In addition to preserving local history, one of the goals of the McFarland Ranch is to provide educational opportunities for students and teachers. When the Galt Area Historical Society approved the McFarland Ranch project in 1998, Galt educators enthusiastically endorsed the concept and looked for ways to begin incorporating the ranch into their curriculum. In the spring of 2000, a fourth grade class from Fairsite Elementary School visited to participate in the first living history program at McFarland Ranch. In the same spring, the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District received a grant from the California Department of Education's CalServe Initiative to begin developing a district wide service learning program.

Service-learning, as defined by the National and Community Service Trust Act (1993), is "an innovation instructional strategy that actively involves youth in the curriculum through service to their community." Key elements of service learning include

• Meeting a real community need
• Integrated into and enhances the curriculum
• Coordinated with a community agency, another school, or the community at large
• Helps foster civic responsibility
• Provides structured time for reflection

The McFarland Ranch was an ideal site for Galt schools to involve youth in service to the community while teaching social studies, language arts, humanities, and citizenship. In 2000 the GJUESD formed a partnership with the GAHS to coordinate service learning at McFarland Ranch. District staff began working on a McFarland Ranch curriculum and developing activities for students. Teachers attended workshops at the McFarland Ranch and learned that service learning is an effective teaching strategy that can be used in all curriculum areas.

Each year the involvement of school children in the restoration of the ranch has increased. During 2003 students from Elk Grove and Lodi also participated in service learning at McFarland Ranch. Some of the recent accomplishments include

• Fourth and fifth grade students planting 120 valley oak trees donated by the Sacramento Tree Foundation.
• Fourth and fifth grade students planting the annual Pumpkin Patch to benefit local kindergarten and first grade classes
• Middle school students leading activities for kindergarten classes
• Fifth grade students rebuilding the chicken house and caring for the chickens
• Second through sixth grade students planting and maintaining vegetable and flower gardens
• High school students installing a sprinkler system and landscaping
• High school students teaching first graders about farming and ranching

Grant funding to support the GJUESD service learning program comes from CalServ www.cde.ca.gov/calserve and Go SERV www.goserv.ca.gov Additional funding to support service learning at McFarland Ranch and in the community is provided by Galt's service clubs including Galt Rotary and Galt Kiwanis, and through corporate and private donations.

For more information contact

John Durand
Service Learning Coordinator
Galt Joint Union Elementary School District
1018 C Street, Suite 210
Galt, CA 95632
jdurand@galt.k12.ca.us

Cosumnes River Preserve Office
13501 Franklin Blvd.
Galt, CA 95632
Ph: (916) 683-1703
Fax: (916) 683-1702

Galt Elementary models service learning

Courtesy of  The Galt Herald
By Diana Geiger

Dignitaries choose the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District (GJUESD) along with their collaborative partners as a model district to help shape the future of service learning in California.

“The GJUESD is one of 14 districts in the state that receives funding from CalServe as a sustainable partnership,” said Service Learning Coordinator John Durand of the Galt Elementary District. “Mike Brugh described the Galt service learning initiative as an exceptional model that could be used in other school districts throughout California.”

Education Programs Consultant  Mike Brugh of the CalServe, CA Department of Education along with Legislative Representative Sherri Orland of the CA Department of Education, and Kathleen Chavira, CA Senate Education Committee Consultant came to see a successful service learning program and learn more about GJUESD's partnerships with the Cosumnes River Preserve and the Galt Area Historical Society.

“When you talk with the most experienced and talented teachers they will tell you that service-learning is not something new... it is just good teaching...,” said Brugh. “What we are trying to do is to formalize the process and to make sure that when someone says that they are using service-learning as and instructional method that it is really a high quality experience for the youth...  our goal is to have service-learning become one of the instructional methods that is commonly used in K-12 education.”

Service learning, according to California Department of Education officials, promotes positive values, leadership skills, citizenship, personal responsibility, encourages students to become part of their own community, teaches job skills, prepares students for careers after college and enhances the core academic curriculum. 

The Galt Elementary School District and their partnerships with the Cosumnes River Preserve and the Galt Area Historical Society have tied these factors into a thriving program.  

“The service learning program is creative application of volunteerism and community service… and done quite well,” said Chavira. “It gives students a sense of community and a feeling of belonging to their community.”

The group joined Melanie McKinney's and Wendy McLaughlin's fourth grade Marengo Ranch Elementary School classes for a service-learning project at the Preserve.

“As second and third graders they had gathered the acorns or planted the oaks that are now growing at the Dillard Road restoration site,” said Durand. “As fourth graders they returned to remove the tree protectors from their oaks, some of which are now more than 6 feet tall.”

According to Durand, after a driving tour of the wetlands, the classes stopped to unload the hundreds of tree protectors that had been gathered in the morning and to do some additional birding.

“The guests from Sacramento were impressed with the wetlands but even more impressed by the knowledge and citizenship of Galt's students,” said Durand. “Students pointed out egrets, herons and cranes, and they talked about their role as stewards of the local natural resources.”

The afternoon was spent exploring the Galt Historical Society’s McFarland Living History Ranch on Orr Rd. in Galt.

“It’s a unique opportunity for students to see how a farm operates, it is tangible hands on experience,’ said Orland. “ I couldn’t believe the amount of change in four years. I was expecting to see that maybe the chicken coop completed, just wow! This represents a huge amount of investment. What a resource for the community.”

Brugh quotes California State Superintend of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell.

“Service-learning makes academic content come alive as students apply their knowledge and skills to real life situations. Students become more engaged in their studies and see that they can make a difference. Taking an active role in addressing community needs fosters responsible citizenship and contributes to character development.”