to increase the breadth of our field trip program, which currently engaged about 3,000 children, teachers, and family members from New Haven Public Schools. "I want to be better at supporting our field trip staff so that we can have more kids in a higher quality program. I also want to link our education program in the schools to a lot of our other programs, so they know about our work in the community. So that they're not just saying, "hey, this is a chicken," but "this is a chicken that will feed ten people." Congratulations Jill! November 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director It was a huge relief to arrive at Common Ground the morning after our recent October snow storm to find virtually no damage and the electricity still on. We were lucky here to suffer minimal disruption to our day-to-day operations. The same cannot be said for hundreds of thousands of people who lived with the impacts of having no electricity for most of the week – myself and many Common Ground staff included. For me, no electricity means no lights, no heat, no water, and no appliances with which to cook. Day to day living definitely becomes more challenging under these circumstances – constantly stoking the fire to try and keep at least one room warm; hauling water for cooking, cleaning and flushing; two-pot camp-stove meals; living under the dim light of candles and lanterns that makes anything requiring decent visibility almost impossible. But I am absolutely not complaining. If anything, this kind of experience helps ensure I appreciate the conveniences that I otherwise tend to take for granted. Under normal circumstances it is easy to assume that heat, running water and electricity are a given, a fact of life. It takes an event like Irene or a freak snowstorm to remind most of us that light at the flick of a switch, water at the turn of a faucet and heat at the setting of a thermostat are actually amenities that are not so readily available to many people. And I am not talking just about people living in undeveloped countries, or war zones, or in the midst of a natural disaster. Last winter 113,000 residents of Connecticut qualified for emergency funding to help pay their heating bills. According to the latest census data almost 50 million people in the United States are grappling with very difficult economic circumstances, falling within the standard definition of poverty which sets the income threshold for a family of four with 2 children at $24,343…and under the new Supplemental Poverty Measure that income already includes any benefits derived from government programs such as nutritional assistance, subsidized housing, school lunches or home energy assistance. I will be the first to admit that it is almost impossible for me to imagine what it would be like to live as a family of four on $24,000 here in New Haven. Yet many of the people who participate in Common Ground programs do. In Common Ground’s own neighborhood of West Rock almost 40% of the community is living below the poverty level (compared to 25% in New Haven as a whole). For this reason, while Common Ground is a resource that serves the entire New Haven region, we are particularly interested in ensuring that our local community is benefiting from our programs. To that end we have recently been reaching out to our West Rock neighbors to find out what we can do to make our programs more accessible to them. How can we make sure the children of West Rock are developing an appreciation for the natural world through participating in our after school and camp programs? How can improve the availability of the food we grow here at Common Ground to residents of Ribicoff Cottages, Westville Manor, and McConnaugy Terrace, many of whom have limited access to healthy, fresh food – much less locally grown produce? How can we make sure the community is able to benefit from the cooking demonstrations and nutrition programs that we offer? We are working with our local community to answer those questions in a way that will make Common Ground a relevant resource for them, one that improves their lives in very practical ways while at the same time bringing some fun and joy into their lives. While our mission is focused on “cultivating habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice,” we strive to do so in ways that improve access to food and increase financial security for those who are dealing with these challenges – ideally while creating an enjoyable experience, a welcomed break from the day to day for program participants. This is one of the important ways we can make our mission relevant to a diverse population, people from many income levels, many cultures, many neighborhoods and many backgrounds. This is the diverse population it is our mission to serve, and that is truly what makes us who we are: Common Ground. October 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director I have a new routine as I arrive at work this fall. I step out of my car and spend a quiet moment admiring our new Harvest Pavilion. On most days I will walk over to enjoy the morning light flowing down through the rafters from the translucent roof, and take in the magnificent view of our gardens framed by the Pavilion’s massive columns and beautifully crafted barn doors. Even the cedar siding, so painstakingly put up by our own Joe Lesiak, is a thing of beauty. It is still hard to believe that the building is actually there. It is such a far cry from the low, gray tarp-tent squatting in the dirt where we used to process our produce that it almost seems too good to be true.To be honest I sometimes wonder what we have done to deserve such a magnificent building. When I think about it, there were many, varied forces that contributed to its construction, just as there are so many generous people and institutions to thank for its being here A large portion of funding for the project came through an Agricultural Viability Grant from the State Department of Agriculture. Ag Viability grants are funded through the Community Investment Act (or CIA as it is commonly known). In an interesting twist of fate, back in 2004-2005 I was part of a broad coalition of farmers, environmentalists, historic preservationists and housing advocates that worked to pass landmark legislation creating the CIA. For almost 7 years the CIA has helped protect and preserve the beauty and unique character of Connecticut for future generations by funding open space, farmland preservation, preservation of historic sites, and affordable housing programs. It is wonderful that Common Ground has been recognized as contributing to Connecticut’s “unique character” as a recipient of this grant. I am also thankful for the support we received from the City of New Haven, which awarded Common Ground a Community Development Block Grant to help build the pavilion.This award was given in recognition of the ways in which the new Harvest Pavilion will contribute to the greater good of the city of New Haven – by serving as a facility to move fresh, healthy food from our garden into the community, as a center for learning about food and sustainable agriculture, and as a place for the community to gather, learn, celebrate and play. A grant from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board helped to ensure we stayed true to our mission during the construction of the Pavilion by utilizing sustainable materials and practices. There were local organizations such as the Suburban Garden Club, who made a donation in honor of Michael Tripodina, who supported this effort, as well as more than 60 individuals who gave through the Community Foundation's first GiveGreater campaign. Finally, there is David Thompson, who so willingly donated his time and talent as an architect to this project. He has really given us a thing of beauty that will be enjoyed by and will benefit the Common Ground community for decades to come. When I walk out into the Harvest Pavilion each morning, I am imbued with a sense of hope that comes from the community I saw come together in support of its construction. It symbolizes the good that people, agencies, and organizations see in what we do here at Common Ground. Anyone who enters the pavilion – the students of Common Ground High School, the New Haven Public School children here on a field trip, casual visitors – will undoubtedly sense the care and respect that went into the building’s design and construction, and translate that into an understanding of the care and respect that is felt for them as members of the Common Ground community. I invite you to come join us at our Open Farm Day and Tour-Ganic concert on October 15th -- or any day this fall -- to rejoice not just in the beauty of the new Harvest Pavilion, but in the community that created it, and in the contributions that it will continue to return to that community for years to come. September 21, 2011 | Shop at Whole Foods Market, Support Common Ground! Wednesday, September 21st, 8am-10pm 1686 Boston Post Road Milford, CT Stock up on groceries while supporting our local environment and amazing educational opportunities! On Wednesday, September 21st, Whole Food Market in Milford will donate 5% of all sales to benefit Common Ground High School, Urban Farm, and Environmental Education Center. All proceeds will be used to support programs that get city kids out into the natural world, create the next generation of successful college students and powerful environmental leaders, and grow healthy local food for our community. Mark your calendar! Tell your friends! Make your shopping list! September 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director After gentle showers all morning the rain is starting to come down hard outside – a cool rain, definitely with a fall feel. With shorter days the garden is starting to slow down a little. I was almost chilly last night sleeping with the window open – I love that feeling. The window air conditioner we use during the summer is bound for the attic. I am always so happy when it goes. While it is nice to have one room of respite during the dog days of summer, when the air conditioner is running I suffer from this nagging anxiety about the amount of electricity it is consuming. We were four days without electricity after Irene. I thought often (while grilling dinners over charcoal, reading by the light of a Coleman lantern, and playing cards instead of surfing the internet) about how small our environmental footprint was during those four days. No phones charging, no appliances glowing in the dark, no TV or computers running, no lights to switch on without a thought.There were definitely aspects of living without electricity that were aggravating (particularly not having running