Highlights from our School
2021
We came 2nd place in Resource Smart’s Sustainability Goal Kicking Competition! Pictured above are Terry with students Athene, Winter and Odessa with our prizes; wicking beds, bird nesting boxes, a years worth of seeds and $750.
Athene, in Grade 2, is participating in the ‘Threatened Species Bake Off’ and created this beautiful cake which shows the local Copper Butterfly with caterpillars and the ants that tend to them as they feed on the Busaria plant at night time.
Chilli, Tully and Teekah created this awesome poster and made us a winner in the 2021 ResourceSmart Schools of the Future Challenge and Competition!
We were featured in The Midland Express for our campaign to end the use of plastic fruit sticks in Australia.
We installed our first Foodcube from Biofilta. They are made from 80% recycled food grade confectionery packaging and our cube is located at the front of the school with fresh herbs for the local community to use!
One of our school captains, Chilli, bravely spoke at the ‘School Strike 4 Climate’ climate change rally!
Our school hosted a ‘Walk and Talk tour’ and invited ResourceSmart schools to visit and learn about our sustainability practices. See here for the key notes about our school’s biodiversity projects.
Our 2021 Care for Environment Leadership Group!
2020
Amelia and Tully worked with Terry and created the award winning video for Coliban Water’s ‘Share, Inspire, Save’ Competition!
We were featured in the Diggers Early Spring Garden Magazine for our work with Valonia Oaks!
The Grade 6 students with their 4 chicks; Popcorn, Porridge, Vegemite and Nugget, who were born in the Grade 6 room as part of a term long investigation into eggs.
Our gardening specialist Terry was featured on the front page of the Bendigo Advertiser to promote the Aussie Backyard Bird Count!
Our school was featured in the book ‘HOPE: 50 Ways to Help our Planet Every Day’!
We were listed as a finalist in the 2020 Resource Smart Awards in two categories: Community Leadership School of the Year (Primary) and Curriculum Leadership School of the Year (Primary).
Bendigo Food share provided us some King Edward potatoes, so our students harvested them for use in the Mt Alexander Community Pantry.
2019
Jane, Terry, and our students, won an amazing haul of ribbons and medals for their cooking and produce entries at the Castlemaine Show!
Terry was featured in Castlemaine Mail, as part of the school’s involvement in the Castlamine festival celebrating the Eltham Copper Butterfly.
Our students participated in National Tree Planting Day and replanted Bunjil the Eagle with 50 plants.
Our school hosted an event with Dag Hartman from the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy.
2018
Our school took part in the Paul Bangay Stonefields Open Garden event, showcasing our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.
Our Sustainability leaders attended the Resource Smart Schools Loddon Mallee Student Sustainability Summit.
2017
We were finalists in the Resource Smart School of the Decade Awards.
Students created and installed wildlife nesting boxes along the creek.
We hosted a community forum to support ‘Plastic Free July’
Funded by money we won in 2016 at the Bendigo’s Healthiest School award, we had a parent use his local network to build our oval bubbler feature!
Our students participated in the ‘Hottest Compost’ competition, to celebrate International Compost Week.
Our Sustainability Leaders promoted the ‘Choose Tap’ campaign. Choose Tap aims to reduce the number of single use water bottles in our community.
2016
Community Leaders with the Minister of Education James Merlino 18th November 2016
WINTERS FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL
attended the
PREMIER’S SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS 2016
at the Plaza Ballroom as finalists in the EDUCATION category and we…
WON THE EDUCATION AWARD,
plus the
PREMIER’S RECOGNITION AWARD.
AN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT! CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE!
The Premier’s Recognition Award:
This award is made to one of the winners of the ten award categories which, in the Premier’s opinion, showcases exemplary innovation in sustainability, and has shown particular leadership and determination in overcoming obstacles.
Education Sustainability Award:
For the development and delivery of educational programs and institutional practices that address and contribute to a more sustainable Victoria for current and future generations.
Education Sustainability Award
WINTERS FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL
has won the
PARKS VICTORIA ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AWARD…CONGRATULATIONS!
