GREEN SCHOOLS
Our first Green Schools Committee was established in 2008, throughout the course of the previous three years we have been actively involved in making our school more environmentally aware. Last year we were awarded our first Green Flag for our efforts in improving the Litter and Waste Management in our school.
When our committee was first established we carried out an Environmental Review to see what the principal litter and waste problems were. Having completed the survey we discovered that we were producing excessive amounts of litter. We created an action plan to reduce the amount of litter which we are producing.
Some of the strategies which we have implemented were;
Cassroom Waste Disposal:
Recyclable Waste and Rubbish. We encouraged all of our pupils to use lunch boxes and reusable drinking bottles. Parents were advised not to use unnecessary lunch wrapping such as tin-foil and cling film.
Compost Bins: Each classroom and the staffroom were given their own compost bins. The children were asked to compost all of their fruit waste and pencil sharpening s. The teachers were encouraged to do this also, in addition they were also able to compost their tea bags and coffee grounds. The compost created is being used to fertilize our schools plants and flowerbeds.
Recycling:
Each classroom has been provided with a paper box into which they are encouraged to put their waste paper; it is advised that this is used for drawing, rough work etc
In addition to this all classes are encouraged to use recyclable waste for their Art Projects. Last year a number of children designed and made their Halloween costumes using recyclable materials.
Tidy Classroom Competition:
Tidy classroom monitors inspect each classroom regularly. The class are given a weekly score depending on how clean their classrooms are and how well they are recycling. Each month one class is awarded a certificate for being ‘The Tidiest Classroom‘.
Throughout the course of the year our Green Schools Code was ‘Save Paper, Save Trees, Save the Earth‘ . This code has been painted as a mural on one of the schools walls. Every day whilst out playing on yard, the children can see and are reminded of our Green Schools Code.
At the start of September a new Green Schools Committee was elected. Each of the new committee members were elected by their classmates. Six student representatives were elected from each class 1st to 6th.
These representatives are;
First Class: Kyle, Karen, Rida, Hafsa and Nooria
Second Class: Gurtej, Roxana, Alana, Ahmed, Yosra and Hooriya.
Third Class: Nicole, Thanna, Fatima, Jake, Mhahareef and Mitolaj.
Fourth and Fifth Class: Andy, Waleed, Blair, Samuel, Konrad and Aisyah.
Sixth Class: Shanna, Isabelle, Federico, Noor, Andreea and Aditi.
During our initial meeting the committee elected Federico as their new chairperson and Noor as our secretary. Their roles are to lead and document our fortnightly meetings. During our first meeting the committee were introduced to the Green Schools theme which we will be focusing on this year. It is Electicity Conservation.
Electricity Conservation
Together the committee members made a list of aims which they would like to achieve this school year. These aims are listed below.
Our Aims for 2011 are:
- To get our second green flag.
- To do a big clean up in our community.
- To go on a Green Schools field trip.
- To create a Green Schools yearbook.
The committee also created a charter of Green Schools Committee Member duties. These are outlined below.
Green Schools Class Duties
- 1st and 2nd Class committee members to remind teachers and children to save electricity.
- 3rd Class committee members perform random Tidy Classroom Inspections throughout the week. The results of these inspections are to be documented in our Green Schools Notebook.
- 4th and 5th Class committee members are to collect and empty compost bins every Wednesday at 12:40.
- 6th Class committee members are to collect and empty compost bins every Friday at 12:4, they shall also perform random inspections of electricity usage in the school.
Our committee members visited each of the classes and asked them to remember to shut off all lights and technology when leaving the classroom at lunch time and at home time. Over the next few weeks we intend to do carry out a review to identify if there is any possible means of reducing the amount of electricity which our school uses as a whole.