|
Kia ora tātou,
Congratulations to the schools and centres who have recently worked through the Enviroschools Holistic Reflection Process. So often when we take time to have a close look at what we have achieved, what we see amazes us and gives us new energy to move forward.
Titiro whakamuri, Kokiri whakamaua
Look back and reflect so that you can move forward
So, as another school year draws to a close and we welcome Hineraumati back into our lives, let’s all take the time to remind ourselves of the amazing mahi that has taken place over this year. Ka mau te wehi!
Karyn, Gill the Enviroschools Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui team
|
|
Exploring Enviroschools Workshop
|
|
An introduction to Education for Sustainability and the Enviroschools Kaupapa for schools, teachers, principals or BOT representatives new to the Enviroschools programme.
Friday 22 March 2019 9am - 3.30pm
The Dowse, Lower Hutt
Download a flyer here or register here by Friday 8 March
Cost $150 +GST
|
|
|
Enviroschools Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui are very excited to be starting new clusters of early childhood centres at this workshop.
This is also an opportunity for existing ECE Enviroschools who may have team members who are new to the Enviroschools kaupapa or simply need a refresher.
Wednesday 30 January 2019 8.45am - 12.45pm
Nga Hau e Whā o Paparārangi, Newlands
Register here by Wednesday 16 January
Cost $50 +GST
|
|
Enviroschools at Otari - Student Event
|
|
We will be holding our regular student event for Wellington City Enviroschools at Otari Bush in March 2019 - this time with a focus on pollination. This will be a full day event where teachers bring students (up to one class per school). We will spend the day exploring pollination and the forest through activities in the bush.
Register your interest here and we will be in touch to confirm details.
|
|
Celebrating Whanaungatanga in Wainuiomata
|
|
Wainuiomata High School, our region's newest secondary Enviroschool, have started their journey by crossing their local stream to visit a neighbouring Enviroschool. Students from Konini School shared their learning and action for sustainability with a group of Year 9 and 10 students from the high school. Together the students explored a care code for Konini School and engaged in exciting discussions about the potential to work together on projects to protect and restore the stream located between them.
This was a great day of sharing, learning, manaaki and whanaungatanga.
|
|
Boomerang Bag partnership
|
|
|
With the end of single-use shopping bags, Trentham Kindergarten were in need of bags that could be used for wet things. Following their commitment to sustainability, the Kindergarten approached Boomerang Bags in Upper Hutt to develop a solution. With funding from Upper Hutt City Council’s Zero Waste and Community Environment Grants, the centre now has a whole set of re-useable wet bags with a special Bommerang Bag logo.
Upper Hutt Boomerang Bags are now exploring ways they can extend this kind of project to other schools and early childhood centres. Watch this space!
|
|
Food Forest Workshop with Robert Guyton
|
|
|
Wild gardener and forest gardening “guru,” Robert Guyton, visited Masterton at the end of October, at the invitation of a Masterton Intermediate School student. With the help of the Enviroschools Regional Team, the school hosted a workshop where students from six local schools gathered to learn about the components of a forest, plants and their properties, propagating and planting, and “messy gardening”.
The people involved in establishing the school’s forest garden may not be the ones to benefit the most from it, but they know it could benefit many generations of students to follow, and they’re keen to get stuck in. Even those schools who attended that don’t have a large area to develop, came away with ideas about how to do things on a smaller scale. And the following day there was a large turnout of adults to the Forest Gardening Community Workshop. There’s a buzz going on and the seeds of an idea have been planted .... keep an eye on what might be happening in that under-utilised green space near you!
|
|
|
|
In the small town of Riverton at the bottom of New Zealand's South Island is Robert and Robyn Guyton's amazing 23-year-old forest garden. The two-acre property has been transformed from a neglected piece of land into a thriving ecosystem.
|
|
Nature is our Classroom PD
|
|
|
Twenty-five teachers from schools and early childhood centres in Wellington’s northern suburbs spent a day exploring how their local reserve can be an extension of their classroom. The Professional Development opportunity, run by Rebecca McCormack from Porirua Harbour Trust and Arihia Latham from Enviroschools, began with a whakatau at Newlands College which boarders Seton Nossiter reserve. From there the group had ready access to lush bush in which to talk science, medicine and literacy. The group tinkered in the stream - even catching a native kokopu and koura to observe. Tim Park from WCC and Micheline Evans from GWRC shared their knowledge of biodiversity and drew on the experience and collective ideas of the group.
|
|
KEEN Hui (Kāpiti Environmental Educators Network)
|
|
|
Amanda Dobson, of Enviroschools, and Ben Knight of Sustainable Coastlines are collaborating to help local teachers connect their students with restoration sites and groups in Kāpiti.
