We are an Enviro School
On the 9 November 2010 we were awarded Silver Status
Silver Enviro School
On the 9 November 2010 the student Enviro Council, Mrs Gunn, Mrs Smith, Miss Hollies, Mrs Shipton, Serena Lowe, Victoria Travers, Harriet Iro, Frances Turner and Jenny Watson and some children were involved with the reflection process of Churchill Park School’s environmental status. We had a morning session with Nicky and Sandy from the Auckland City Council Enviroschools team to show them all the wonderful things we have and do at our school. The first part of the morning was a tour around our school starting at the vege garden, on to the orchard, our native tree planting and the wetlands. We had so much to say that we ran into morning tea time! After morning tea we met again to discuss positive changes our school has made and where we think our school is in accordance with the ‘silver schools paragraph’. We shared lots of opinions, actions and ideas and there was lots of rich conversation. At the end of the session we voted and we are now a ‘silver enviro school’. Congratulations Churchill Park School!
Our Initiatives
Enviroschools
Enviroschools is an Auckland City Council initiative, although run throughout the country by different councils. The aim of Enviroschools is to educate our students and community about creating sustainable communities. It also encourages schools to reflect about the well-being of the whole school, community and eco-system.
Enviroschools is integrated into teaching and learning at Churchill Park. Teachers have professional development with our Auckland City Council Facilitator each term. Environmental elements are then integrated into the planning of school wide units and where appropriate ‘real life’ learning of environmental aspects takes place. We are currently working towards achieving our Silver Award by the end of this school year.
At the beginning of the year the students reflected upon last year’s vision and decided what they wanted to achieve with Enviroschools this year. Their main goals were to maintain current initiatives such as the vegetable garden, worm farm and compost bin as well as introduce a few new ones such as an orchard and oversee the planting of native trees.
Here at Churchill Park our Enviro. group meet regularly to help out around the school. This year we have replanted the vegetable garden and are now working on the maintenance of it. We are trying to promote our goal of reducing our carbon footprint. The Enviro group allows all children throughout the school time to come together to contribute to their environment and they are a very committed group!
Travelwise
TravelWise is an Auckland Regional Transport Authority initiative which runs in partnership with Auckland City Council. The programme is designed to reduce congestion outside the school gates, encourage more students to walk, cycle, scoot, or bus to school and deliver a safer road environment to the community.
Here at Churchill Park we are currently working towards achieving our Silver status and hope to do so by the end of this year. This will mean that TravelWise at our school has been achieved through Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, School Communications and Community Involvement and Monitoring and Reporting.
Please see below for our Travelwise Flyer
Walking School Bus
The Walking School Bus assists children to walk to school safely. Parents are rostered on to walk with a group of children who are picked up and dropped off along a designated route by a parent ‘driver’ and a ‘conductor’. Walking School Bus routes vary in length, normally a maximum of 1.5km and/or 30 minutes walk. There are 4 Walking School Buses at Churchill Park School.
Parent Testimonials: We find the Walking School Bus fantastic. Our kids are motivated to get up, organised & out the door in the mornings in time to join the bus & walk to school with their friends. Having walked with the walking school bus as preschoolers, starting school was that much more familiar and exciting for our younger two children. As parents we only have to walk to school once per week, which is a real time saver. You can be child free & out the door from 8.30am four mornings a week. If things have been a little frantic around the breakfast table, a walk to school certainly clears the head & gets everyone on track for a great start to the day. It has also proven to be good, regular exercise for all!’
‘For us, we enjoy the days we walk with the bus and getting to know so many lovely children and families, especially as we are new to CPS. We have the added benefit of saving time by dropping our son at the meeting point on busy mornings or getting a bit of exercise on the days we walk with the bus. Also, it's safer and more eco-friendly as we avoid all the cars and commotion in the parking areas.’
‘Joining the Walking School Bus has worked really well for me and my children. A parent from each family which joins the program takes a turn each week to “drive” the bus. This means that on the other days of the week, I can either take the dog and walk with the bus, or drop the boys off at the bus stop allowing me to get on with my own day earlier. In addition to the social element of walking with other families, the children enjoy the independence they have by walking to school without Mum, and I enjoy the flexibility which the Walking School Bus offers me.’
Kaitiaki o Takiwa (Parent Environmental Group)
x