MOMENTUM ENERGY WEB PAGE COMPETITION
COMMUNITY WASTE POSTERS made with Mt Alexander Shire Council and Winters Flat PS Community Leaders
LA TROBE UNIVERSITY VISITS WFPS
Parents Victoria Conference
Winters Flat Primary School Valonia Oaks Planting Day 2016
COMMUNITY DAY 2016
Video Clip of WFPS Community Day 2016
(please see link above for footage of Winters Flat PS Community Day 2016)
WFPS Win News feature – Community Day 2016
(please see link above for Winters Flat PS Community Day 2016 on Win News 2016)
Bendigo Advertiser WFPS feature article on Community Day 2016
(please see above link for Winters Flat PS feature article in Bendigo Advertiser 2016
WINTERS FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL IN ACTION 2015
WINTERS FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL IS FEATURED IN THE AEU NEWS
2015
WINTERS FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL IS FEATURED IN THE SHIRE NEWS
WINTERS FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL has now reached 5 STARS – NOVEMBER 2015!
RESOURCESMART 2015 AWARD WINNERS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
(please see above link for WFPS on Win News – ResourceSmart school of the Year 2015)
WINNER – RESOURCESMART SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – Winters Flat Primary School, Castlemaine.
WINNER – RESOURCESMART WASTE SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – Winters Flat Primary School, Castlemaine
WINNER – RESOUCESMART ENERGY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR -Winters Flat Primary School,Castlemaine
WINNER – RESOURCESMART TEACHER OF THE YEAR – Jeanette McMahon, Winters Flat Primary School, Castlemaine
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WHOLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY ON ALL YOUR HARD WORK!
WINTERS FLAT PS FEATURED IN THE BENDIGO ADVERTISER 2015
SUSTAINABILITY ASSEMBLY with members from our local community
SCHOOL UPDATE August 2015
Winters Flat Primary School achieved their FIRST STAR in December 2014. We are now getting certified for 3 STARS and fast approaching 5 STARS.
We are entering the ResourceSmart School Awards in all categories – Waste, Water, Energy, Biodiversity, Student Led Action Team, Community Leadership and Teacher. Good luck Winters Flat!
The Student Leadership Program – Community Leaders have made some amazing achievements this year. Thanks for all your hard work, passion and commitment. The future is in very good hands. Please see our Student Leadership tab for more details.
Community Leaders 2015
Background Information In term 1, Winters Flat Primary School signed up to a program called ‘ResourceSmart‘. In 2011, the Victorian Government committed $8.305 million over four years to build on the existing ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Framework. ResourceSmart is a framework that is embedded into a school’s culture, which promotes and supports Sustainability. Winters Flat Primary School is working towards achieving ‘5 STAR Sustainability Certification’. We will achieve this by completing 5 modules covering – Water, Energy, Waste, Biodiversity and Leadership. All parents were invited to support us, and a group of teachers and parents have formed together and have been meeting monthly. The group was introduced to the whole school at Assembly on Monday, 5th of August. We are making pleasing progress with some really important conversations taking place. All classes will be involved with students driving all programs/activities. For an overview of our goals towards achieving 5 STAR Sustainability, follow the link to view Winters Flat PS’ Strategic Environment Management Plan: SEMP Winters Flat Sustainability Group – Timeline of our Journey Click on the link below to read about all the ideas, projects and changes that have been achieved by the Winters Flat community since starting on the road towards 5 Star Sustainability Certification… Winters Flat Sustainability Group-Timeline of our Journey
What’s your Ecological Footprint?
The EPA has a great website that allows households to calculate their ecological footprint – that is, the impact they leave upon the earth and its resources just by their day-to-day lifestyles. This colourful, interactive program is a worthwhile activity to do with the whole family. Using the link below, take the time to sit down together and watch as your choice of car, home, etc are converted into black balloons and football ovals, to name a few, in an easy-to-understand explanation of our lasting effect on our planet.
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/ecologicalfootprint/
Jeanette calculated the ecological footprint of Winters Flat Primary School, which provides both an interesting eye-opener and a concrete goal for the Sustainability Group and all of us at Winters Flat to work towards changing.
Follow the link: Winters Flat Primary School’s Ecological Footprint
A very special thank you to Denise for all her help in setting up the Winters Flat Sustainability WordPress website!
Winters Flat Sustainability Group 