The District 233 school board took the first step on April 21 to start an agriculture, food and natural resources (AFNR) pathway that will give students coursework on all things that are impacted by farming.

The board gave its approval for administrators to file for three grants that can partially cover the costs of improvements to the Homewood-Flossmoor High School greenhouse and outdoor growing beds, as well as partially cover the salary of a staff member who would take on the duties of maintaining the plants and working with students outside of regular school hours.

The board also agreed to hire a teacher who can teach a sustainable food systems course in conjunction with the University of Illinois and other science courses.

When Lisa Dallacqua, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, first presented the program to the District 233 Planning Committee April 17, she pointed out that the AFNR program will be broad in scope covering food, water, land and air, commodities and production, distribution and financing.

She pointed out H-F already has a Zoobots (zoology and botany) program and has AP courses in science that could be classified for AFNR credits. She said if the greenhouse can be updated, and an area of land outside it can be tilled for growing, eventually H-F would be able to grow foods for the culinary program and cafeteria needs. 

Estimates are the greenhouse needs $100,000 in improvements. Grant money would cover 75% of the cost. Another grant partialy covers five years of a teacher’s after school hours. After the five-year period, Dallacqua expects the greenhouse program will be self-sustaining and the money from the produce raised in the greenhouse will cover the teacher’s additional salary costs.

The new program would be one of the 19 pathways planned in Illinois open to students to give them insights into careers through an academic curriculum and hands-on learning opportunities. Plant and animal systems is a pathway under AFNR.