Winters Flat Primary School
Strategic Environment Management Plan
Overview of our goals 2014 - 2015:
Operations, Curriculum and Whole School Community
WASTE
WATER
ENERGY
BIODIVERSITY
ONGOING
ONGOING
ONGOING
ONGOING
Target 5% Reduction
Target 5% Reduction
Target 5% Reduction
Greenhouse emissions - 0
Target 5% Increase – including
Local/community projects
OPERATIONS
Phase One:
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Sign up and enter data into
SETS
Review current systems and
areas for improvement
Zero waste policy introduced
Phase One:
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Sign up and enter data
into SETS
Check all water tanks and
there connections to
toilets and garden use.
Phase One:
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Sign up and enter data into
SETS
Apply for Energy Grant
Junior School Council
student to make signage for
Phase One:
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Sign up and enter data into
SETS
Make a list of school
programs / structures
already in place.
2
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(students take all rubbish
home) – reduce rubbish bins
around school.
Student reward system in
place for litter management
e.g. weekly Kooka awards etc.
Make contact with Rachael
from Waste Management
Start discussions with
students about our schools
waste and set some goals /
direction.
Create awareness through
sessions with staff and
students about our current
systems and our need for
serious change.
Run information sessions with
staff and students about new
waste system – 3 bins
(Recycle, Compost and
Rubbish) and what belongs in
each bin. E.g. food only in
compost, not in rubbish bins
etc.
Get students to make signs
for all bins in every room in
the school, each sign to
clearly state what belongs in
each bin.
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Fix up any leaks.
Sign up Schools Water
Efficiency program
(SWEP)
Contact Rob from Coliban
Water about information,
water audit, support
Junior School Council
students to make signs
for all taps around
school.
Fix leaking pipes and old
taps, drinkers etc
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Phase Two:
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Conduct water audit with
students involvement
Increase capacity of
storage (more tanks) –
have sufficient supply
Create water monitoring
system with student
action team
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Formulate a Green
Purchasing Policy
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Formulate a School
Sustainability Policy
Phase Three:
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
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all light switches around
school.
Revisit turn off & shut down
regimes – computers, lights
etc.
Turn off all computers,
heaters etc. over weekends
and holidays.
Investigate using building
manual and local architect
about windows opening and
closing in new building.
Heating & cooling settings
marketed via thermometers
and signage in classrooms to
18(heat) & 25(cool)
Local Architect to run
information sessions with
students and staff about
new building.
Clean and run general
maintenance on schools solar
panels.
Complete an EPA
EcoFootprint of the campus
(www.epa.vic.gov.au).
Complete school footprint
and have each individual
complete their own footprint.
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Develop and implement
biodiversity audit for school
grounds conducted by the
students.
Develop an integrated
Native/indigenous planting
guide for school grounds,
including bird & butterfly
attracting designs
Continue planting of culinary
plants, such as vegetables
and herbs, orchard and an
indigenous culinary garden
Maintain veggie gardens and
link with Stephanie
Alexander Cooking program
Plant more native grasses
Phase Two:
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Adopt and become stewards
of the local waterways and
wetland
Potted plants for
‘beautification’ of
classrooms, front office
Further develop the
propagation area – natives to
planted out on local farms
(2014 National Tree Planting
Day)
3
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Get Junior School Council
students to zone school areas
for classes to be responsible
for. Make awards for most
cared for area (Kooka
Awards).
Zero target for food scraps
going to landfill – goal set,
still achieving
Maintain compost system
from all classrooms, staff
room and kitchen.
Maintain chooks as part of
the waste management
system
Large objects of garden
waste chipped on or off site
and used as mulch on school
gardens
All printing to be double
sided or already printed
paper
Minimisation practices in
place for classrooms (e.g.
reduction in photocopying
handouts, regular photocopy
free days)
Continue to encourage
FlatChat by email for all
families.
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Look at watering system
for gardens
All gardens to be planned
and operated using
WaterWise principles
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
Phase Two:
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Conduct energy audit
involving students and
develop Carbon neutral policy
& vision. (Energy Grant)
Increase use of curtains /
blinds for all windows to help
with heating and cooling.
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Increase of awnings at north
facing windows
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Investigate Solar Innovation
grants
Manage air flow through
design of both classroom
wings – students to carry out
regular assessments
Plan for possible
implementation of flat screen
monitors for all computers
Urn timer to be programmed
for staff room
Investigate use of windturn
binds for use of running
school.
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Formulate a Green
Purchasing Policy
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Formulate a School
Sustainability Policy
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Formulate a Green
Purchasing Policy
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Formulate a School
Sustainability Policy
4
Phase Two:
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Goal for paperless Flatchat
distribution
Use recycled paper in
printers and photocopier
Conduct audit of waste and
litter including skip audits
(volume & frequency)
Open dialogue with cartage
contractor
Reduce amount of copy paper
and newspapers purchased
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Default programming of
duplexer for printers to
reduce paper wastage
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Formulate a Green
Purchasing Policy

Formulate a School
Sustainability Policy
CURRICULUM
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WASTE
WATER
ENERGY
Phase One:
Phase One:
Phase One:
Conduct school review on
what’s already being covered
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Conduct school review on
what’s already being covered
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group

Conduct school review on
what’s already being covered
BIODIVERSITY
Phase One:
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Conduct school review on
what’s already being covered
with teachers.
5
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with teachers.
Explore AusVels and its
overview of Waste across all
areas, mapping a progression
plan and listing resources.
Using SETS as a curriculum
activity to monitor progress
in waste reduction in the
school
Contact Rachael - Regional
Education Officer with the
Calder Waste Management
group – to run sessions with
students.
Excursions to Castlemaine
Landfill and Bendigo Material
Recovery Yard
Continue to run discussions
about our lunch orders and
how to reduce rubbish.
