School-farm lease revenue helps schools, residents

Revenue generated by Plano School District 88’s farm-lease program to the Kendall County Young Farmers Group is benefiting students and residents, Superintendent Dr. Hector Garcia told Plano School Board members Jan. 22.

Garcia said he met with Kurt Schobert and Eric Thorson from the Kendall County Young Farmers Group and discussed distributions from the 2017 farm lease. Schobert is a Kendall County farmer and volunteer from the Kendall County Farm Bureau Foundation. Other volunteer agencies have included CHS Elburn Coop, Grainco FS, Agtech, Thorson Farms and Brummel Farms.

Four years ago, Plano School District 88 officials entered into an unusual partnership with the Kendall County Farm Bureau Young Leaders. The partnership allowed the bureau to farm a 13-acre field west of the Plano High School and use profits from sale of the crops for three things: an agriculture in the classroom program, donations to charitable organizations and to enrich the learning of the district students at all grade levels.

The crops are planted, cultivated and harvested by the Kendall County Farm Bureau Young Leaders.

Past crop yields have included 2,282 bushels of corn that was sold for $5,759, and soy beans which were sold for $6,445.

Recipients in the past have included the Kendall County Food Pantry and the Rockin’ Christmas program to help fill food baskets for needy families and senior citizens in Plano; the Farm Bureau for its Ag in the Classroom program, which teaches agriculture, farming and related items to children in elementary school throughout the county; and the Plano High School for a newly-formed science club.

“As you recall from last month’s meeting, the proceeds totaled $5,759. After meeting with the representatives we are proposing the following distribution,” Garcia told board members Jan. 22.

Board members concurred with his recommendation to donate $2,500 to the district’s Agriculture in the Classroom project, $2,500 to the Kendall County Community Food Pantry and $759 to the Plano High School Science Club.

Garcia said the Kendall County Agriculture in the Classroom program provides materials  to all three elementary schools in Plano, two times per year. These materials include program opportunities, resources, student contest information, teacher grant information, and professional development opportunities.

In regards to student outreach, classroom programs and presentations are made available to second- to fifth-grade classrooms, he said. These presentations connect to core curriculum, Next Gen Science Standards, and Common Core Standards.

“Topics addressed in presentations include plant science, animal science, food science,   water, soil, Illinois, and farms in our local community and around the world,” he said.

The program reaches every second-grade classroom four times each year. In addition to visiting second-grade classrooms at Centennial, the program usually provides between one and two presentations per year to third-grade classrooms. In the past, the program has also provided water- and soil-related programming in the fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms at Emily G. Johns School as well.

In addition to classroom programming, the program hosts an outdoor learning event called the Natural Resource Tour each year at Hoover Forest Preserve. All fourth-grade classrooms attend this full-day event to learn about soil, water, trees, animals, recycling, insects, conservation and much more, Garcia noted.

“In summary, in the average year, the Kendall County Ag in the Classroom program reaches students in second to fourth grades multiple times throughout the school year. Additionally, teachers from the Plano school district have been awarded grants, participated in professional development, and have received classroom resources through the Ag in the Classroom program,” Garcia said.

“The small field has contributed to the greater understanding of the various agricultural opportunities available to students and directly helping some of Plano’s most vulnerable families. Without the donated equipment and manpower, the school district may have realized only about $200 profit,” Garcia said.

In past years the district made next to nothing, when a farmer would plant the field and pay the district a portion of his profit. The district was then required to pay taxes on the profit, leaving it with little left.

Board President Tim Campbell agreed, saying there was really no benefit to the community or school district because they were paying it all back in taxes.

“Both parties have been very pleased with the relationship and look forward to future options for the land and activities to benefit our students,” Garcia said.

At a recent board meeting, on Campbell’s recommendation, the school district entered into a new agreement with the foundation for the coming year, Feb. 1, 2018, to Jan 31, 2019. It received unanimous board approval.