The "other" three Rs are as much a part of the school curriculum at Newington Primary School as the traditional three Rs of reading, writing and (a)rithmetic.
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A strong focus on environment and sustainability means reduce, reuse and recycle are also right up there in student learning.
In recent years years the school has placed sustainability in the spotlight with projects to enhance the school environment and prompt conversations both in the schoolyard and at home.
A student green team, with two representatives from each class, keep schoolmates informed about various environmental and sustainable activities going on within the school.
A kitchen garden program sees students grow, harvest and cook their own produce while student-maintained veggie and compost bins create the fertiliser needed for the garden.
Students and staff work together to maintain the chicken and duck pen at the school, and a frog bog provides a home for many frogs and insects.
The school has also integrated a yarning circle and Kadak Karndoor (snake track) to ensure inclusivity for Indigenous students and education for the school community.
"I think sustainability is a vital part of education, especially us being a PYP (International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program) school," said art and sustainability teacher Shauna Hardy.
"It's at the heart of creating active global citizens and teaching students to make decisions and choices that don't always impact on just themselves, but the broader school community, environment and the animals that inhabit our environment."
She said environmental and sustainability projects also helped students learn life skills.
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"In our program we do food safety and cooking. We are trying to educate that we can grow our own crops, and when they are ready to harvest we take them into the kitchen and use them in our cooking. Then we talk about collecting waste for compost, and using that to fertilise the garden, which creates food and creates a cycle."
The school is also hoping to open a Food is Free inspired community initiative next term, opening its outdoor learning space before and after school for compost to be dropped off or worm wee collected.
The school has been part of Sustainability Victoria's ResourceSmart Schools program for five years and will again enter the ResourceSmart Schools Awards to showcase their environmental achievements.
This year's theme, Achieving Great Things, shines a light on the accomplishments of Victoria's ResourceSmart Schools' community and is a reminder that no action is too small.
"We know there is some incredible work being done in schools from waste reduction to water saving to frog bogs and kitchen gardens that's making a difference in a multitude of ways," said Sustainability Victoria community action director Katie Pahlow.
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