| St Jude’s School
enjoys a natural bush setting and a sustainable infrastructure
that blends with the local surroundings. Sustainability, care
of all people and all things in creation, be it natural or
human resourced, plays a significant part in the vision and
growth of the school. Over the past fourteen years, St Jude’s
School has endeavoured to bring this vision to life.
Over this period of time the school has actively undertaken
a significant number of projects through parent working bees
to enhance the school grounds and involvement with the local
council, outside agencies and community groups. This has enabled
the school community to appreciate and value the environment
that we live and learn in.
In 2006, Frankston City Council called for schools in the
area to apply for sponsorship through the Frankston City Council
and the Victorian Westernport Greenhouse Alliance to become
a 5 star Sustainable School. St Jude’s School was one
of the fortunate schools to be chosen by Frankston Council.
We have worked very closely with Eric Bottomley and the CERES
team since that time.
 St
Jude’s was able to achieve our 5 star rating in 6 months
becoming the first 5 star Sustainable School in the Melbourne
Archdiocese in mid 2007.
Core Module- looked at changing our culture and developing
a vision as a sustainable school. As part of St Jude’s
Primary Schools environmental commitment we endeavour to practice
Waste Wise initiatives that promote energy efficiency, reduce
water usage, waste management reduction, increase biodiversity
in the school gardens and encourage community practice of
sustainability. Part of this involved the school prioritising
curriculum direction and actions in our areas of commitment
and completing a baseline data collection. To assist in interpreting
data the school subscribed to SETS ( School Environment Tracking
System) which enables the school to track its energy, water
and waste use. The school can calculate and track greenhouse
pollution and allows us to compare our greenhouse performance
with other schools. It also enables us to manage and compare
our school’s contribution to landfill.
Energy Module - St Jude’s goal was to significantly
reduce energy wastage while retaining a comfortable learning
environment. The school had an Energy audit carried out on
the property as a starting point. The report indicated the
school had a potential to reduce its energy use per student
by as much as 20% within 5 years or less. Our target was a
15% reduction in energy consumption by December 2007. Our
initiatives included installing a Cent- a -Meter in the staffroom
to provide ongoing visual proof of our energy usage to staff.
We chose to use evaporative coolers in our buildings and gas
heaters to assist us in reducing our greenhouse admissions.
We installed timers on lights in some areas whilst classrooms
are also utilising natural light by de-lamping some of the
fluorescent tubes and leaving lights off when not in the room,
or when not required. All classes have appointed Power Rangers
to be responsible for energy usage and switching off computers,
heaters, cooling systems and lights when not required. The
Student Representative Council assumed the responsibility
for overseeing class Power Rangers and suggesting new strategies
for energy conversation. The use of skylights in buildings
and sufficient windows allowing natural light has contributed
to energy reduction in classrooms and multi purpose areas.
Overall a 6% reduction in electricity and 10.3% reduction
in gas was achieved in 2007.
Water Module –In 2006 the school had a Water Conservation
Audit carried out. The report identified ways of reducing
current water usage and associated costs by 68%. The report
identified some excellent opportunities to improve onsite
water usage. After receiving a Commonwealth Community Water
Grant St Jude’s installed three water tanks that harvest
rainwater from the school’s roof. This is then used
to flush toilets throughout the school and water the school’s
garden beds. The school upgraded inefficient toilets to dual
flush systems and replaced all drinking taps. Push button
taps were installed in the hand basins to minimise water usage.
The school undertook planting endemic and indigenous drought
tolerant species. Our garden beds are regularly mulched. Students
are constantly reminded that water is a valuable resource
through means such as stickers and the use of rain gauges
where results are mapped in the classrooms. This has resulted
in a reduction of water usage per day from 3843kL /day in
2006 to 764k/L per day in 2007. A saving of 315%.
Waste Module –The school set a target of a 20% reduction
in reducing litter in the school and waste going to landfill
by 2009. Our Paper and Cardboard recycling philosophy encourages
the re-use of printed paper wherever possible. Double sided
photocopying is utilised when possible. All paper and cardboard
is collected in special boxes in the room and is sent to recycling.
Children have been encouraged to reduce their lunch packaging
and worm farms have been established to reduce our food waste
going to landfill. Stickers have been placed around the school
to remind students to place rubbish in bins and lunch is eaten
in the classrooms to decrease the chance of rubbish being
blown around. On occasions our school has had “Rubbish
Free” lunches to raise awareness. Classes are assigned
each week to ensure the grounds are litter free at the end
of each day. The school now works with a local company that
recycles all computers and other technological equipment that
previously went to land fill.
 Biodiversity
–St Jude’s School has created a wetlands area
which takes up any excess water off the school oval. This
has created an area for ducks and other aquatic life in the
area. The school has undertaken extensive planting of indigenous
plants and maintains an extensive canopy of trees and shrubs
to establish a corridor for wildlife connected to the local
Boggy Creek habitat. Nest boxes have been installed to encourage
birdlife. The schools’ actions have seen a dramatic
increase in the birdlife which has returned to the school
grounds. All garden bed areas are regularly maintained with
mulch, and with drought tolerant planting, there has been
a dramatic decrease in water use.
Other Benefits to the school since achieving a 5 star recognition
has been a sense of increased community pride, students’
growing awareness and commitment to sustainable practices
and the opportunity to publicise and promote the school in
the wider community and media.
Achieving 5 star status has not stopped St Jude’s School’s
ambition to further develop as a sustainable school. There
are still many more practices to review, projects to undertake
and integrated units of study involving environmental education
to create environmental leadership of the children in our
care.
View
presentation on St. Judes Primary School, (PDF-
2.04Mb).
More info.
For more information please contact Principal Ken
Ryan on (03) 9789 7581, email principal@stjude.melb.catholic.edu.au
or visit the St. Judes website at http://www.stjude.melb.catholic.edu.au
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