It`s that time of year to get cosy, sip on soup and plan for a term of

Our work with schools...2 Enviroschools...3 Coming up...4
It’s that time of year to get cosy, sip on
soup and plan for a term of winter fun.
But it’s not all about being inside by the
fire. There are loads of opportunities
out there to boost your environmental
education programme and get outdoors.
Why not look into the Environmental
Enhancement Fund to help with that
community project? Or borrow a water
testing kit to explore your local stream?
We live in paradise in the Bay of Plenty.
Let’s get out and enjoy it.
Have a great term
Community Engagement Advisor
Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Environmental Scientist, Rochelle
Carter uses the clarity tube to
show water quality with students
from Pāpāmoa College.
Pāpāmoa College Year 12 Biology students recently got wet during a
fun day using the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Water Testing Kits. The
students used equipment from the kits to check out the quality of stream
water and what lives there.
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There are kits available to loan for up to two weeks at no charge
in Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatāne. The kits include all the
equipment you need and easy-to-use instructions. If you would
like to use the kits to discover what’s in your local stream with
your class, contact your closest Bay of Plenty Regional
Council office.
Teaching guides are available at
www.boprc.govt.nz/teachers
Exploring solar energy was one of the key next steps
Otonga identified in their Enviroschools reflection late
last year.
The school and Genesis Energy proudly launched
the Schoolgen Programme on the 25th May 2016.
Otonga Road Primary School is the first Schoolgen
School in Rotorua, and has the largest solar array
in the Schoolgen Programme with a total of 120
photovoltaic panels. The solar panel arrays are spread
across 4 roofs. So far, 40 percent of the school’s
electricity is solar generated. There are 6 single phase
inverters giving a total capacity of 30 kilowatts.
Clearing two hectares of weeds and establishing over
4,000 native plants in a wetland area has kept students
from Te Wharekura o Mauao busy over the past two
years.
The Wharekura took on this project to restore the
wetland next to their classrooms and received support
from the Environmental Enhancement Fund. The fund
allowed them to purchase necessary equipment, plants
and contractors while the students provided hundreds
of hours of volunteer time. A Bay of Plenty Regional
Council project officer has provided guidance to the
Wharekura throughout the process. Kūkūwai (wetland)
project has been integrated into the Wharekura
curriculum and the wetlands have become an outside
classroom for the students to develop skills and
knowledge.
Many Bay of Plenty schools and communities are keen
to actively care for the environment – but need help
to do it. Bay of Plenty Regional Council set up the
Environmental Enhancement Fund to provide seed
funding for community-based projects that;
• improve the environment;
• raise environmental awareness; and
• use the enthusiasm and skills of the community.
Students from Te Wharekura o Mauao work on their Kukuwai project with
help from the Environmental Enhancement Fund
If you would like to lea
rn more about
the Environmental Enha
ncement
Fund and how it could
aid a school/
community project, ple
ase contact
our Community Engage
ment EEF
Coordinator on 0800
884 880 x9135.
Teachers re-energise their
Enviroschools programmes
The Enviroschools Kickstart Energiser Workshop was held in Te Puke to address
teachers’ questions on school Envirogroups, as well as planning and vision mapping
for the school year. During the workshop, teachers worked through activities they
could use with their students and shared activities they had used before.
“I enjoyed getting a better understanding of Enviroschools and how it all works. We
had great discussions with other teachers,” commented Angela Donlon from Otonga
School.
Glynis from
Waiōtahe
Valley School
shares their school
vision map.
Taking the Enviroschools programme to the next level was a popular topic, with
teachers providing lots of inspiring strategies on how to embed the guiding principles
into school and class culture. The role plays on community involvement and sustaining
teacher enthusiasm had everyone giggling!
“Ideas were bounced, strategies shared and actions were planned,” noted Janie
Stevenson, Enviroschools facilitator. “It was great to see Green/Gold schools and
centres sharing with those new to the journey. All had ideas to offer and take home.”
Continuing the Green Gold Journey
A workshop to explore growing as a Green Gold Enviroschool was a popular event in
June with 16 teachers attending. There are two primary and four kindergartens who
have reflected at the Green Gold stage of their journey in the Bay of Plenty.
Each shared highlights from their Green-Gold reflection, and experiences since. Green
Gold is not the end of the journey, but a milestone, and all six are looking at ways they
can grow in their practice. Some helpful actions that the group brainstormed:
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The Reflection section of the kit, recommends that “Enviroschools will continue to
holistically reflect on their journey at least every three years” (p296 ). The process is
very clearly outlined in the ‘Reflect on Change’ section in the Enviroschools kit however
please let your facilitator know if you would like support with a structured reflection.
Enviroschools Bay of Plenty team
PO Box 364, Whakatāne 3158
Telephone: 0800 884 880
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.boprc.govt.nz
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New Enviroschools
Three local kindergartens from
the Central Kids Kindergartens
Association have recently joined
the Enviroschools Programme
in our region plus ten in the
Waikato. Their centres are spread
across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato
and Manawatu so Central Kids
has trained a small team of
teachers across these
regions to grow the
programme within
their Association in
partnership with local
councils. Welcome to
Ngongotahā, Ōpōtiki
and Fairview Park
Kindergartens!
Sustainability Options runs an environmental mentoring programme
for high schools that compliments the annual Enviro Challenge
competition and is open to any high school in Tauranga and the
Western Bay of Plenty.
The environmental mentoring programme works with students
to help inspire, encourage and guide them throughout the year
with their chosen sustainability projects. It’s free for schools to
participate thanks to support from Western Bay of Plenty District
Council and Tauranga City Council.
Students and teachers receive help with project planning,
community and council contacts, seeking funding as well as in any
other way that will help students bring their sustainability projects
to fruition or to keep them progressing into the next school year.
If you or your school is interested in the environmental mentoring
programme please contact Jo Wills at Sustainability Options on
[email protected] or 021 277 7042.
From DIY experiments, to professional development programmes,
House of Science provides a range of educational tools for the
whole community. The Science Resource Library for primary
schools is extremely popular. House of Science is administered by
Te Taumata in Rotorua and Eastbay REAP in Whakatāne where
science kits and PD for teachers are available.
For more information contact:
Tauranga: Debbie Hindman 027 337 9342 [email protected]
Kerry Gosling
Email [email protected]
or ph 0800 884 881 extn 9154
Janie Stevenson
Email [email protected]
Steph Macdonald
Email [email protected]
or ph 0800 884 881 extn 8147
Michelle Elborn
Email [email protected]
or ph 07 577 7363
Whakatāne: Jude Cornelius-Nuku 07 3084098 ext. 213 [email protected]
Rotorua: Caroline Newton 027 2460367
[email protected]
The 2016 NIWA Bay
of Plenty Science and
Technology Fair will be held:
For more information visit:
www.bopscifair.org.nz