Enviro Schools
SCHOOL KITCHEN AND GARDEN
Every class is growing their own vegetable garden and students may grow kai to take home for their families.
We also have fruit trees planted around the school and an orchard on the back field.
Classes often cook healthy food to share in our student kitchen.
We are an Enviroschool and all students learn about sustainability in our own school environment.
What are Enviroschools?
Enviroschools are schools and early childhood centres which commit to being part of a nation-wide programme of environmental education for sustainability.
Enviroschools is a learning framework
Enviroschools is a national programme run by the Toimata Foundation based in Hamilton. It offers a rich learning framework for action to follow embedded with Māori perspectives.
The framework process can be used to help create a sustainability vision for the Enviroschool, to plan and take social and environmental actions, to collaborate on projects and to help integrate all aspects of an Enviroschool.
Enviroschools undertake their own pathway to be more sustainable with measurable signposts, recognised as Bronze, Silver and Green-Gold.
KEY AREAS:
A whole school approach incorporates four key areas of school life that has an effect on sustainability and student learning
Place—Physical surroundings—Wāhi
Practices—Operational practices—Tikanga
Programmes—Living Curriculum—Kaupapa Ako
People and Participation—Organisational management--Kaiwhakarite
The bigger picture
The overall aim of the Enviroschools Programme is to have generations of empowered citizens who think and act sustainably now and in the future.
The Enviroschools Programme encourages learning for purposeful actions that care for people and the environment. The process sets up students to be empowered as knowledgeable and inclusive leaders. When they are fully engaged in their learning and actions they easily transfer their passion to the wider community in a ripple effect.
How would it work in a school?
Our vision is woven within our school values:
Children gain a connection to their place and whakapapa through working together (Mana Tū) and building a sense of belonging (Mana Whenua), to the Environment (Mana Ūkaipō), to the people (Mana Motuhake) and to the Community (Mana Tangatarua).
We believe Everything is Connected.
“Everything is Connected” has the potential to explore connections between and within natural eco systems. This includes the relationships between natural ecosystems and people. As well as the development of relationships –both local and global, between people groups, organisations and communities. It provides opportunities to consider both spiritual and scientific explanations of our world and traditional and contemporary approaches. – Enviroschools Programme
Our Key Concepts are
-nothing exists in isolation
-ecosystems are complex
-when we connect with others we build opportunities for sustainable change
-designs are based on natural cycles and systems reduce our impact on nature
We can learn about these natural systems through all the Enviroschools Theme Areas
-sustainable communities
-empowered students
-learning for sustainability
-Māori perspectives
-respect for diversity of people and cultures