water, not to mention my eyes don’t work as well as they used to in dim light) but it was very doable. I thought about people in places where electricity is on for only a few hours each day. I often find myself thinking about how much is taken for granted in developed countries like ours – clean running water, 24 hours of electricity each day, gasoline at every street corner, a refrigerator in every kitchen – and how little of the cost of our lifestyle we actually bear. How many people leading the lifestyle of an average American can our planet sustain? I know I am not alone in having these kinds of thoughts (although my husband tells me I have apocalyptic tendencies). But I think we (as a species, as a nation, as a community) are a long way from understanding or accepting that there are limits to what is sustainable, much less what those limits are. For the past 20 years I been involved with organizations that embraced “sustainability” as an important part of their mission. The word sustainability is common jargon in the circles I run in – although ask for a definition and what you often get is a long pause, and a confused reply. While sustainability is very difficult to define in a singular fashion, I think it is assumed by many of us that most people have at least a basic understanding of the concept of sustainability. We certainly need this to be true if, as a society, we hope to figure out how we will live within the bounds that limited resources will inevitably establish. I worked for many years as a consultant to for-profit entities struggling with the concept of sustainability and how to apply it to their own work.Interestingly, the profit motive is often the primary motivator for becoming more “sustainable,” which in business often translates as becoming more "efficient.” The corporations I worked for sought a systematic approach to being sustainable: putting in place metrics, collecting data, establishing objectives, implementing well defined policies and procedures. Interestingly, while sustainability is at the heart of Common Ground’s mission (which is “to cultivate habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice among a diverse community of adults, young people and children”) until recently we have not been systematic about measuring the environmental impact of our own activities. That will change this year with the inauguration of a green task force charged with establishing a baseline and adopting metrics, objectives and strategies that will ensure we are living our mission as an organization. I see our internal efforts at becoming a “sustainable” organization as the heart of all of our efforts to deliver on our mission. Not only is it essential to our credibility, it is the key to developing a realistic understanding of what it means to be sustainable, and provides a solid foundation from which we can engage in a productive dialogue about what sustainability actually means. The importance of this was brought home to me just last week as I was welcoming our incoming freshmen by talking to them about Common Ground’s mission. During the course of our discussion I asked the freshman how many of them had ever heard the word “sustainability” before. Only 10 or 15 out of a class of 50 raised their hands. It is easy to forget, living in the world that I do, that the concept of sustainability is NOT commonly understood, and is certainly not a priority for many communities. I ended my time with our freshman by expressing my hope and expectation that they would engage with me and the rest of the Common Ground community over the next four years in working to define, evaluate and understand sustainability. My hope is that through this work each of them will leave Common Ground with a common understanding of what it means to be sustainable, and will apply that understanding to making their own community, and our world, a better place for all. I firmly believe that a common understanding of the “what” and “why” of living sustainably – an understanding that cuts across communities, cultures and borders – is essential to preserving a “quality of life” that can be enjoyed for generations to come. June 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director While the snow this winter felt never ending, the summer already seems to be flying by. We have enjoyed a wonderful crop of strawberries from the garden. Beautiful fresh picked greens have found their way into our lunch salads. We are on our third weekend of farmer’s market and our on-site market is about to open. We enjoyed an emotional and heartfelt graduation as our Common Ground Seniors left us last week for new beginnings. There will be no resting on laurels,however as it is all hands on deck preparing for the new crop of camp kids joining us for the summer in just a few short days. There is a definite rhythm and seasonality to life at Common Ground. During the cold and dark winter months we battle the elements to keep our students in school and focused on learning. We shovel and shovel and shovel snow (at least this year!) and do our best to keep the ice from taking over our site. As spring approaches we tap our trees and watch anxiously for signs of the strong sap flow that heralds a good year for that sweetest of treasures, Maple Syrup. In March our students work hard to achieve CAPT results that reflect the academic gains they have made. As the days lengthen we plan our gardens – an optimistic activity that demonstrates our faith in renewal. Our baby chicks and suckling pigs arrive, along with hundreds of cyclists who come to celebrate Earth Day at Rock to Rock. Throughout April and May we watch our seedlings grow as the spring rains pour off of West Rock Ridge inundating our site. In May we hold our fist Open Farm day of the season, welcoming the Common Ground community back for Springfest and the Seedling Sale. Common Table is held in June to celebrate the first harvest of food from our garden, and our student’s mastery of Shakespeare. Our student’s end their year with pride and satisfaction in June and in July our site is filled with young campers at play. As summer merges into fall, our garden overflows with food that is bound for farmer’s market and for processing so that it can be put to use in the cafeteria during the darkest days of winter. In August we say goodbye to our campers, and welcome back Common Ground students. As the leaves begin to turn in the fall we celebrate the end of the growing season, hopefully on a luxurious Indian summer night, with Feast from the Fields. Finally, in anticipation of winter, we put our gardens to bed, and the cycle begins anew, with predictable unpredictability. I take comfort in knowing that there is some certainty in the annual rhythm that brings about the changes that come with each season. But there is another cycle at play here in addition to the natural cycles that are driven by our planets yearly journey around the sun – a cycle that does not have the same predictable rhythms we anticipate each year with the changing seasons. I am referring to the life cycle of our organization. Over the past year it has become clear that we are at a critical stage in our life cycle. At their last meeting our Board was asked the question, “Do you think the original vision of the founders of Common Ground has been realized?” There was a moment of silent reflection before the Board responded with some surprise that yes, it seems we have realized the original vision of our founders. In 1990 the founders of the New Haven Ecology Project (now known to most of us as Common Ground) envisioned a unique urban high school that was focused on building ecological literacy, academic accomplishment, strong character and community commitment. They envisioned an environmental learning center that offered community programs connecting a diverse population of children, young people and adults to their natural surroundings, cultivating habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice. They envisioned an urban farm that would demonstrate the most basic relationship that humans have to the land, and contribute to the local food system. Thanks to the hard work of our founders and those that followed in their footsteps, this vision has been realized - all of these now exist here at Common Ground. But while we can celebrate having realized the earliest vision of our founders, that certainly does not mean we can rest. Now we must look ahead and plan for the next stage or our life cycle. We must ask how we will both deepen and broaden the impact of our organization; we must ask how we will help address the new set of social and environmental challenges our community faces as a result of climate change, dwindling resource availability, and a peak oil economy. We must continue to grow - in reach, in effectiveness, in efficiency. The maturing of our organization, and the growth that accompanies it, will inevitably bring change. Already, we are beginning to experience this. Our site is in the process of being transformed by the construction of a Harvest Pavilion, and we are deep in the process of planning for additional work that will expand and improve the facilities available for the education of our students and for the many community programs we run. We are also thinking hard about our programs, and what more we can and should be doing to ensure we are truly living up to our mission. The changes we hope to make to our site and our programs will lead directly to an expansion of our impact – but making those changes a reality will not be easy. They will not result naturally from something as constant as the earth’s annual journey around the sun. They will be the result of hard work, and will need the commitment and investment and passionate support of our community. We are embracing a renewed vision for Common Ground without knowing for certain that we will be able to fully realize the changes necessary to make it a reality. Therefore, embracing this new vision requires a certain amount of faith. The same kind of faith humanity has displayed since long before the inevitability of spring was understood, when in the darkest days of winter they made plans to sow the seeds that would bear the fruits of the summer. Likewise, we here at Common Ground are making similar plans to sow new seeds in anticipation of the rewards that an investment in our future will bear. We are doing so with the faith that our community will support us, endowing us with the gentle rains and warm sun that we will need to ensure the seeds we sow bear sweet fruit that, in turn, will nourish the very community that we depend on – truly a reflection of the cycle of life we experience year in and year out here at Common Ground. Winter