Enviro News

In June 2009, a group of students, Mrs Bayne and Mrs Clarkson were given the challenge of preparing a draft proposal for extending Tane's Trail.

The work was undertaken with the help of Futureintech and IPENZ (Engineers New Zealand). We worked very closely with Steven Rankin, a local Civil Environmental Engineer and Rod Hare the Futureintech liaison representative.

Our brief was to plan, draw up designs, consult with students and get some costings done. We used experts from the North Shore City Council to advise us on water flows, suitable native plants and other relevant information. Steven talked to us about creating swales to help control water flow, cutting into the bank to erect a strong and sustainable boardwalk and many other interesting matters. The students interviewed Mr Engles, Mr Jump and representatives from the NSCC.

Our project was sent down to Wellington to be judged against other similar

Work.  We were not first place winners but we did get very positive feedback from the IPENZ organisers and each team member was awarded a certificate marking our participation and personal achievements.

I would like to thank Mr Hare and Mr Rankin for their support and a special thanks to Mrs Clarkson for giving up her time to work alongside me.

The student team : Stephanie Nagy, Kate Shoebridge, Ethan Morrow, Thomas Clarkson, Joachim Tan, Erik Rajwer, Maggie Faulkner, Jack Clarkson and Luca Morrow.

We all learned a great deal and hope to carry the dream to fruition over the next couple of years.

ENVIRO SCHOOL AWARD WEEK 3 TERM 4 2012 - LA 11

 

SILVER ENVIROSCHOOLS AWARD

In June this year a group of students, Mrs Bayne and Mrs Clarkson were given the challenge of preparing a draft proposal for extending Tane’s Trail.

The work was undertaken with the help of Futureintech and IPENZ (Engineers New Zealand). We worked very closely with Steven Rankin, a local Civil Environmental Engineer and Rod Hare the Futureintech liaison representative.

Our brief was to plan, draw up designs, consult with students and get some costing’ done. We used experts from the North Shore City council to advise us on water flows, suitable native plants and other relevant information. Steven talked to us about creating swales to help control water flow, cutting into the bank to erect a strong and sustainable boardwalk and many other interesting matters. The students interviewed Mr Engles, Mr Jump and representatives from the NSCC.

Our project was sent down to Wellington to be judged against other similar

work, We were not first place winners but we did get very positive feedback from the IPENZ organisers and each team member was awarded a certificate marking our participation and personal achievements.

I would like to thank Mr Hare and Mr Rankin for their support and a special thanks to Mrs Clarkson for giving up her time to work alongside me.

The student team : Stephanie Nagy, Kate Shoebridge, Ethan Morrow, Thomas Clarkson, Joachim Tan, Erik Rajwer, Maggie Faulkner, Jack Clarkson and Luca Morrow

We all learned a great deal and hope to carry the dream to fruition over the next couple of years.

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Our Enviroschools' journey is well underway. Started in 2005, the envirogroup collected ideas from throughout the school and created a Vision Map for St Mary's (see this displayed in our new library).  We are part of a growing number of schools actively involved in environmental education and initiating action that makes a real difference in our communities.

Scroll down to learn about how we are making a difference at St Mary's.

Our Enviroschools' Mascot is a fluffy little red/blue/green and yellow kiwi, which was designed by students in the envirogroup. It has been named "T.K" - "Tidy Kiwi" and is awarded to a class each week for meeting the environmental and conservation criteria.

Part of our environmental action projects has been to paint murals around the stormwater drain-holes to make people aware that only stormwater is to go down there. No chemical or other pollutants are to be poured down these. We recycle our rubbish properly so litter does not go into the drains and out to sea.

 


Each classroom has a recycle bucket which is collected each day for worm food for the worm farm. 

Further efforts have been put in place - we now have a recycle centre and compost bins.

Some of the other projects planned are: Shade, seating, signage, a birdbath.  We look forward to the development of all these areas.

Tane's Trail - Native Forest / Boardwalk

If you go down in the woods today...

A transformation is taking place right here on our doorstep. Our native bush area, (Tane's Trail) tucked peacefully behind Learning Areas 1 and 3, is our restoration project, initiated and created by students, staff and the wider community of St Mary's. Tane's Trail is a wonderful resource for learning, in, for and about the environment.

OPENING OF TANE'S TRAIL

Enviroschools Awards

The purpose of the awards is to encourage schools towards becoming a sustainable community incorporating best environmental practices that will carry over into home/everyday life.

The awards scheme has three levels:- Bronze, Silver and Green-Gold.

St Mary's School received the Bronze award in 2006.

This year we will be applying for the Silver award.

To learn more about our enviro -journey, check out the enviro -noticeboard in the library.

If you would like to help with our Enviroschools projects  in any way, contact Sonya Galbraith , Environmental Education Co-ordinator - sonyag@sms.school.nz

 ST MARY'S SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FORUM REPRESENTATIVES

Each of our classes has a St Mary's School Environment Forum Representative.  These students represent the whole school and have created an action plan to plant a Pizza Garden.