Sustainable Schools

Banyule Primary School is committed to providing a caring, nurturing environment where children are aware and responsible for contributing to a sustainable future for our planet.

Integrated Curriculum
Each year the whole school focusses on a particular aspect of sustainability for a term of integrated studies. Recent integrated unit topics have been: Biodiversity (2011), Water & Energy (2010) and Waste (2009). Students explore these concepts through hands on activities and then apply what they have learned to sustainable practises within the school. Environmental education then continues throughout the year with students participating in our gardening program, tree planting days, environmental events and other sustainable activities.
 

ResourceSmart AUSSIVic
In 2011 we commenced our journey to become a ResourceSmart AuSSIVic sustainable school by completing the core module, which is about strategic and action planning across school operations, learning & teaching and community engagement. From that we have devised an environmental education policy, action plans, student action group and set the foundation for Banyule Primary’s sustainable future. We aim to continue our journey by embarking on a new module next year. For more information regarding ResourceSmart AuSSIVic please visit http://www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/for_educators_2439.html
 

Environmental Action Group “The Green Team”
Each year children who have an interest in environmental education, gardening and sustainable practises are eligible to be part of our student action group called “The Green Team.” One child from each class is selected to be a part of the team who participate in a range of the following activities:

• Maintaining our vegetable patches and orchard
• Helping to organise fundraisers for
• Looking after our worm farms
• Raising awareness around the school of sustainable practises
• Present items at assembly and in the newsletter about what we are doing well and how we can become more sustainable

Orchard
Thanks to Transition Banyule we now have the beginnings of a fabulous orchard! Transition Banyule kindly donated a number of fruit trees after holding a community planting and composting session at our school.  We are lucky enough to have apple, lemon, fig, plum, apricot and nectarine trees and look forward to growing and harvesting our own fruit.

Vegetable Garden
Children at BPS eat all of their vegies because they grow them! In 2011, Bunnings Northland donated 7 corrugated metal vegie beds, soil and trays of vegetables to expand our vegie patch. We now have 11 beds full of a variety of vegetables and herbs. Children have enjoyed planting the new seedlings and are now in the process of caring for them in preparation for harvest. Thanks to one of our parents, Leanne Phillips as well as Bunnings Northland for organising this generous donation.

Worm Farms and Compost Bins
At present we have four worm farms and 2 compost bins. In 2012 we are looking to reduce our amount of food scraps going to landfill by instead putting them in our worm farms and compost bins. Each class has a small bin for food scraps that gets emptied into the worm farms to feed our hungry worms or into our compost bins. The resulting “worm tea” and rich compost will then be used in our vegetable gardens.

Indigenous Gardens
Banyule Primary School is surrounded by an abundance of natural flora. Much of this has been the result of a partnership between our school and Banyule City Council. Each year Biodiversity Education Officer, Belinda Moody visits our school to educate the children about biodiversity and the benefits of planting local species. Children are then able to plant these indigenous species with plants generously donated by the council. Over the years we have re-vegetated the banks area leading up to the main building and are in the process of planting in other areas of the school.

2011 Walkathon
In February 2011 our school held a Walkathon to raise money for our sustainability program. Prep-2 children walked laps of the school for one hour while 3-6 children walked the local neighbourhood block. Student raised money before the Walkathon from family and friends and in total, the school raised over $4000.
 

What we have and what we do, at a glance:
• An in depth whole school sustainability integrated studies unit one term of each year.
• Ongoing environmental education in individual classes
• Student environmental action group
• Record and track our energy, water, gas, waste and paper usage through Schools Environmental Tracking System
• Solar panels on the junior school building and student monitoring system
• 2 x water tanks that flush our student and staff toilets
• 1 x water tank that provides water for our vegetable gardens
• 11 vegetable patches
• Orchard
• Compost bins
• Worm farms
• Co mingled recycling in our kitchen and staff room
• Fundraisers for sustainability causes
• Regular whole school events such as rubbish free lunch days
• Participation in global events such as Earth Hour and World Environment Day
• Participation in the ResourceSmart AuSSIVic Sustainable Schools Initiative