ends, spring blooms, summer warms, and in the fall we celebrate the rich return our hard work has yielded – Common Ground graduates entering college, the end of a magical summer of camp, an abundant harvest of food from the garden. And so the cycle begins again. If you have not been here recently please come visit soon and see what new is growing here at Common Ground! May 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director Yesterday Shannon Raider and I spent a good part of the grey wet day sitting outside in the mud installing the baseboards on our new greenhouse. We lost two of our small hoop houses to the snow this winter but were able to purchase an 18’x32’ heated greenhouse to replace them with the insurance money we received. We are trying desperately to get it ready for the Seedling Sale this coming weekend. By the time we were done for the day we looked a lot like our two little pigs who, I noticed yesterday, spend most of the day with their heads completely buried in the dirt as they rooted around underground for whatever tasty morsels they could find. As we were wrapping up Betsy Sneath, our Business Director, stopped by on her way out to see how things were going. When she heard us grumble about the progress we were making she asked “the question”: Don’t you think it would make more sense to hire someone to do this? Is it really the best use of your time? This tension between paying someone else and doing it ourselves is a constant at Common Ground, as at many non-profits, for two reasons. First, cash is a scarce resource that we strive to conserve, perhaps even at times to our own detriment. Second, many of us (me included) enjoy the tangible rewards of working on our site. The problem is there is always so much to do, especially this time of year. Just this Saturday alone we had a “barn raising” to erect two beautiful new post and beam recycling sheds, put up the framework of our new greenhouse, turned all of the remaining beds in our garden, harvested spinach, and cleared out the huge pile of cut wood that accumulated in our outdoor classroom this winter. While all this was going on we also held open farm day, sold eggs, hosted a new group that is using our site for their monthly meetings, and had students on site preparing for this week’s Envirothon. Thankfully we had the help of over 15 Yale Alumni volunteers (we love Yale community service day!) as well as many of our students. No matter how much we get done on our site, however, there is always still a long list of to do’s remaining. I could easily spend 40 hours per week working on our site if I allowed myself, but Betsy is right, that is not my primary job. So today, it will be Joe and Shannon mucking around in the rain and mud as I meet with the Management Team, prepare for the upcoming Board meeting, review News and Updates, help plan Common Table, check in with our architects, and other Executive Directorly activities. Well, truth be told I might take one short break to finish putting up the hooks Rebecca asked for so kids in the after school program can hang their coats up instead of dumping them on the porch floor…and if Joe and Shannon need help I may be forced to join them, for a little while at least, in the mud. I will just have to hope no one shows up today expecting me to play the part of the well groomed Executive Director – which I swear I can do when I put my mind to it. Around here, it simply ends up not always being the top priority! Please come visit and see all of the exciting things we are up to here on site! Volunteers are welcome, as well. If you are itching to get your hands dirty…just give us a call. March 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director Two Saturdays ago Common Ground held its annual Winterfest celebration -- or Maplefest as I have now come to think of it. Close to 300 of you came out on that chilly but sunny day to visit. It was great to see you all! I had a lot of fun running the Maple Syrup Taste Test as I watched Shannon Raider, our new Farm Manager explain the syrup evaporator we had running (it has been a particularly good sap year – we collected close to 400 gallons from the 5 or 6 trees we tap which should yield us about 10 gallons of syrup). I enjoyed watching mischievous smiles break out on the faces of kids as I explained the "rules" of the test. In particular I remember two shy young brothers from Congo. Neither of them had any idea what maple syrup was but they were up for the challenge! The amazing thing is that they, along with almost every single young person I asked to try and tell the real syrup from the fake, got it right. The adults, on the other hand were less discerning (with the exception of a few hard core syrup snobs -- like me -- who can tell real maple syrup from fake just by looking at it). After this long, cold winter it was nice to see folks relax and enjoy the day here while their kids chased the chickens-- our birds got their first real workout of the season. While it was definitely chilly it still felt more like spring than winter, and I am sure the mild weather contributed greatly to everyone’s festive mood. I was in especially good spirits that Saturday because just the afternoon before I had hit the "submit" button on three major grant applications. March and April always seem to be big grant months. Last week everyone (especially our Director of Development, Joel) was hard at work on grants trying to make sure we are fully funded next year. In the midst of all that grant writing we were also all making our voices heard up in Hartford as various bills we care about were brought to public hearing by the state legislature. The most important of these was Senate Bill 1195 which would reform the way education is funded so that money follows the child to whatever school they attend. This would be an important change to the current funding system for Common Ground and all charter schools as it would finally make funding of our school fair and equitable with other public schools. It is something charter schools have been seeking for many years now. We are hoping this will finally be the year. Even if 1195 does not make it through the legislature Governor Malloy is planning to establish a Committee to examine and recommend changes to Connecticut's education funding system. We will work hard to make sure "money follows the child" is included in whatever recommendations ensue. We hope we can count on our community to support that effort. Enough business! I have something to share with you. Even when it feels too busy to breathe I am lucky enough to work in a place where poetry is a part of daily life. I found this poem particularly moving - thank you Joan Foran for sending it along. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. And I look forward to seeing you all here at Common Ground soon enjoying a wild Summer Day. The Summer Day Mary Oliver Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean- the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down- who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? from New and Selected Poems, 1992 Beacon Press, Boston, MA Copyright 1992 by Mary Oliver February 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director Throughout my life I have always secretly admired even the most destructive natural phenomena for demonstrating that we humans are really NOT the most powerful force on the planet. This winter’s awe-inspiring snowfall has been no exception. If only we still lived in a time when winter meant hunkering down to wait out the weather, even if it took days or weeks for things to settle down. These days most of us find ourselves doing lots of shoveling, sanding and salting as plows ply the streets to try and keep things moving. Despite these efforts, most schools in Connecticut conceded 7 days of school to the snow. We were no match for this force of nature, and in my own perverse way, I am glad for that. As a result, many of us were able to take a few moments to revel in the hushed, pristine beauty that accompanies a heavy snowfall. Coming to Common Ground during some of the worst weather to check on things I experienced the simple thrill of being almost alone even on the busiest of streets. Everyone and everything was still and quiet. No cars went rushing by, no people ventured out. Even our animals knew to huddle against the bitter cold, calmly waiting out the storm. As disruptive as this winter has been, I can still close my eyes and remember those magic moments. But now it feels like winter is about to be behind us and there is much to be done to get ready for spring. There is a half-poured foundation under the snow that needs to be finished so that we can complete our Harvest Pavilion. Our new Farm Manager is beginning to plan our garden in anticipation of placing seed orders. (Thank goodness our new hoop house survived the winter onslaught). CAPT testing is about to begin. And up in Hartford our new Governor and the legislature are busy debating how they are going to address the worst deficit in Connecticut’s history. Talk about a potentially devastating storm! Connecticut is one of just three states where charter schools rely on a separate line-item appropriation in the state budget for their funding every year. As a charter high school Common Ground’s relies on a payment of $9,300 per pupil received from the State Department of Education to continue operating. This is far below the $10,979 base cost of educating a child in Connecticut (as determined by adequacy models developed by the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education in a 2007). It is certainly far below the $14,000+ that most of Connecticut's urban districts spend to educate their students. State funding of charter schools has not increased since 2007 and in the current climate there is some concern that cuts to charter school funding might be considered despite a stated commitment to education on the part of both the governor and the legislature. The irony is that there is general recognition on the part of almost everyone – whether elected officials, policy makers or members of the education community – that state funding of education is neither adequate nor equitable. Calls for reform have been made for years but the only consensus we have been able to reach is that something needs to be done. From the perspective of charter community, that something needs to include an increase in funding for our schools. Our per-pupil funding is already 25% less on average than at other public schools. In the short term a simple increase in per pupil funding of just $100 to $200 dollars per student would be a significant improvement. In the long term, however, the charter school community would