ECE and primary school teachers met at Kaitawa Reserve in Paraparaumu, with a range of local ‘shakers & movers’ from local Restoration Groups and the Kāpiti Coast District Council Parks team. Kaitawa Reserve will be the site for the launch of an Outdoor Classroom Project in Parks Week, March 2019. This is based on a long term vision held by the local Forest & Bird Group and supported by KCDC and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
|
|
|
Earlier this term, around 30 students from across each of Naenae’s four primary schools gathered in the bush at Rata St where their local stream begins. Here they learned more about this special place and contributed to its ongoing well-being.
-
Andy Mitchell from Naenae Nature Trust shared how this landscape has changed over the last two centuries.
-
Sarah Neighbours from Mountains to Sea Trust and the Rata St School students helped everyone learn about the stream’s health.
-
Thanks to Riba Greally from Hutt City Council, the group was able to plant some treasured forest giants like kahikatea that once would have stood throughout the valley.
-
Enviroschools Facilitator, Arihia Latham, shared stories about the rongoa qualities of native plants.
To complete the gathering, students from Wa Ora Montessori, shared how they are caring for a wetland and developing a native bush space for students to enjoy in their school grounds.
It was a special time together to connect with the mauri of the bush and each other. We are all looking forward to doing it again!
|
|
Discovery School - KNZB Sustainable School of the Year
|
|
|
Congratulations to Discovery School who were recently announced to be the 2018 Keep New Zealand Beautiful Sustainable School of the Year winner.
Discovery School have made a concerted effort to make their school "wilder". Students throughout the school enjoy shared reading groups in the orchard, exploring in the bug hotels and lizard gardens, and learning maths and economics from selling 'worm-wiggle juice’ for gardens.
"The children at Discovery School have prompted, through inquiry and interest, the variety of garden and environment programs we have. Their passion . . . is valued and they are seeing how little changes are starting to be the new ‘norm’ on a national level. This award celebrates every child at Discovery School, from the Green Team kids to the children who simply love watching the bees on a blossom, use their initiative and pick up a stray piece of rubbish, or change to carrying an eco-friendly lunchbox.”
- Lead Environmental Science Teacher Natalie Packer
|
|
|
|
Discovery School's winning entry video
|
|
Cannon's Creek School - Young Gardener Award
|
|
|
Congratulations to Hannah Komene who has received one of the Garden to Table Programme's Young Gardener of the Year Awards for 2018.
Hannah, 9 years old, was one of the five winners selected from more than 130 entries from 45 schools around the country. Hannah has enjoyed working in the school garden, in term time and in school holidays, with her Aunty.
As part of her prize, Hannah received gardening products for both her school and her family. Ka rawe tēnā !!
This is the second consecutive year that Cannon's Creek School have had a student presented a Young Gardener Award. Alison Kurukaanga, the specialist garden teacher for the Garden to Table Programme at Cannons Creek school says:
“ I try to inspire the kids. For a lot of our kids they see people who are successful in the sporting arena but this might awaken and ‘plant some seeds’ that this could be a future career option. To get them on board and excited that’s what I’m really aiming to do.”
Follow this link to read more : https://younggardenerawards.co.nz/winners/
|
|
|
Congratulations to Koraunui for their silver holistic reflection this term. It was a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the many great things they do with their community.
|
|
Peninsula Early Learning Centre - Bronze
|
|
|
Ngā mihi maioha ki te whānau o Peninsula Early Learning Centre. Congratulations on becoming a Bronze Enviroschool.
Whānau commented on "how actively involved the tamariki were in the process and how confidently they share their knowledge of sustainability practices and issues with those who surround them at Preschool and out in their community."
|
|
Pinehaven School - Silver
|
|
|
A huge congratulations to Pinehaven School on becoming a Silver Enviroschool earlier this term. Their holistic reflection day was a great way to share how their journey is growing in breadth and depth.
|
|
NZAEE Seaweek 2-10 March 2019
Tiakina o Tātou Mōana - Care for our Sea
|
|
Seaweek focuses on learning from the sea. It’s about inspiring all New Zealanders to renew their connections with the sea. It’s a time for all of us to get to know our ocean, its habitats, characteristics  and inhabitants better.
Here is our padlet of links for Seaweek planning in your classroom.
Water - Wai tai - Oceans - Links for Learning and Action
|
|
|
Led by GWR C with support from your local council, Movin’March is a month-long celebration across the region encouraging primary school children and their families to walk, bike or scoot to school.
Register now and receive a free spot prize pack in February. Schools who register before 14 December will also go in the draw to win one of two $100 Prezzy cards.
The 2019 Movin'March School Guide is available to download now.
|
|
|
Active Travel Action Resouce
|
|
Term 1 is a great time to explore Acti ve Travel with your students. The Active Travel Action resource developed by Greater Wellington Regional Council and Enviroschools - Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui provides a process for schools to implement sustainable active travel practices in their school through student inquiry in classes, as a syndicate or as a whole school approach.
|
|
|
Padlet Directory for Resources
|
|
|
Padlets are a visual set of links. On each padlet there are links to curriculum units and activities - reliable NZ information websites - Environmental Education providers.
Padlet Directory of Environmental Education for Sustainability Resources - Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui
|
|
|
|
