Sustainability

As a school, we embed sustainability into the curriculum and all aspects of our planning, implementation and school practices. We have a Sustainability Team with members who meet to discuss environmental issues both at school and across the world and discuss ways that we can protect our environment, improve our practices and reduce the use of valuable resources.

 

They build their own knowledge and present to their class and at assemblies to encourage their peers and the wider community to care for the environment and reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink. They initiate events and activities throughout the year to educate and encourage us all to be resource smart and sustainable.

 

 

Further actions to reduce, reuse and recycle include:

  • Installation of a number of solar panels
  • Installation of LED lighting throughout the school
  • Whole school recycling program
  • Encourage students to use reusable lunch order bags for canteen
  • Encourage students to use keep cups on Milo Mondays in Terms 2 & 3
  • Collecting food scraps for composting and for our chickens
  • ‘No Bins Outside’ policy

Each year KWPS students can take part in the following initiatives:

  • Walk to School Day
  • National Ride 2 School Day

 

Gardens

At KWPS we encourage volunteer programs that can bring the school community together.

 

Parents that are keen to volunteer and take pride in their schools grounds and gardens are welcome to assist with the gardens.

 

A variety of tasks allows everyone to feel comfortable, no skill is required and it is a great opportunity to find the green thumb you never knew you had!

 

All volunteers must have a WWC – working with children’s check and sign in at the school office.

 

This is a great way to meet parents and support the school.

 

Resource Smart School

 

What is Resource Smart Schools?

“Resource Smart Schools is a free program offered by Sustainability Victoria that supports Victorian schools to embed sustainability across the school facilities, community and curriculum, while saving resources and money for the school.” 

 

What Does This Mean For Our School?

The Resource Smart Schools program offers access to sustainability experts to support our ongoing mission to become a more sustainable school at Kinglake West Primary School. We are working towards Sustainability Certification by measuring and tracking our use of resources, such as electricity, water, waste, and documenting the biodiversity on our school grounds. With this information, we are learning to operate more sustainably, reducing costs to save on electricity, water and waste bills – and greenhouse gas emissions to minimise their impact on the environment.
The school is creating an environmental management system tailored to our needs which will benefit both student learning and our planet.

 

How Does It Work?

Schools must accomplish a set number of actions to complete a Module to receive a certificate valid for four years. Completion of the Core Module is the first step as it serves to develop a whole-school environmental management plan. The other four Modules include a minimum number of actions for completion, which once achieved, are submitted for verification. For each module verified, we will be awarded a star, and we are well on our way to achieving 5-star status.

 

 


© Kinglake West Primary School