like our students to receive the same funding they would at any other school they chose to attend. This could be accomplished by adopting a money-follows-the-child model. In the simplest of terms, this would mean that a charter school receives the same funding for each student that he or she would have received if they had attended a regular public school in their home district. The reality is much more complicated and arriving at a truly equitable and fair model will require very serious and difficult negotiations. For charter schools, the alternative is untenable. We are being crushed under the weight of growing costs as funding levels remain stagnant. Given that many charter schools are performing exceptionally well relative to public schools, it is a travesty that we are chronically underfunded. At Common Ground, for instance, we have seen three straight years of significant test score gains, including the largest of any Connecticut high school in 2010. Our teachers and students have pushed remarkably far, remarkably fast: fully implementing a standards-based curriculum, changing our teaching practices to align with research, creating above and beyond learning opportunities for our students. Will we keep this momentum, and continue to help our students make enormous academic strides? Yes. Is it hard to do so when we receive several thousand dollars less per pupil than other public schools spend? Yes. In short, we have done more with less -- but we could do so much more. When I look ahead to the next two to three years I am deeply worried about how we will continue to provide the kinds of services that have helped our students to excel. It reminds me of watching the snow pile up on Common Ground’s roof this winter and worrying that any minute it could cave in under all that weight. Something is going to have to give – I can only hope it will be a change in the weather that will lead to fair and equitable funding policies. If you share my respect for what Common Ground students and teachers have accomplished -- and if you want to help us achieve educational equity for our students -- please take a minute to share the letter below with Governor Malloy, Senator Harp, and Senator . We need your help to keep Common Ground's education work strong and growing. In the next week, the State Legislature will make critical decisions about the future of charter school funding in Connecticut. Please take a minute to copy and paste the text below into an email, and send it to Senator Toni Harp (toni@toniharp.net) and/or Representative Toni Walker (Toni.Walker@cga.ct.gov) Dear [Senator/Representative] [last name], As a [concerned citizen/parent/other identifier], I would like to draw your attention to the plight of charter schools in Connecticut. While other state-funded entities are wringing their hands about not receiving any more money next year, some charter schools are in danger of drastically reducing their capacity to educate their students because they have not received an increase in funding this year, or the year before, or the year before that - and this from a baseline of per-pupil funding that is 25% less on average than at other public schools in the same towns. Continued failure to sustain funding of charters at levels commensurate with the economies in which they operate may result in dire loss of services in the next 2-5 years. It is unjust that some children are threatened with losing significant programming simply because they have chosen to attend a public school outside their home district. This is what would save charter schools: 1. In the short term the per pupil payment to charter schools should be raised to cover cost increased that have been incurred since 2007, the last time funding for charter schools was increased. 2. Work should begin immediately for a formula to provide Funding Equity: charter school students should get the same funding they would at any other school. This can be accomplished naturally and sustainably if a money-follows-the-child model is adopted. 3. Promised expansion seats for next year should be granted: Failing to grant these would be destructive both to charter schools and to families on their long waiting lists. 3. ABSOLUTELY NO CUTS: Charters already operate at levels far below where any other district is even in danger of being cut to. I have grave fears that the climate of extreme thrift that grips our nation is being taken too far. Resulting cuts and flat-funding may do more damage than the deficit spending that we are taking such pains to avoid. The budget crisis is not the only crisis. We also have a crisis in public education whose consequences will be concrete and intractable, severely impacting the ability of our nation to remain competitive in an evolving world economy. Thank you for taking the time to hear from your constituents. We need you to fix the untenable situation for charter schools, which have made such great contributions to my community and to communities across the state. Sincerely, [name] [organization name or town of residence] January 2011 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director My house looks east out over water company property. Lake Chamberlain is faintly visible in the distance when the leaves are down. Just beyond the lake I can see the snow covered northern end of West Rock ridge. The sunrises over the ridge have been spectacular these past couple of weeks – painting the sky fiery red, orange and pink. We are still enjoying the three feet of snow blanketing the ground here even as we struggle with our steep driveway and the accumulation of ice. Yesterday my son and I took to snow-shoes, climbing up the western flank of West Rock ridge. Only one set of human tracks preceded ours although lots of other critters had been out foraging – evidence of deer, field mice, and fox among others lay scattered across the snow. West Rocks high altitude combined with its location in the central lowlands and its proximity to both salt and fresh water results in an extraordinarily diverse population of plants and animals. The ridge is home to red foxes, gray foxes, coyotes, fishers, river otters, flying squirrels, red bats and brown bats, white-tailed deer, and numerous other small mammals. Over 230 species of birds can be found in the park, including a very high percentage of all bird species breeding Connecticut. It is also the location of the second highest concentration of rare and endangered plants in Connecticut. How fortunate we all are to have West Rock Ridge State Park embedded right in the center of our urban-suburban core! In the face of the current looming fiscal crisis at the local, state and federal levels of government, and the urgent debate over how and where to cut spending, West Rock Ridge State Park is a wonderful reminder of the importance of investing in key resources, of the power of civic action, and of the benefits of regional cooperation. West Rock began as a city park in 1826 when the City of New Haven received a donation of 50 acres of land on the ridge. In 1927 the New Haven Parks Department used a $100,000 donation from progressive Connecticut Governor and lifelong New Haven resident Simeon E Baldwin to acquire a large portion of the ridgeline, thereby expanding the park to 600 acres. Despite the existence of the city park, West Rock ridge came under intense development pressure in the late 1960s as cell towers were proposed up and down its length. A grassroots effort to protect the entire ridge arose in the face of this threat and in 1968 concerned citizens from New Haven, Bethany, Woodbridge and Hamden organized the West Rock Ridge Study Committee, which later became the West Rock Ridge Park Association, to advocate for protecting the entire West Rock ridge. It took many years of tireless effort on the part of this organization and its supporters, but in 1975, after strong opposition by developers and three failed attempts, the State of Connecticut passed legislation creating West Rock Ridge State Park and authorizing the State of Connecticut to purchase land within the defined conservation area. To date approximately 1800 acres of the ridge have been protected, and the West Rock Ridge Park Association continues to work to ensure the parks integrity is not harmed by inappropriate development within the boundaries of the greater conservation area. Today we are all able to enjoy West Rock Ridge State Park thanks to an engaged citizenry working across boundaries in recognition of the regional importance of a unique natural resource. West Rock State Park also exists today because it was recognized at the time that despite the short term cost, investing in West Rock would deliver continuous long term benefits. To quote from Special Act 75-80 creating the park: “The general assembly finds that the West Rock Ridge and surrounding lands possess unique scenic, ecological, scientific and historical value contributing to public enjoyment, inspiration and scientific study, that it is in the public interest that the provisions of this act be adopted to preserve such values, to provide active and passive recreational facilities and to prevent deterioration of the natural and traditional beauty of the area for the enjoyment of present and future generations of Connecticut citizens.” I personally, and all of us at Common Ground can certainly vouch for that. West Rock State Park is one of our most important classrooms. It is where we teach ecological literacy and an appreciation for the power and grace of nature. It is a constant reminder of why Common Ground even exists – to create the next generation of environmental leaders, the engaged citizenry that will work across boundaries to address the next challenge we face as a society, and to make the next investment in a sustainable future. Join us! November 2010 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director It is raining in Costa Rica. I mean REALLY raining. I know that because my daughter is there working as a volunteer at a Sea Turtle conservancy. She has to wade through a foot of water to get anywhere. The whole crew has had to move into the one building that has not flooded; she says it is like a giant slumber party. They have even had to move the kitchen – refrigerator, stove, pots and pans – from the flooded building into the un-flooded one so they can cook and eat. All the roads leading out of the nearby town are closed. She told me that an entire nest of baby turtles had died in the hatchery because the sand was so wet and packed by the rain that they could not dig out. After discovering this, the crew spent many drenching hours loosening the sand above every turtle nest to ensure the hatchlings could make their way to the surface.
