Waikawa Bay School Reflect at Silver
Students at Waikawa Bay School lead an enthusiastic reflection this term and all that attended decided that the school was, without doubt, a Silver Enviroschool!
The school’s vision for Enviroschools is ‘Living and Learning the Waikawa Way: Immersed in our natural world, watch us grow and make a change!’. Students at Waikawa Bay School are certainly immersed in their natural world. Senior students check, clear and rebait the trapline every other day, and record their catch data to measure their impact. Students take part in ‘bush school’ every week: learning and playing at and in their local beaches, rivers and forests. All students spend time planting, weeding, harvesting and learning in the edible gardens. Over the last few years, nearly all of the students have taken part in river studies at the nearby Waikawa Stream, and have learnt about why it is important that only rain goes down the drain. Students have spent time in nature at Kaipupu Point and at Momorangi, and have learnt about what makes these places so special.
The school stands firmly in its community, with strong connections between school life and the surrounding environment, the extended school whānau, the nearby Waikawa Marae and local organisations and places like Kaipupu Point Wildlife Sanctuary and Envirohub Marlborough. It is clear that much of the learning that happens at the school is being transferred on to whānau and the wider community. Helping with the school pest trapping project had led to students having pest traps at home or volunteering in community trapping projects. School beach clean-ups have inspired students and their families to take part in weekend community clean-ups. The respect and care that these children show for their living planet is spreading far beyond the school gate.
An important part of reflection is identifying the next steps…students at Waikawa Bay School have some big plans and we can’t wait to see them happen!
Mahi tika ana – great work team!