Resource Smart
Team at MPS
Welcome to our Term 2 update from the Resource Smart Team at MPS
(Mrs Saaksjarvi, Mrs Bennett, Mrs Schink, Dr Spincer)
MPS is a Resource Smart School
(https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/our-work/resourcesmart-schools)
Eco Warriors announcement!
Congratulations to the students in each grade from Prep to Year 6 who have been selected as Eco Warriors! These students will be responsible for raising awareness of environmental and sustainability issues at MPS. This includes small, but impactful actions including:
- Reminding students/teachers to switch off lights when leaving classrooms
- Recycling paper/cardboard in classrooms
- Encouraging Nude Food to reduce packaging and plastic wrapping on food brought to school
- Participating in sustainability-focused activities organised by the Resource Smart Team
Badges will be presented to these students at an assembly early next term.
Year 1 Gardening Club
This term our new Gardening Club has started for Year 1 students run by Mrs Bennett and Dr Steph during Tuesday lunchtime. Before we started, we discussed what kind of conditions plants need to survive and thrive, and then asked students what kind of plants they would like to grow in the gardens. They then got to work, clearing out and weeding the old garden beds and planting a selection of new winter veggies. All Year 1 students are welcome to attend at Tuesday lunchtimes to help weed, water and tend the gardens. (NB. Gloves and gardening equipment are provided).
Year 2 rubbish audit results
This term, the Year 2’s have been learning about Water Pollution & Sustainability in their STEM unit with Mrs DeLange. As part of their investigation about where our rubbish ends up, they conducted a rubbish audit (with tongs and buckets) around our school. They discovered that plastic waste was the most common type of waste found, mostly from food packaging (e.g. chip/biscuit/muesli bar packets). They were inspired to send a message to all students to try to bring NUDE FOOD to school, rather than lots of packaged items, which just end up littering our school and can pollute our precious waterways.
Promoting Nude Food
So, with the Year 2 rubbish audit in mind, we would like to ask everyone to aim for Nude Food lunchboxes as often as possible. Start with one day a week and see if you can go a whole week without bringing plastic packaging to school! This will help make our school, our local environment and our waterways a much cleaner place for all species to live in!
Kids Care about Climate Change Incursion - Thursday 19th June
(https://kidscareaboutclimate.org/)
On Thursday 19th June, as part of our STEM program, and to recognise our commitment to our school value of ‘Valuing the Environment’, MPS students will be visited by scientist and educator, Dr Marji Puotinen from Kids Care about Climate Change. Marji has visited schools all over the world in her inflatable ‘Earth’ outfit talking about the effects of climate heating on different habitats, from penguins in Antarctica to coral reefs in the tropics.
She will bring her giant banner, composed of a mosaic of 2,629 drawings by children from 33 nations, which has been hung from the treetops of the Daintree World Heritage Rainforest in Queensland. Students will play a parachute game with the banner, bouncing ‘Earth’ balls up in the air, and can also participate in an aerial drone film-shot with the banner. (NB. This is optional if you do not wish your child to be filmed). Event details have been posted on Compass.
National Tree Planting Day - Thursday 24th July
(https://treeday.planetark.org/get-involved/involved-general)
Next term, to celebrate National Tree Planting Day, the Eco Warrior representatives from Years 3 to 6 will participate in a tree planting event run by Stonnington Council at Glen Iris wetlands (High St, Glen Iris) (https://www.stonnington.vic.gov.au/Community/Parks-and-sporting-facilities/Glen-Iris-Wetlands) on Thursday 24th July from 10-11:15am. Details will be posted on Compass for the Year 3-6 students involved in this event.