While I am glad that my daughter is able to have this experience, I also have a clear sense that these kinds of global adventures are becoming more and more a privilege. Certainly it was much cheaper, easier, and perhaps even safer for me to travel in my youth than it is for this generation.
As I think about how the world has changed since my younger days, I am reminded of my conversations with Fred Cervin of the New Haven Bioregional group in anticipation of their recent meeting here at Common Ground (www.newhavenbioregionalgroup.org). Proponents of bioregionalism are committed to a deep and sustained relationship with the place where they lead their daily lives. The expectation is that, as in a marriage, this commitment will force a close examination and deeper understanding of how our behaviors, individually and collectively, impact the well being of the place we have chosen to live. Bioregionalism calls for the relationship we establish with our “bioregion” to be mutually beneficial. The belief is that forging a sustainable relationship with the local environment will become increasingly important as access to global resources becomes more expensive, more dangerous and, as developing nations demand their fair share, morally and ethically questionable.
Interestingly, bioregionalism does not necessarily consider shrinking access to global resources a gloom and doom scenario. In fact, it is seen optimistically as an opportunity for each of us to rediscover and reconnect with our local landscape, to develop a sense of “place” that is a source of joy and wonder in our lives. This is certainly not a new notion. Gary Snyder started writing about the importance of developing a sustainable relationship with our place almost 50 years ago.
In fact, Common Ground was founded on this premise almost 20 years ago now. We are at core a place-based organization. Our mission is to help connect people in a positive and enlightening way to this particular place – a farm, in the forest, in the city – and its many attributes, with the expectation that this experience will lead to a greater appreciation for all that our “bioregion” has to offer.
It is important not to forget, however, that a deep and committed relationship with the local does not minimize the importance of understanding the global context within which we lead our lives, and the role we play as global citizens. At Common Ground we work hard to build a bridge between local understanding and global awareness, particularly at Common Ground High School, where we are committed to preparing the next generation of environmental leaders. While it may be harder to travel across the world than it once was, technology has provided us with new ways of accessing the global community. Focusing on developing a healthy relationship with our local environment does not mean our world is going to shrink. In fact, just the opposite: it means our world will grow to include a much deeper and rewarding relationship with our immediate surroundings, and a new sense of marvel at that which we see and experience every day.
Through his poetry, Gary Snyder has done an astonishing job of capturing the awe and wonder that simple, acute observation of his immediate surroundings brought him. Here is one of my favorites:
PINE TREE TOPS in the blue night frost haze, the sky glows with the moon pine tree tops bend snow-blue, fade into sky, frost, starlight. the creak of boots. rabbit tracks, deer tracks, what do we know.
Turtle Island, New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1969 September 2010 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director A week ago I had the pleasure of meeting Fred Kirshenmann, President of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York and Distinguished Fellow of the Leopold Institute of Sustainable Agriculture in Iowa. It was a lovely fall day. A small group of us sat in the dappled light of Common Ground’s outdoor classroom listening to him speak about the considerable challenges humankind will face as water, energy and soil become depleted and the impact of climate change becomes more severe. A thoughtful, if sobering, conversation ensued. As we discussed the practical realities of practicing sustainable agriculture, the potential benefits of organizing around food-sheds, and how government policy impacts the politics of food, farming and energy, I couldn’t help noticing, as I often do, that I was again sitting with a bunch of folks who are very much like me – liberal, white, college educated, middle class – all in violent agreement.
I often feel uneasy about how homogenous the “environmental” movement still is. It is one of the reasons I admire Common Ground – we take very seriously our commitment to engage a broader, more diverse community. However, building a truly diverse organization that serves a truly diverse population is easier said than done, and Common Ground, while perhaps further along than many organizations that focus on environmental issues, still has a long way to go. This is not an easy thing to admit, and it feels like a dangerous topic to discuss publically. I have come to believe, however, that one of the reasons we are failing, whether as a society or as an organization, to attain a level of cultural competency that bridges society’s divides, is that we are often afraid to talk openly about what the challenges are to achieving authentic, self-sustaining diversity. For example, until Common Ground understands, in truth, why we have not historically been as successful as we would like at recruiting people of color to our staff, we will not be able to make the changes necessary to fulfill our commitment to diversity. Our society in general is bad at talking about difference. Perhaps it is because this conversation more often than not requires an admission that we have made wrong assumptions, have embraced wrong ideas, have not done enough, and have been afraid. For Common Ground, diversity is at the heart of our mission so this is a conversation we can’t afford NOT to have.
This was brought home to me just yesterday during an exchange with a colleague about why we are having difficulty attracting students of color to a new Environmental Honors course. In what I consider an act of courage, she asked students directly why they chose not to enroll. A very interesting and instructive conversation followed that, oddly enough involved Maslow’s pyramid of needs, a psychological theory that proposes humans are subject to a hierarchy of needs that progress from basic biological needs to the need for self-actualization. What these students seemed to clearly understand is that they were compelled to make choices based in large part on what needs prevailed. For a student subject to economic hardship, fulfilling the basic need for security (by working for example) becomes more important than investing time in a challenging Environmental Honors course. On top of that, these students clearly stated that for a student focused on fulfilling the basic need for security, it is not clear that taking a course focused on the environment will endow them with any future economic advantage.
