Our Journey...
Over the past ten years the students of
St Francis Xavier Primary School have been engaged in an Environmental Education journey designed to help them understand and value this wonderful Earth. This website provides a snap shot of our ongoing journey to environmental sustainability.
A 3 Star ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic School
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As a school community, St Francis Xavier Primary School in Ballarat East is making a positive difference to the planet.
St Francis Xavier Primary School began our journey toward environmental sustainability way back in 2007. As a 3 Star ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic School (from the previous Sustainable Schools Initiative Program) students have a growing awareness of environment and the vital role they play in sustaining the earth in which they live.
While the road to becoming a ResourceSmart school has not been an easy one, it is certainly well worth the effort. Initially, it was a new concept or way of thinking. However, over time, behaviour has changed particularly with leadership support and dedicated time at staff and student leadership meetings to discuss plans and issues.
The introduction of a student environmental action team, Global Voices, has been a vital part in making the program a part of our everyday lives. The Global Voices Team is made up of a dynamic group of students from across all year levels, who work cooperatively and energetically to address environmental sustainable issues and celebrations within our school that we hope will have an impact on local and global environmental issues.
Many diverse "learnscapes" have been created around the school, including an Indigenous Food Garden, Butterfly Garden, Lizard Lounge, Frog Bog, Sensory Corridor, Wetlands, Nesting Boxes, Sand Pan, Grasslands, Orchard and
'Perm Patch' Permaculture Garden.
In addition, the introduction of recycling bins, together with wrapper-free lunches and the recycling of the bubble tap water have helped the school gain the second of its three stars in the Resource Smart AuSSI VIC program.
Key factors helping ensure St. Francis Xavier Primary School's success in the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic program
include:
- Everyone (students, staff, parents & principal) valuing the program and being committed to keep the
sustainability initiatives going
- Having a whole school systems and rosters in order to run the program and initiatives smoothly
- Having Environmental Education - Harmony Dreaming as a specialist subject that the children participate in
once a week
- Being part of a network of schools who are striving towards being environmentally sustainable to exchange ideas
and celebrate our successes with other schools