We are parents, caregivers, and teachers at Montclair Elementary, and we are signing this petition to show our strong support for the MES Garden Program — and to ask that it continue for the 2026–27 school year with Mr. Kelsey.
The garden is one of the things that makes Montclair Elementary special. It's a place where students get their hands in the dirt, taste food they've grown themselves, and engage in real, project-based learning tied to science, ELA, and math. For many of our kids, it's a highlight of their time here. And for many parents, it played a huge role in why they chose this school.
We understand that sustaining the program has real challenges, and we want to be part of solving them. Our community is ready to show up — through fundraising, volunteering, and working alongside school leadership to make the garden viable.
We believe the MES garden program with Mr. Kelsey is an important part of our students' experience and our community. We ask that it be renewed for the 2026–27 school year, and that our community be included in shaping its future.
This petition is for signatures only. Any donation requests that appear after signing are from the petition platform and do not support our cause.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
March 31, 2026
Reached 250 supporters
March 24, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
March 24, 2026
153 Comments
The garden has been a core addition to the programs at MES for more than a decade. Teachers and students alike get huge value out of the time spent learning in the outdoor classroom - for some students it is their only opportunity to be exposed to the lessons that Mr. Kelsey provides.
My daughter is a special-needs student and in her recent IEP everyone spoke about what a positive learning environment the garden is. My daughter, who can be very challenging to engage, thrived under Mr. Kelsey’s teaching. This position and program should be funded.
This place is a staple of Montclair a safe Haven for my ESY children and so many other children in the afterschool program, he goes above and beyond his job roles and responsibilities and allows my kids to have a safe engaging place. This is preposterous.
This program gives me confidence my child has meaningful engagement outside of the classroom with the natural world. It is one of the primary reasons we send our daughter to MES. It is why we donate and get corporate matching. Without it, I'm not sure where our funds go.
Our daughter is in kindergarten and garden is her favorite class of the whole week. She comes home talking about different fruits and vegetables and takes a greater interest in playing outside watering our own garden and catching roly polys. I hope there's a way as a community we can fund this program for our kids.
Lets not only keep the program but expand it!!
This is an important class for the children to continue to have.
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We are parents, caregivers, and teachers at Montclair Elementary, and we are signing this petition to show our strong support for the MES Garden Program — and to ask that it continue for the 2026–27 school year with Mr. Kelsey.
The garden is one of the things that makes Montclair Elementary special. It's a place where students get their hands in the dirt, taste food they've grown themselves, and engage in real, project-based learning tied to science, ELA, and math. For many of our kids, it's a highlight of their time here. And for many parents, it played a huge role in why they chose this school.
We understand that sustaining the program has real challenges, and we want to be part of solving them. Our community is ready to show up — through fundraising, volunteering, and working alongside school leadership to make the garden viable.
We believe the MES garden program with Mr. Kelsey is an important part of our students' experience and our community. We ask that it be renewed for the 2026–27 school year, and that our community be included in shaping its future.
This petition is for signatures only. Any donation requests that appear after signing are from the petition platform and do not support our cause.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
March 31, 2026
Reached 250 supporters
March 24, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
March 24, 2026
153 Comments
Mr. Kelsey’s program is a masterclass in subsistence gardening that builds real-world resilience for our children. As we face increasing economic uncertainty, the ability to grow food is a critical life skill that we simply cannot afford to treat as a luxury.
The garden has been a core addition to the programs at MES for more than a decade. Teachers and students alike get huge value out of the time spent learning in the outdoor classroom - for some students it is their only opportunity to be exposed to the lessons that Mr. Kelsey provides.
My daughter is a special-needs student and in her recent IEP everyone spoke about what a positive learning environment the garden is. My daughter, who can be very challenging to engage, thrived under Mr. Kelsey’s teaching. This position and program should be funded.
This place is a staple of Montclair a safe Haven for my ESY children and so many other children in the afterschool program, he goes above and beyond his job roles and responsibilities and allows my kids to have a safe engaging place. This is preposterous.
This program gives me confidence my child has meaningful engagement outside of the classroom with the natural world. It is one of the primary reasons we send our daughter to MES. It is why we donate and get corporate matching. Without it, I'm not sure where our funds go.
Our daughter is in kindergarten and garden is her favorite class of the whole week. She comes home talking about different fruits and vegetables and takes a greater interest in playing outside watering our own garden and catching roly polys. I hope there's a way as a community we can fund this program for our kids.
Lets not only keep the program but expand it!!
This is an important class for the children to continue to have.
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Mr. Kelsey’s program is a masterclass in subsistence gardening that builds real-world resilience for our children. As we face increasing economic uncertainty, the ability to grow food is a critical life skill that we simply cannot afford to treat as a luxury.