Unfortunately, economic hardship is a reality for many of our students, and many of those subject to economic disadvantage are people of color. The message I take away from all of this is that until we figure out how to make the concepts of “respect for the environment” and “sustainability” relevant to our students and the many needs they must address, we cannot expect them to embrace these concepts as guiding principle in their lives. Likewise, until we figure out how to communicate the relevance and value of Common Ground’s mission to a broader, more diverse community it will be difficult to become the truly diverse organization we aspire to be. And so, with that aspiration in mind, I hope to continue the conversation begun by my brave colleague and see where it gets us. If you would like to comment, or join in, please email me at mspear@commongroundct.org. August 2010 | Reflections from Melissa Spear, Executive Director This afternoon I gathered over two dozen warm, ripe peaches from the ground around the peach tree. Peach jam is in the cards! I had been watching them ripen all week, trying to figure out the best way to get up into the tree to harvest them. What a surprise when I looked today and so many had fallen over night. From what I have been told this is the first time this tree has produced such a profusion of fruit. This does seem to be an exceptionally productive time for Common Ground, and not just because of the plethora of fruits and vegetables our gardens are yielding. We are currently hard at work bringing Common Ground High School into the 21st century, thanks to the Technology Grant we were awarded by the State Department of Education earlier this year. Nearly 100 new computers, 9 interactive whiteboards, and new course management software will transform the way technology is used both in and out of the classroom. We are also in the process of designing a new Harvest Pavilion, thanks to a CDBG grant and funding from the State Department of Agriculture. Our Master Plan is well underway; we are about to review the third version of a 20 year site plan that has been developed through a collaborative process involving students, staff and members of the Common Ground community at large. And we just received word that the $1.5 million grant for school construction projects we were awarded last year will be funded. Interestingly, at the same time I am feeling blessed by this abundance, I am very cognizant that the work we do on our infrastructure will result in changes that will impact the character and culture of the organization. I was especially struck by this when presented with a preliminary design for the Harvest Pavilion. It was a beautiful design – we all liked it – but actually seeing a physical representation of the building that will become the new gateway into our site sent me into a paroxysm of organizational soul searching. There is a certain tension that exists within Common Ground around our organizational identity. The first time I experienced it was even before I was hired. During the interview process I was asked by a staff person whether I thought our gardens were production gardens or educational gardens. I responded “both,” which is not a very satisfactory answer if you are either a farmer or an educator. But I have come to understand it is the truth for us. We are a working farm and an environmental education center. We both produce and teach. Our site and our buildings have to be designed to accomplish both of those objectives. So while we want our site to be a beautiful campus, we do not want to be a theme park with all of the real work underlying our mission hidden away where no one can see it. Anyone who has visited a working farm knows that no matter how well kept they are they sometimes smell and look like, well, manure. Common Ground is searching for that place between a theme park and a hard-scrabble production farm, where the work being done to grow and produce food, maintain our site, and serve the community is clearly evident. At the same time we must display an inviting aesthetic that draws in the community and encourages them to join in the work we do. As a result of this organizational soul searching, I have become very mindful of the impact investments in our site could have on our character and culture. This discussion about culture and character as it relates to our physical site has begun to permeate the planning process in a very positive way, helping to ensure we continue to find the right balance between “farm” and “campus.” The fact that Common Ground both has its hands in the dirt and our eyes on the sky is one of the things I love about this place. The willingness of the Common Ground community to grapple with the tension these two attributes can create has been both challenging and refreshing. I think we are finding our way – but I would love to hear what you think. Please feel free to comment on my musings at any time by emailing me at mspear@nhep.com. In the latest round of the Connecticut Academic Performance Tests, students at Common Ground High School have again posted significant gains in every subject area. The percentage of students scoring the “State Goal” range doubled or tripled in every subject area: increasing from 13.3% to 27.3% in math and from 13.6% to 31.6% in reading, for instance. In reading, these gains made Common Ground the city’s highest-performing public high school. At the same time, the percentage of students scoring at the “proficient” level increased in three of four subject areas tested: 6.9 percentage points in math, 7.5 points in science, and 11.7 points in reading. Since 2007, the percent of Common Ground students who score proficient has increased 44 percentage point in math, 34 points in science, 52 points in reading, and 28 points in writing. These sustained gains mean that Common Ground’s students are for the first time scoring above the state average in reading, and above the New Haven city average in every subject area.
“In 2007, we knew that Common Ground needed to turn things around, and produce real results for our students,” says Liz Cox, School Director. “We have been relentless in our pursuit of student success. Since then, we’ve gone from one of the lowest-performing public high schools in New Haven to one of the city’s highest performing. Last year, we set a new aim: doubling the number of our students who reach the state goal. A year later, we’ve met that goal. Our students are now scoring above the state average in reading, and near the state average in math. We’re glad to be part of a real, sustained city-wide effort to erase the achievement gap.” Like other New Haven public schools, Common Ground is continuing its concerted efforts to erase the gaps between the state’s urban students and their peers state-wide. “Our work is far from done,” says Cox. “We aren’t satisfied with our students’ performance in writing, for instance, so our teachers are hard at work on a school-wide strategy to embed writing instruction in every single Common Ground class. We are glad that our students are making progress – but won’t be satisfied until all our students are achieving at the highest levels.”
Read a press release and an article from the New Haven Independent for more details. July 2010 | Executive Director Reflections Thunder is rumbling in the distance - rain at last. Downpours in fact. The entire landscape seems happy to be getting drenched after such a long, hot, dry period.
Our springs stopped flowing in early June this year. I had been warned they might, but was still surprised. Our site suffers from large quantities of water flowing off of West Rock during much of the year - it was hard to imagine it would ever stop.
Ironically, at the same time we fight the erosive power of an over abundance of water through the winter and spring, we pay an exorbitant amount for the water we use every day. Our water bill is almost $3,000 a month! No wonder water management has been identified as a top priority by students participating in the Leading Green initiative.
At times however the search for sustainable solutions to our resource management challenges seems to lead us in circles. For example, our trash audit identified paper cups as a primary contributor to our waste stream. So why not eliminate them by using washable plastic cups? But washing cups everyday increases our consumption of water (and energy). It takes some tricky calculating to weigh the costs and benefits of each option – calculations our students will perform this coming year.
But perhaps more important than how to do the math, our students are learning there are NO easy answers and NO easy choices. This is the life lesson that comes with looking beyond the obvious, with probing beneath the surface.
There is a danger, however. What if there is no clear answer? No black or white? No yes or no? No bad or good or better? From that realization comes an even more important lesson – sometimes you have to make choices based simply on the best information you can gather under the circumstances – not perfect knowledge, not absolute certainty, but just what seems right after having made your best effort to analyze and understand.
This is a tricky thing to teach and to learn. On the one hand, it is important to know the facts, and think hard about consequences before making a decision. On the other, you often have to be willing and able to decide despite a lack of knowledge and in the face of uncertainty. This dilemma – how much do you need to know before you can decide – has become particularly difficult as the challenges we face become more and more complex. Unfortunately, inadequate information can be (and often is) used as an excuse for inaction by those who stand to lose as a result of a particular decision. At the same time, it is also true that important decisions are frequently made based on fears not facts.
Here at Common Ground, I like to think we strive to achieve the proper balance – and to teach our students how to achieve an appropriate equilibrium between needing perfect knowledge to decide, and being driven to decide by fear of the unquantifiable consequences. It is somewhere in the middle that some of the best decision making occurs, and where we all need to learn to be comfortable and confident.
