Community
Sustainability
Whittlesea Primary School recognises the importance of becoming a sustainable school for the benefit of the planet’s environmental health. By bringing environmental awareness to our students, we hope to empower our learners to create a more sustainable future.
Each year Whittlesea Primary School take part in the following initiatives:
- Clean Up Australia Day/Week
- National Ride2school Day
Green Thumb Garden Club
At Whittlesea Primary School we encourage and support volunteer programs that can bring the school community together.
An opportunity to volunteer, be part of the school community and take pride in your work.
Under our environment sub-committee we have established a ‘GARDEN CLUB’. This group consists of parents that are keen to volunteer and take pride in their schools grounds and gardens.
New to the area or new to the school? This is a great way to meet parents and support the school.
The Garden club meet every fortnight on Fridays between 9am-11am and follow the directive of the coordinator to assist with the gardens in the school grounds. Rotating shifts allow flexibility if you are unable to attend fortnightly sessions.
A variety of tasks allows everyone to feel comfortable, no skill is required and it is a great opportunity to find the green thumb you never knew you had!
Come along, have some fun and become a GREEN THUMB!
All volunteers must have a WWC – working with children’s check and provide identification.
Please email: whittlesea.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au – for further information.
Check out our School Newsletter for monthly updates on sustainability news including current projects and events!
Current and completed Sustainability Projects at Whittlesea Primary School
Successful applicants of the 2023 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant!
We are exciting about this grant and the opportunity to deliver the project ‘We can all grow food’ – which aligns perfectly with student inquiry topics. Students across all grades inquire into living things, including people, animals and plants. This project will allow students to build on their understanding by introducing the physical world aspect and learning about plant and food production.
Some hands on gardening will take place in the coming months to re-invigorate our ELC garden beds and 3 /4 vegetable garden to grow our very own produce from seeds.
Watch this space!
2022 Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grant
The environmental committee and school community were delighted to secure the 2022 Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grant. This grant facilitated an excursion to Edendale Community Farm to build on the inquiry topic of the Year 1 /2 students ‘How can I live more sustainably?’. Students enjoyed a hands-on experience that initiated student discussion and ideas about ways they could be more sustainable, leading to several cohort lead initiatives across the school and community.
2021 Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grant
In 2021 the school were successful in being awarded the Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grant. This grant facilitated an excursion to Healesville Sanctuary for the Year 3 / 4 students. This excursion aligned perfectly with the learning goals and to build on students understanding of Victoria’s native biodiversity. The excursion increased students appreciation of our existing school indigenous learning space and connections to nature.
2021 Victorian Schools Garden Award – Best School Garden Exhibiting Biodiversity Award
In 2021 Whittlesea Primary School were the proud recipients of the 2021 Victorian Schools Garden Award – Best School Garden Exhibiting Biodiversity Award
The introduction of the Indigenous Learning Space in 2020 brought biodiversity to the school gardens and grounds. This space allowed for education on indigenous plants, seasons and created opportunities for students to connect to nature. The Award vouchers were used to create further biodiversity to the school with flowering plants, allowing students to use their five senses to connect to nature and to promote and encourage wildlife habitat and food.
Bread Tags for Wheelchairs
The Whittlesea Primary School became a ‘community’ collection point for this recycling initiative. Bread tags are collected nationally in Australia. The tags are donated to a South Australian company that recycle them back into homewares, and in turn the company ‘Transmutation’, donate funds to buy wheelchairs for disadvantaged people in South Africa.
Find out more about Transmutation here
Indigenous Learning Space
In 2020, the environmental committee secured a grant to reinvigorate an area of the school that had deteriorated. The focus was on the revegetation of native indigenous plants, whilst also providing indigenous educational points of interest to acknowledge the traditional landowners. This space was designed to allow children to explore, enjoy and learn.
SWEP Program
Whittlesea Primary School are part of the ‘Schools Water Efficiency Program’, this program provides data logs to schools to continue the education and demonstration of water efficiency in practice. This program monitors water usage and can highlight any abnormal usages. Since the installation of this device, the school has been able to identify several leaks and quickly fix the issues to ensure the least amount of water is lost.
Stephanie Alexandra Kitchen Garden
In 2017 Whittlesea Primary School established the schools ‘Stephanie Alexandra Kitchen Garden’. This has allowed the school to better educate students on where their food comes from, the process involved in establishing and maintaining a healthy edible garden and the benefits of eating your own fresh produce. To date the garden is producing lots of fruit and vegetables for students to enjoy.
Community Lemon Tree Project
Whittlesea Primary School were proud to support and be involved in the community ‘Lemon Tree Project’ (Corner of Walnut & James St). This edible garden allows community members to share food resources and come together to maintain this area. This area now boasts an abundance of herbs & fruit for the community to enjoy.
Solar Power
Solar power systems have been installed in the school to offset energy requirements. This allows the school to use the energy savings to instead provide additional educational opportunities for the students. By generating a portion of our own power, we are reducing our footprints on Earth.
