Otago Enviroschools Have Reasons to Celebrate

This is a year of celebration for Enviroschools in Otago for two reasons.

Opoho Primary School recently became a Green-Gold Enviroschool
To celebrate this achievement, the first for Otago, Mayor, Dave Cull and Councillor Jinty MacTavish, will present the school with a sign and the Green-Gold flag in recognition of the work over the past 11 years.
The Green-Gold Reflection Process, which took place at the school last month, was a day-long process and included the school’s Envirogroup, The Fantails, members of the Board of Trustees, the principal and key teacher, a member of the Enviroschools National Team, Otago Enviroschools team members and a former student envirogroup member
The Fantails presented the school’s awa (river) illustrating the school’s journey from its Enviroschools beginnings in 2000. It was a very impressive record of environmental and community action, which the school continues to take. This was followed by a tour of the school, detailing of the practices and systems that are implemented, and a presentation of 10 years of off-site action at Dundas Bush.
The visitors from outside Dunedin were hugely impressed by the understanding and implementation of aspects of sustainable practice, as well as the understanding current students have about the actions and processes previous students undertook at the school. Also impressive was the Board of Trustees’, school management and students’ steadfast determination to deepen their vision for Opoho School and its community.
A Green-Gold Enviroschool is one where environmental sustainability is part of all decisions; inquiry and action in the school is mainly led by students with strong support from adults; school members know they can effect change for a sustainable world; they can show they are making a difference; Māori perspectives are enriching their kaupapa (purpose).

Enviroschools celebrates its 10 anniversary as a nationwide movement
Monday 5 December marks the 10th anniversary of Enviroschools as a nationwide movement. Local schools have been asked to celebrate around that date in their own way at this very busy time in the school year.
Enviroschools began as a seed-funded programme in the Waikato, and from its beginnings in primary schools, it now incorporates the Kura Māori, early childhood and secondary school sectors. In Dunedin, eight of the 12 secondary schools are enviroschools. Enviroschools is funded through local councils and in Dunedin through the Dunedin City Council.