I am off to Vancouver Island! Enjoy your summer – here’s hoping you will have no complicated decisions to make! June 2010 | Executive Director Reflections Today I write from an Amtrak train, headed to Newark, New Jersey, to speak at the Northeast Sustainable Communities Workshop. The topic is urban agriculture – something that Common Ground has been practicing since we began our work 20 years ago. This train ride gives a good opportunity to step back and reflect on why urban agriculture matters – and why it deserves to be such an integral part of our organization's work. Urban Agriculture – which I would define simply as producing food within an urban area to meet the demand of that area’s residents – has been around for thousands of years. Think Machu Picchu. At times, urban agriculture has emerged as a national or global priority. Remember the United States Victory Gardens during World Wars I and II, which turned urban agriculture into a key part of our national defense strategy. Still, for most of my lifetime, “real” agriculture has generally been assumed to take place on broad expanses of farmland distant from the densely populated areas where I grew up. Now, recognition is finally growing in the US that urban agriculture has the potential to help address a number of significant challenges faced by modern society. At Common Ground, we are proud to be part this growing national movement – and see many good reasons to dedicate ourselves to urban agriculture:
All that said, I can see why urban agriculture has become a hot topic. But there are many challenges that need to be addressed before it can become a real player in the food production economy. Arguments continue to be waged over whether urban farming can make a real contribution to food production, and whether it is truly more efficient than large scale industrial production. As these arguments play out, there are dedicated proponents of urban agriculture working hard to develop intensive production methods that will make urban farming a significant source of locally produced food. Regardless of whether or not urban agriculture can produce food at the same scale as industrial agriculture, it is clear to me that the practice of urban agriculture remains important for the multitude of amenities it brings to our cities. I, for one, am thrilled to be a part of Common Ground and, in good part through its urban agriculture programs, contributing to making New Haven one of the most livable cities in the nation.
May 2010 | Executive Director Reflections My arms are itching like crazy – yes it’s my dreaded spring bout of Poison Ivy. Strangely enough, I almost look forward to this uncomfortable sign of spring. I have fond memories of my run-ins with Poison Oak as a kid. I used to swell up like a balloon. I remember well the intense pleasure of sinking into a cold bath of baking powder. (Am I showing my age? No steroids back then). My childhood encounters with Poison Oak came from roaming the hills behind my home on the San Francisco bay. These days I am usually busy ripping up Poison Ivy when I am (deservedly) attacked by it. I only hope that the Yale alumni volunteers who worked with me this weekend clearing weeds and invasives from Common Ground’s entrance did not suffer the same fate.
This is my first spring at Common Ground and I am amazed at how intensively our site is used. On "Poison Ivy Weekend," 15 Yale alumni put their backs into helping clear overgrown areas of our campus, a multitude of visitors showed up for our regular Open Farm Day, 30 plus members of the Bioregional Group held an open space meeting here, and we hosted two birthday parties. Our parking lot and bike rack were full. Of course, a huge truckload of woodchips for the compost pile showed up in the middle of it all creating a momentary frenzy. I find the controlled chaos both exciting and gratifying – a sign that Common Ground really is fulfilling its mission, creating a community resource that helps foster the important connection between people and their environment.
I am also struck by the amount of work and resources it takes to manage our site so that it serves its purpose well and with dignity. With everything that goes on here, it requires constant vigilance to ensure we are being the best possible stewards of this unique urban asset. It is critically important that the ways in which we use the site are sustainable and do no harm. To this end, we are actively working to adopt strategies that align the ways we use our site with our commitment to sustainable practices.
I would like to invite you, as a member of our community, to participate in this work. On June 1st, from 4 –7 pm we will hold our first Leading Green Sustainability Fair, at which the students of Common Ground High School will present their ideas and suggestions for site based sustainability initiatives. Attendees of the fair will be asked to vote for the three initiatives they believe "demonstrate ideas that would create a national model for school sustainability and environmental leadership." I hope you will join us that evening and add your voice to the mix.
If you are unable to come to Leading Green, I encourage you to find another time to visit. May 22nd is our big annual seedling sale. Perhaps you need some plants for your garden. Every Saturday from now until Thanksgiving is Open Farm Day. Perhaps like our Yale alums you would like to volunteer on site some weekend – there is plenty to do here and volunteers play an important role in getting it all done. If you have not been to Common Ground recently you are in for a treat – it is a beautiful and, for me at least, inspirational place to visit. Hope to see you here soon!
In June, Common Ground students take to the stage in two separate productions: On June 2nd (3pm and again at 7 pm) Common Ground High School is proud to present the Drama Club production of Aleks in Wonderland. This adaptation by educator Keith Lambert is an internal exploration of Aleks, the male protagonist. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the teenage Aleks meets a variety of characters that lead him to question "What is real?"
The play is approximately an hour. It is free and open to the public (suggested donation $3). It will be held in the cafeteria at Common Ground High School / 358 Springside Avenue / New Haven, CT. There will be a bake sale and miniature tea sets for sale. Anyone who wishes to remain for a brief talk with the actors is welcome to remain after the show.
This is the first play presented by the fledgling drama club. In a school recognized and respected for its engagement with environmental issues, these actors have crafted a space where--in addition to their rigorous studies--they explore human nature.
We hope you will join us. Look for our posters on display in the New Haven area, which feature the art work of several Drama Club members: James Beech, Michael Brooks, and Chelsie Labreque.
Then, on Friday, June 11th, Common Ground students mount a production of Romeo and Juliet, in partnership with the Elm Shakespeare Company. The performance -- part of our ongoing collaboration with Elm Shakespeare, focused on "Shakespeare in Nature" -- will take place in Common Ground's outdoor classroom. Students from Common Ground's drama course will perform at 10am for the student body at Common Ground, and again at 6:00 for the general public. There will be a special encore performance of scenes from Romeo and Juliet on Sunday, June 13, as part of an intimate celebration of student work at Common Ground. Common Table - Uncommon Learning will include tours of Common Ground's new outdoor museum (created in partnership with the Peabody), a dinner of produce grown through Common Ground's Environmental Ventures course (featuring Chef Yousef Ghalaini, Bespoke Restaurant), and Common Ground's student actors. Suggested donation: $125 per person. View an invitation. On Wednesday, May 5, the Connecticut State Board of Education approved a 5-year renewal for Common Ground High School's charter. A five year renewal -- the longest amount of time possible under Connecticut law -- signals the Board's confidence in Common Ground's work to create the next generation of successful college students and environmental leaders. In the three years since Common Ground's last charter renewal, the percentage of Common Ground students earning proficient scores on state CAPT tests has doubled or nearly doubled in every subject area. These significant gains made Common Ground the state's only high school to exit No Child Left Behind "in need of improvement" status in either of the last two years. Last year, 93% of Common Ground students were accepted to college. The charter renewal process demands that schools demonstrate their impact on student achievement, fulfillment of their school's unique mission, and alignment with all state regulations and laws. The process began last summer, when Common Ground submitted a comprehensive report of its efforts since the school's last renewal. A team of educators visited the school in the fall, examining everything from school finances, to teacher certification, to the work going on inside Common Ground's classrooms. Then, at a public hearing in March, more than 150 community members -- including about 40 speakers -- shared testimony at a public hearing for Common Ground's charter. We are deeply grateful to all those who supported Common Ground during the renewal process -- and look forward to continuing to push ourselves and our students to higher levels of achievement over the next five years. Spring is taking hold here at Common Ground. Trees are greening, seeds are sprouting, and perennials are burrowing out of their winter hibernation against the constant musical backdrop of birdsong provided by our returning migrants. This spring – with our new Farm Manager Annie Hettick at the helm – Common Ground’s garden has taken center stage. Today she brought in a tray of freshly cut radish sprouts to munch on - heaven! Hundreds of seedlings have been sprouted downstairs in anticipation of our seedling sale May 22nd. To think of all the good food they will produce for our community – heaven again! At Common Ground, food production is firmly rooted in a commitment to sustainable, organic