Gather educational resources
on waste e.g. scholastic,
LandCare program, Local
council etc
Run bin audits conducted by
the students – making sure
the bins are being used
correctly.
Use Chooks or worms as an
integral part of system &
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with teachers.
Explore AusVels and its
overview of Water across all
areas, mapping a progression
plan and listing resources.
Using SETS as a curriculum
activity to monitor progress
in water reduction in the
school
Contact Rob – Coliban Water
Education Officer – to run
sessions with students.
Look into where our water
comes from and how it is
used across the state
Introduce themes related to
water conservation across all
year levels – Save Water
message
Gather educational resources
on water e.g. scholastic, Land
Care, Land learn program,
Local council, Coliban
educational resources etc
Investigate and support all
environmental events – local,
state etc (Water Week
poster competition 2013)
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Implement Whole school
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
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Phase Two:
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Phase Two:
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with teachers.
Explore AusVels and its
overview of Energy across all
areas, mapping a progression
plan and listing resources.
Using SETS as a curriculum
activity to monitor progress
in energy reduction in the
school
Revisit Energy Monitors for
all classrooms
Continue climate change
related activities in all
discipline areas
Complete school EPA
footprint
Student conducted EPA
footprint at home
Gather educational
resources on energy e.g.
scholastic, Land Care, Land
learn program, Local council
etc
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Implement Whole school
curriculum progression covering all modules across
all areas to start in 2014
Student led energy audits in
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Explore AusVels and its
overview of Biodiversity
across all areas, mapping a
progression plan and listing
resources.
Using SETS as a curriculum
activity to monitor progress
in biodiversity in the school
Student led biodiversity
audit in schoolyard (4/5F
2013)
Students monitor and record
bird box activity.
Further develop propagation
and planting activities
(Friends of Campbells Creek
Seed planting 2014)
Consolidate ‘Biodiversity’
themes in core curriculum
areas including coastal,
wetlands, forest (temperate
& rain) deserts and urban as
well as Australian Animals
Gather educational resources
on water e.g. scholastic, Land
Care, Land learn program,
Local council etc
Create and implement 6
season indigenous calendar
Continue to create and
6
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waste curriculum
Run recycling activities with
students
Phase Two:
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Implement Whole school
curriculum progression covering all modules across
all areas to start in 2014
Local shire waste officers
work in school (2014 Rachel
Mainprize)
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curriculum progression covering all modules across
all areas to start in 2014
Student led water use and
water quality audits in
classrooms
classrooms
document local indigenous
stories, bush tucker, plant
and animal names etc.
Phase Three:
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Participate in Energy and
Solar Challenges
Phase Two:
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Implement Whole school
curriculum progression covering all modules across
all areas to start in 2014
Conduct a bird census of
school and surrounds
Devise and promote frog bog
activities, indigenous garden
walk
Adopt a channel, road side
verge or park
Whole School Community
WASTE
WATER
ENERGY
BIODIVERSITY
Phase One:
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All policies, targets and action plans need to be approved by School Council/planning committee each year (approved for 2013, 2014)
Questions about the attitudes and changes in home Sustainability behavior included in annual parent surveys and wider school
community surveys
Parents and other members of the school community assist in the planning and management of all modules – waste, energy, water and
biodiversity.
Sustainability education in waste, energy, water and biodiversity included as a priority / focus area / emphasis in the school goals (in
School Plan, Policy, Administration and Curriculum Reviews)
Staff, students and parents attend local environmental network meetings (staff & parents attend Winters Flat Sustainability Group
meetings)
School liaises with political representatives from local, state and federal governments and local business and local ‘friends of’ groups
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
7
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for support of projects (Friends of Campbells Creek Seed Planting 2014)
Create awareness and support all local environmental events – also document and report back e.g. recycling week, earth hour, water
wise, Clean up Australia day, Tree planting day etc.
Create fortnightly tips, student work, reports, photos for FlatChat, assemblies, school council report, school annual review etc.
(uploaded on school Sustainability Blog)
Ideas and activities for being more water, waste and energy smart at home included in FlatChat to families
Students and staff open dialogue about sustainability related issues on water, waste, energy and biodiversity with other schools
across the nation and globe
Staff and/or students mentor other schools
Implement and update regularly our WintersFlat Sustainability web page
Continue to further develop and support Healthy Eating group
Phase Two:
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Increase school profile with
local community
Apply for waste reduction
related grants and/or
entered environmental
awards and competitions (e.g.
Rubbish Free Lunch Awards,
ResourceSmart Schools
Awards) and celebrate
successes
Bikes, toys and other goods
collected for reassignment
(e.g. local charity)
Used furniture collected for
resale or recycling back into
community
Start a battery recycling
Phase Two:
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Engage the expertise of
local water council & Water
Watch (Coliban Water)
Create a formal partnership
for river/waterway and wet
land protection
Promote activities with local
‘Friends of’ creek/roadside
group (Friends of Campbells
Creek)
Increase school profile
Apply for related grants,
enter environmental awards
and celebrate successes
(Water Week Poster
competition)
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
Phase Two:
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Apply for related grants,
enter environmental awards
and celebrate successes
(successful Energy Grant)
Phase Two:
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Engage the expertise of
locals – Damien, Emma,
Elaine etc – school
excursions
Increase school profile
An increase the numbers
of parents involved
school working bees
Liaise with local schools –
share information
together.
Form a partnership with
local groups and support
local Creek projects
(Friends of Campbells
Creek)
Apply for related grants,
8
program with local community
member
Ratified by School Council on 20/10/2014.
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
enter environmental
awards and celebrate
successes
9
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group
10
SEMP (Strategic Environmental Management Plan) ~ Winters Flat Sustainability Group