Elm Park School is a Green Gold Enviroschool because we are dedicated to sustainable action learning for our tamariki despite a change in leadership of key Enviroschool teachers. We work together (whanaungatanga) and inquire about the world around us. We have a shared vision which we are committed to achieving. The guiding principles are woven into our practices, programmes and place. Our learners’ and teachers are empowered to search for the meaning within what we do by inquiry. We all want to make a positive difference. We are able to showcase to the community how a successful Enviroschool runs. Our school honours Te Ao Maori and celebrates and shows inclusiveness towards our whole community which has over 40 different ethnicities. E.g. Korean fan dance and Indian dance clubs.
Reflecting on our journey since 2015, we see how we have adapted our practices to suit the growing needs of the school and achieving our vision of being a waste free school. The Kaitiaki Kids constantly look at our practices as we continue to focus on minimising waste, reducing water and electricity usage, and increase the number of fruit trees, edible plants and native trees. They do this authentically as they created and maintain a schedule for regular audits over time for each of these focus areas; litter free lunches, electricity and water conservation, with plans to introduce more as the group grows. We consider the impact we have if we act carelessly. Our learning (ako) is empowered by watching change, not just physical, but in the mindset of people in our school community. Our changes in practice have brought about a change in staff attitude and this has been instrumental in students take home messages to their families. We are looking at further practices we can implement such as the Terracycle programme encouraging families to bring toothpaste waste from home (one less thing going in the bin!)
Our koha gardens have helped strengthen ties between our school and community, and help our students think about what they plant that might be well used in the community.
Student led projects are a testament to our dedication to learning for sustainability such as; room 25 bug inquiry led students understand their habitats, care of various gardens, worm farms and variety of flora. Biodiversity actions are designed to encourage new native birds and insects into our area. Students are excited about learning and seeing the changes our actions have on the school. From Year 1 to Year 6, children are encouraged to; engage in our Green Team, Travel wise Team, become gardeners, investigators and discoverers.
We thoughtfully consider how we can show our understanding and appreciation of Te Ao Maori and show inclusiveness towards our whole community through kapa haka groups, celebrating Matariki School wide, actively taking part in Maori Language week and participating in the Kohanga festival. We have developed a school haka, which we love to perform together. Maori tikanga is observed in our daily school life. Every day students and staff have become more aware of how Te Ao Maori and thought is given to how this aspect can be incorporated in everything we do intentionally.
Our next steps are;
Short Term - by the end of 2018.
- Room 25 to identify what moth it is and why it is there.
- Relating audits by using a spreadsheet
- Enter the #BeecomeTheChangeNZ share a story of bees.
- Cate to send online TKI lesson plan with overarching GP.
Mid Term - 2019 - 2020
- Name stakes for orchard trees, vege plants and herbs
- We need a possum trap
- Look at sustainable fundraising options e.g. vege bags
- Scientific test effectiveness of worm tea
- Engaging students studying the orchard e.g. identifying, labelling, pruning, uses, seasonal effects, pollination, and history from planting.
- Encourage students to take home sustainable practices and bring them into the wider community.
- Teach the school about the guiding principles
- Can celebrate more often the progress and journey over the past decade.
- Our current programs are maintained and built upon from our reflections
- Research the names of the trees and make labels.
Long Term - 2019 and beyond
- Use GP purposefully, consciously as a planning tool.
- Encourage and focus on senior school leadership. Succession planning to grow them.
- Reconnecting with history of “Rongoa - Michael garden”, Sensory garden, keeping stories alive and sharing stories.
- Build on the developing involvement of our community groups.
- Develop a history of the Enviroschools journey that everyone knows.
- We have a living ecosystem but we want to strengthen, grow and make it better!
- Keep encouraging people not to bring soft plastic
- Doing more inquiry around environment, getting out in environment and making changes
- Revisit the Rongoa Maori garden and how this can be integrated into learning.
- Investigate becoming a ‘regenerative park’.
- Learn more about the attributes of the Maori atua and understand them in our daily life.
- Lots of good things are happening. How do we join the dots? Inter-relating projects etc.
- We continue to deepen our Maori perspectives.