farming practices – which leads me, oddly enough, to Washington DC. This week I will participate in a policy conference and visits to Capitol Hill organized by the Organic Farming Research Foundation in demonstration of our commitment to practicing sustainable organic agriculture. In Washington I will join with food producers from across the country to deliver a message on the multiple benefits of small scale farms. By providing locally grown food while practicing sustainable organic agriculture, these farms constitute an excellent investment in important social, economic and environmental goals, both at a national and local level. I also plan to speak for urban farms like ours that are a source of fresh, locally grown produce within communities that often have limited access to healthy food. This trip to Washington, however, is just a sidebar to the important work Common Ground participates in at the state level. As a member of the Steering Committee of the Working Lands Alliance, we work with food and agriculture organizations throughout the state to ensure Connecticut continues to enjoy the benefits of a productive farming industry and a viable agricultural economy. In March we helped sponsor a conference organized by the WLA on “Farmland Preservation in 2010 and Beyond.” Over 150 “agrophiles” came together at this conference to discuss practical strategies for ensuring farming in Connecticut, with all of its collateral social, economic, health and environmental benefits, not only persists but thrives. As an urban farm, Common Ground often occupies a unique niche in these conversations. We feel the urban point of view is an important one. So while the sustainable production of healthy food is only one part of Common Ground’s mission, as the basis for a dynamic and productive agricultural economy evolves with the times, it is one we take very seriously. March 2010 | Executive Director Reflections The peas are planted! The seedlings have been started! The chicks have arrived! Yes - it’s spring! This weekend over 250 people visited Common Ground for a “Winterfest” that turned out to be a “Springfest”. Enjoying the sunny, 70 degree day, people communed with the happy turkeys, ducks and chickens, learned how to make maple syrup, and enjoyed fresh cooked eggs and pancakes. I saw more than one child crying inconsolably as their parents gently dragged them away, promising to return soon to visit their newfound fowl friends. We certainly do have the friendliest chickens I have ever met. Meanwhile, another important springtime activity is underway - the budgeting process has begun! Revenue, potential revenue and maybe possibly potential revenue is being tallied up, programs planned, and expenses accounted for as we work to do ever more at the least possible cost. We have such big dreams, there is so much we want to accomplish! But inevitably, no surprise, we must tailor our dreams to fit our means. In 2009, we were helped by the generosity of our supporters at fundraising events and during our annual appeal. We received more support from individual donors than ever in our history…over $25,000 was received in response to our annual appeal alone. We will continue to strive to ensure our work in 2010 merits the same response, and hope you will be there again to show your support for what we do. In the meantime, I invite you to come visit us at one of our Open Farm days – it’s a great way to get outside and ENJOY this wonderful spring. February 2010 | Executive Director Reflections Friday afternoons at Common Ground are pretty quiet these days, but not because folks have taken off for the weekend. Friday afternoon is game time and everyone – I mean everyone – goes to support Common Ground High School’s new basketball team, The Hawks. While it has been talked about for years, this is the first time Common Ground has had a team. I am not sure anyone anticipated what a galvanizing experience it would be, both on and off the court. Whether we win or lose, the team has been a source of pride that has changed attitudes and inspired some very positive behaviors among our students. Common Ground staff has also embraced the team with enthusiasm. It is inspiring to see just about every staff member – from faculty to administrative to kitchen staff – at games supporting the team. This response to the team helps reinforce to me what is special about Common Ground. Our tightly knit staff is passionate about our students’ success (and students are passionate about the staff in return). Staff is firmly committed to Common Ground’s mission: to develop academic excellence, strong character and a commitment to community in our students as they acquire the knowledge, skills and motivation to live healthy, productive and sustainable lives. But most importantly, everyone here cares deeply about Common Ground’s kids. I see that clearly on Friday afternoons, but it is something that is evident every day here at Common Ground if you look closely enough. Come see for yourself– join us at a Friday game. It is a wonderful experience we would love to share with you. January 2010 | Executive Director Reflections As I write this, the first of what I hope to be regular musings on the work we do here at Common Ground, the wind and rain are buffeting the majestic White Pines outside my window. It is cold here in the farmhouse – the furnace is giving us trouble again. This minor inconvenience is a simple but potent reminder of the important responsibility Common Ground has for this unique place – a farm, within a forest, within a city – that lies at the heart of what we do as an organization. It is not just the day-to-day care and attention that is required to operate and maintain our facility that I am thinking of. It is the constant vigilance we must exercise to ensure that our use of the site does not have adverse long-term impacts. Not only are the land and buildings we occupy critical resources that must be used judiciously and sustainably, our site is also an integral aspect of Common Grounds identity and we must be careful to preserve and even enhance those characteristics that define us as a community resource and contribute to our success as a center for environmental education and leadership. As I begin my tenure here, we are fortunate to be faced with a number of opportunities to increase our capacity as an organization. Part of the preparation for growth will be the development of a Master Plan that will ensure investment in and development of the Common Ground site over the next 20 years reflects our overarching values including:
During the site planning process we are committed to take into account the views of our many constituencies – including yours. I look forward to reaching out to you as we embark on this journey, and hearing your thoughts on what we, the caretakers of this unique place, need to pay attention to as we plan for the future. Live well, Melissa Spear Executive Director December 2010 | A Year of Growth Here is how we measure a year of growth: Our students stand taller. They have succeeded at challenges that a year ago seemed out of reach. They have mounted a remarkable outdoor Shakespeare production, planted hundreds of street trees, and designed a dozen new outdoor museum exhibits. They have written scores of college essay drafts, and spent hours with mentors from Yale, Southern, and the University of New Haven. They have taken on real work through our Green Jobs Corps, written powerfully about race and the environment, and participated in a presidential inauguration. These students have stretched, and pushed, and reached new heights: 93% college acceptance rates, and two-year, double digit test score gains on every part of the state CAPT test. Just this week, they have been recognized for their work: with a green award from Business New Haven, and as one of 17 schools nominated nationally for the NEA Foundation Green Prize. They will only keep growing.
Our gardens have filled many tables, and fueled ambitious new ventures. This year, our students, staff, and volunteers harvested more than 5,000 pounds of healthy, local, organic produce. More than half went to provide free lunch for every Common Ground student. The rest went to local farmers markets and community events -- as well as to new student-led green businesses, incubated in our Environmental Ventures class. This month, we committed part of next year's harvest to local soup kitchens and food banks -- recognizing that we have a responsibility to the community that keeps us growing.
Our site is bursting with possibilities. A renovation to our farmhouse and community kitchen have created new opportunities to learn and create farm-fresh products. We've also been tinkering around the edges: new tent platforms, renovations to our outdoor farmyard learning center, and new garden beds were built with student labor and donated expertise from local contractors. With promises of funding for a classroom addition, a new multi-purpose space, and an on-site farm stand and harvest pavilion, the next year promises even more growth. This week, we began meeting with local experts who can help us create a clear plan to keep our site growing.
Our community is healthier, greener, stronger. More than 6,000 members of our community found Common Ground this year -- 20% more than a year ago. They learned to grow backyard gardens, turn food scraps to compost, go camping without leaving the city, and turn sap to syrup. Just last week, we completed the fall season of Kids Unplugged and School's Out, our K-8 after-school programs. As one middle school parent told us, "Our kids sit and take tests all day. They come to Common Ground to have adventures, and learn teamwork, and save the planet."
It takes a growing team to make all this possible. We are fortunate to have remarkable partners in this work: like Yale Urban Resources Initiative and CitySeed, local colleges and the Peabody Museum. Both new and steady supporters -- individuals, foundations, businesses -- have provided the resources to make this growth possible. This month, we welcomed a new leader -- Melissa Spear -- and many other able growers. As the year ends, we seek new supporters, staff members, and allies.
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