Sustainability

Filming at Newham PS

As mentioned in the last newsletter, the Department of Education has recently developed an Environmental Sustainability in Schools Policy. During 2022, Newham PS was involved in a consultation process about sustainable education in schools, and as a result had been invited, as one of numerous schools, to be filmed for a video.  The video will act as a professional development resource to illustrate how schools can implement the kinds of activities that the Policy aims to promote.

Last week videographer Tom Lowe came to Newham PS and filmed some of our year 6 students investigating indigenous plants that were used by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and reading about Woi-wurrung (Language of the Wurundjeri) language names for various animals that frequent our local environment. Below are photos of some of the plants we investigated, the students being filmed and some of the students' artwork they created during the filming. The students also created artworks with both English and Woi-wurrung names that we will be able to use on our interpretive signage in the Biodiversity Learning Hub. Also, the video will be available for us to view later in 2023.

New Community Action Project for Newham PS

As mentioned in our last newsletter, Newham Primary School has been accepted into the Earthwatch Kids Teaching Kids (KTK) program for 2023 and are being funded to participate in a community-based action project with a grant of $3000! 

The aim of the action project is for our Newham PS students to make a significant impact through a project that addresses an environmental issue, and to provide them with an opportunity to communicate their student voice about this issue to the broader community. 

We are going to partner with Newham District Landcare Group who have supported our school working on a range of projects in the past. Together, all the students at NPS will have the opportunity to transform a hectare of council land on the corner of Anderson and Boundary Roads in Newham. The proposed project will include providing a seating area for people to view Hanging Rock, revegetation with trees, shrubs, grasses, lilies and other indigenous plants and the installation of other features that will provide continuity to the Cobaw Biolink that runs from Mount Macedon, through Newham to the Cobaw Ranges. 

Image courtesy of Google Maps

The students will be involved in designing and planning the site features based on their knowledge of sustainability and biodiversity.  Our local Junior Landcare  Facilitator, Emma Stevens will facilitate networking throughout the project. We also hope to engage the Macedon Ranges Men's Shed to build infrastructure for the proposed project.  Macedon Ranges Shire Council will also provide us with expertise with visits from one of their Environmental Engagement Officers. The project will be documented from start to finish, culminating in a video.