Sustainability Update

Congrats Amelia – Darebin Community Awards

Darebin Council hosted their annual Darebin Community Awards, which recognises individuals and groups for their outstanding contributions to the community across various categories. Our very own Amelia Trompf was the recipient of the Sustainability Award.

Sustainability Update – FPS Website

The sustainability page on our school website has been updated. Below is the latest and greatest!

Our school community is committed to sustainability, working together to reduce waste, save energy, and care for the environment.

Eco Club

Our Eco Club is a passionate team of students and staff dedicated to creating a greener, more sustainable school. The club leads waste reduction initiatives, designs posters for sustainability events, and runs a popular stall at our annual ART FOR ALL weekend, making and selling products such as rosemary salt and coffee scrub, as well as sharing their sustainability projects. In 2025, we were honoured to be nominated for Eco Club of the Year at the ResourceSmart Schools (RSS) Awards.

ResourceSmart Schools (RSS)

We are proud to be a three-star ResourceSmart School, achieving stars in the following modules: Core, Waste, and Energy. ResourceSmart Schools is a Victorian Government sustainability program that supports schools to embed sustainability into everyday learning, campus operations, and community engagement.

RSS: Core Module

Our Core module achievements reflect how sustainability is embedded across school life.

• A Green Purchasing Policy ensures all school supplies are environmentally responsible.
• A Green Events Policy guides us in running sustainable, low‑impact school events.

RSS: Waste Module

We’re proud of our strong waste management practices and very low landfill rates.

• Waste is separated into five streams: soft plastics, organics, paper, mixed recycling, and landfill.
• We host collection hubs for used batteries and textas/pens, ensuring these are recycled properly.
• Each National Recycling Week, we host special initiatives such as Shoes for Recycling.
• All school events aim to be zero or minimal waste, featuring wash stations and reusable materials wherever possible.

RSS: Energy Module

We’re continually improving energy efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint. See the video, featuring our Eco Club, explaining energy usage at school.

• A 80.52kWp solar panel system generates clean, renewable energy for our school.
• Sensors control lighting and air conditioning to minimise unnecessary use.
• Our gym is cooled passively with fans and reflective cocoon paint on the roof. See the case study on the installation of the heat reflective membrane.
• We’ve transitioned off gas, replacing our old boiler with an efficient electric heat pump system.

Next Steps—Biodiversity & Water

Our sustainability journey continues as we work towards completing the Biodiversity and Water modules of the ResourceSmart Schools program.

We are building on strong foundations, our school:

• Features beautiful grounds filled with indigenous and native plants, creating vital habitat for local wildlife.
• Conserves precious drinking water by using rainwater tanks to supply water for gardens and toilets.

Through these next modules, we’ll deepen our connection to nature, enhance outdoor learning spaces, and continue leading by example in caring for the environment.

Find out more about ResourceSmart Schools.

Environmental Sustainability Working Group (ESWG)

The Environmental Sustainability Working Group is a parent-led committee dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and initiatives across our school. Through grants, community engagement, and close collaboration with staff and contractors, the ESWG has made a significant impact on improving our school’s environmental performance.

Key achievements

• School-wide LED lighting upgrade to reduce energy consumption.
• Passive cooling in the gym, enabling year-round use without the need for traditional air conditioning, through the:
  • Application of infrared-reflective roof coating.
  • Installation of low-powered fans to improve air movement.
• Automated ‘aircon-off’ systems installed in all classrooms, with split‑system units switching off automatically when no movement is detected.
• Energy-efficient design in the Wingrove Street Campus double-storey building (opened 2019), including plumbing adjustments for water‑tank connection.
• Sustainability and biodiversity projects to increase planting, improve habitats, and reduce landfill waste.
• Partnership with the school lunch-order supplier to ensure all food is provided in compostable or recyclable packaging.
• Successful grant applications, including a Landcare Grant to enhance the school grounds.
• Support for waste-free events across the school community.

Get Involved

The ESWG meets twice each term and warmly welcomes new parent involvement. Joining the group is a great way to contribute to our school’s sustainability journey.