Winters Flat Primary School is commited to sustainability and is an active participant in the ResourceSmart Schools program - a Victorian Government initiative that helps schools benefit from embedding sustainability in everything they do.
We take action to minimise waste, save energy and water, promote biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This helps up to reduce costs while giving students the opportunity to learn about sustainability in a tangible and realistic environment.
As the 2015 ResourceSmart School of the year, winner of the 2016 Premier's Sustainability Award, a finalist in the 2020 ResouceSmart awards, and winner of the 2022 ResourceSmart Community Leadership School of the Year (Primary), we are also a 5 Star Leadership school. 5 Star schools must demonstrate significant leadership in each of the five ResourceSmart Schools modules of Core, Biodiversity, Energy, Water and Waste as well as actively help other schools to start their own sustainability journey, and show the Victorian community what can be done at the local level.
As part of being a 5 Star ResourceSmart School we undertake a yearly biodiversity audit around the 7 acres of school grounds. Below are the results for 2020:
Number of native trees over 6m – 79 trees
Number of exotic trees over 6m – 26 trees
Number of trees/shrubs/grasses planted in the last 12 months – 162 plants
Number of native trees under 6m – 117 trees
Number of exotic trees under 6m – 98 trees
Number of rocks and logs – 109
Number of habitats – 26
Habitats include - butterfly garden, birdscape, insect hotel, indigenous plant propagation, composting area, nest boxes, lizard lounges, frog bogs, wetlands, worm farms.
All classes are involved with students driving all programs/activities.
.
Below is a booklet made for our 5 Star Sustainable School showcase at the Sustainability Victoria ResourceSmart Awards in 2022.
.
Our Winters Flat Sustainability Group is currently in the process of updating all the happenings on the Sustainability Blog!
Click the link here to all the work being done!
.
Click here to check out how we're doing in our own war on waste
Click here to see the awards we've won for our sustainability efforts
'Late in Term 1 in 2021, 40 teachers and students visited Winters Flat Primary School, in Mount Alexander Shire, who had very graciously invited ResourceSmart Schools to visit and learn how easy it is to adopt sustainability practices. We had a fantastic morning and learned how the school, guided by Terry the RSS teacher, used biodiversity projects that are relevant and topical to the area to complete the RSS biodiversity module. We toured the 7 acre grounds and marvelled at the productive gardens, while networking and making plans to re-energise our own spaces. Thank you for having us. If you didn't make it along or would like to know more about Winters Flat biodiversity projects, please read Robyn MacLean's notes here.'
Debbie Rovere
Loddon Mallee RSS Coordinator.
Our school has been featured in a book! ‘HOPE: 50 Ways to Help Our Planet Every Day’, features case studies on primary schools across Australia who are making positive changes to help the environment #50WaysToHOPE @puffinbooksaus
