Visually, a marigold is a simple flower. They’re vibrant and low maintenance. But their roots tell a deeper story of connection and support for an entire garden. Marigolds attract pollinators and beneficial insects—bees, hoverflies, ladybugs—that help the whole garden.
“Marigolds are considered a companion plant. And if you plant marigolds around other plants, they will thrive” explains Stephanie Brown Tarnowski, a New Jersey teacher who founded a team of veteran staff members to become "Marigold Buddies" for new educator hires. Just like marigolds in a garden, educators and staff members rooted in community can help each other flourish.
“We gave every new staff member a buddy, and we found out through the course of the program that we needed to really look at what the new staff members wanted and needed, because not everybody wants and needs the same thing" says Tarnowski.
The “Marigolds” are part of the Mount Olive, New Jersey school districts’ Veteran Staff Advisory Team, or VSAT. The program started in 2023 with staff members and teachers who had been in the district for more than 20 years. VSAT started as a place for veteran teachers to get together and help support their school community. But it has since blossomed into something more. Now, going into their fourth year of mentorship, there are more than 55 VSAT members.
Support Beyond Curriculum
A VSAT marigold is there to be a support to others. VSAT Marigolds place an image of a marigold flower on their classroom or office window, so everyone (even students) knows they are always there to help. The mentors offer tailored support based on the expressed needs of new educators gathered through surveys sent to them by the VSAT team.
The goal of a VSAT marigold buddy isn't to force help or knowledge onto new staff members, but to guide them while they're starting out.
"We wanted to acknowledge the wisdom and experiences that we had and bring them forth and share with the new staff and with younger staff. Of course, quite naturally, our veteran staff learns quite a lot from our new staff as well,” Tarnowski says.
The goal of Marigold Buddies is to get and new staff to feel supported, successful, and to stay. In a time where teacher retention rates are lower than ever, Mount Olive school district has more than 100 staff members who have been working in the district longer than two decades with many more who are close to this milestone. Tarnowski says these seasoned professionals attest their longevity to the community they've found in the Mount Olive school district.
Research shows that many veteran staff feel like their administration is just waiting for them to retire “like they’ve been put out to pasture” says Tarnowski. “They feel undervalued and under-appreciated.” But they have a lot to offer young teachers and staff members. They have figured out what works and what doesn't.
"Our support isn't usually about curriculum. It's about helping new staff learn the day-to-day routines and traditions of the school—from connecting with students to communicating with parents, to Friday lunches and conference day expectations to copy room etiquette and the many small details that make it easier to feel like part of the community." says Tarnowski.
Seeds of Wisdom
After expanding the marigold buddies program, they found that while not every taff member needs a support mentor, that doesn't mean that there wasn't something VSAT members they could do to make their colleagues' days a little bit brighter. So, they created the Marigold Seed committee whose members deliver a hard copy one page newsletter once a month to every staff member in the district. They call it ‘Seeds of Wisdom’. The seeds are meant to bring joy and support as a contrast to the stress that is built into the every day.
The Marigolds know that everyone has many emails to read and even more things on their to-do list, so the one page print out is something small and quick to help support community and build a positive culture. Each newsletter has a cultivating culture section, encouraging staff to make connections within their community.
One month, VSAT created a bulletin board featuring middle school photos of staff members and invited students to guess which teacher was which. The display sparked conversations and fostered connections not only among staff, but with students as well.
They have a Cultivating Culture section in every newsletter, encouraging staff to make connections within their community. One month, VSAT created a bulletin board featuring middle school photos of staff members and invited students to guess which teacher was which. The display sparked conversations and fostered connections not only among staff, but with students as well.
"The students loved it, and so did the staff," says Tarnowski, who came up with the idea. "The bulletin board was outside my classroom and stayed up for nearly a month. I didn't hear a single negative comment and got endless positive feedback. It was incredible to see the sense of community it created."
Being part of VSAT has given many veteran educators and staff members a newfound purpose in their district. The verteran marigolds connect and support everyone in the district. One marigold can help the people closest to them, but marigolds planted throughout the district change an entire community culture.
