Stanhope Road School is now officially an Enviroschool and we are very excited to begin our Enviroschools journey.
Please see below and visit http://www.enviroschools.org.nz/ for more information.
Enviroschools is an action-based education programme where young people plan, design and implement sustainability projects and become catalysts for change in their families, and within the wider New Zealand community. Enviroschools engages with children, young people and their communities through the formal education system of early childhood education (ECE) centres, primary and secondary schools. Built on a collaborative organisational model, Enviroschools is supported by a network of over 90 agencies, with councils making up the core of the network. The programme operates nationwide and is supported by 16 Regional Coordinators and over 120 Facilitators. Enviroschools was launched as a nationally available programme in 2001. Since then the network has continued to grow and expand. It now embraces over 1100 schools and ECE centres, representing more than a third of schools and 5% of the large ECE sector. Some key aspects of the Enviroschools Programme are: Enviroschools is a facilitated process. Every Enviroschool is supported by a Facilitator who works with schools and centres to motivate, advise, support and guide their vision for a sustainable future. Enviroschools is a holistic framework for learning. A whole school/centre approach that follows a process of exploration, planning, action and reflection about sustainability. This learning process empowers students to take meaningful action in their local environment. Enviroschools is a long-term journey. There is no set time in which to 'do' Enviroschools. Each journey is unique and usually develops from small beginnings, gaining strength and depth over time. Ongoing reflection is an essential part of the Enviroschools journey, and there are three reflection stages - Bronze, Silver and Green-Gold. Enviroschools is grounded in Māori Perspectives. The programme honours and celebrates the value of indigenous knowledge in enriching and guiding learning and action. Enviroschools is about sharing knowledge. Local, regional and national Enviroschools events provide opportunities for all participants to increase their learning about sustainability, from each other and the diverse range of expertise in the wider community.
