Sustainability

Celebrating World Environment Day Tues June 3

This year’s World Environment Day focuses on beating plastic pollution. At St. Mary's we will be celebrating on Tuesday June 3 by encouraging students to wear earth colours and bringing a gold coin donation. 

Lunchtime will see us having a cake stall, focussing on sustainability, with earth based treats eg frog in a pond, earthly decorated cupcakes, mudcake and rocky road to name a few. So please bring some extra coins to buy a delicious treat. No plastics (or nut allergens) will be present on the day and bins will be placed around the school grounds to collect any waste.

Year 6 leaders will also be running a colouring in/drawing competition and other environmental based, yet fun and competitive activities. And of course we will have the music masters providing some earthly beats for the day.

Thank you to Mr Anderson, Ms Sam and the year 6 leaders for providing this opportunity for our school community to raise awareness in this engaging way.

All proceeds from the bake sale will go toward funding student engagement activities around St. Mary's.

We are committed to reducing plastic at St Marys. We encourage students and families to be as NUDE FOOD as possible when packing school lunches. When purchasing products for St Mary's we encourage those to buy in the most sustainable way possible.

Our Green Purchasing Policy and Green Events Policy has been ratified by the school Principal, Mr Anderson, and has been shared with staff and the PnF group. The Green Purchasing Policy provides a purchasing structure that promotes the sustainable use of resources and reduces negative impacts on the environment and human health.

Church Planter Boxes planted

The Garden Club teamed up with Anne once again, the St Mary's Church gardener, to replenish the eight empty church planter boxes. Drought tolerant and hardy, these bird and butterfly attracting plants were selected for this sunny part of our school that desperately needed a facelift. Annes knowledge of planting was greatly appreciated, the students hanging on every word, especially as they learned to tickle the plant roots to loosen them before planting. 

The Victorian School Garden Award voucher that we received last year was partly used to fund this project. Diacos Nursery, in Heatherton, were very helpful in providing their knowledge and expertise in helping us select plants for these planters and we are looking forward to them blooming. 

We have planted Correa - Compact white - lovely white/yellow flowers, teaming up with Cotton Lavender - silver foliage with gorgeous yellow flowers. We also have Heebie Jeebies - lush green foliage with striking purple flowers, partnering up with Blue chalk sticks.

Next time you come to church, come and check them out.

Thank you also to Mrs O for helping our young gardeners on the day.

Check out Bayside Councils -  Live Bayside Plant Bayside guide for great indigenous plants and biodiversity ideas that align with the Bayside area.