Students involved in the Gardenator Club, a Tuesday lunchtime activity managed and run by a group of dedicated parents. Photo / Dean Taylor
Students involved in the Gardenator Club, a Tuesday lunchtime activity managed and run by a group of dedicated parents. Photo / Dean Taylor
Pirongia School is proud of the gains it is making through the Enviroschools programme - so proud it held a Reflection Day this term to show the community.
Principal Kelly Bicknell said every team in the school is engaged in environmental education, shown the way superbly, and with passion and dedication, by lead teacher Deanne Wilson.
Reflection Day guests included representatives from Enviroschools, Waipā District Council, the Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society, Trees for Survival, active supporters and parents in the community, Predator Free Pirongia, Pirongia School Board of Trustees and the school’s previous principal Jan Cullen and teacher Sandra-Lee.
Addressing guests, Wilson said this is our place, Pirongia School, nestled at the doorstep of Pirongia te aroaro o kahu.
“We could not ask for a better environment to learn and grow from and what we do and value at Pirongia School is reflected in our programmes and practises,” she said.
Wilson said the school worked in partnerships and collaboration and takes a whole school approach, new entrants to Year 8s.
The Pirongia Enviroschool Gardenator Club's garden is flourishing. Photo / Dean Taylor
She said they were proud of what had been accomplished.
“It is a whole team effort of people working together collectively for a common purpose.
“We are a living example of a whole-school approach to environmental education and action with everything we do woven naturally into our school life.”
Wilson said people had come and gone over time, but the ideals of the programme have remained strong.
Kahikatea team students explaining their kaitiaki mural to guests. Photo / Dean Taylor
She took the opportunity to thank those people who had set Pirongia School on the path and kept it moving forward.
She also thanked the students for putting on an incredible reflection day, right from the invitation design, documenting the day, setting up, haka pōwhiri, Kapa haka, jump jam, gardenators and team presentations, through to the celebration assembly.
“Thank you also to all our teachers who have supported our students to be capable and confident contributors.”
During the day Kahikatea team students explained their kaitiaki mural to guests.
It reflected some of their service roles, including weekly waste collection and recycling, feeding and caring for chickens, collecting suitable food scraps for the worm farms and checking and keeping the school’s sharing shed tidy.
Tawa students participated in the Trees for Survival programme, potting up over 800 native plugs for the 2025 growing season.
A number of students involved in the Gardenator Club were active in the garden.
The group is open to all students from Year 1 through to Year 8 and takes place every Tuesday at lunchtime.
The club is managed and run by dedicated school parents and community members and the school is grateful for the contribution and opportunities they offer students. The group has great plans for this to expand in 2025.
Students of all ages are part of the Gardenator Club. Photo / Dean Taylor
Also in the garden were Kawaka students, sharing their recently developed Rongoa garden.
It is an exciting project and Kawaka has great plans for the future, including it being a legacy project for all Year 8 students who graduated from Pirongia School.
Kahikatea students led guests through a hidden treasures tour, explaining each monumental part of our school.
They also shared their inquiry projects, which varied from climate control to the ecological corridor and pest control on Matakitaki pa.
“It was fabulous watching the different ways they presented their learning through dance, drama, poster boards and writing,” said Wilson.
Rata students (the juniors) shared their learning about Tiger Worms and how to keep their habitats at school healthy.
They also shared facts about native birds tui, kea, kakapo and kiwi and introduced a new soft plastic recycling system that was implemented at school the next day.
At the celebration assembly, there was entertainment and more presentations.
Senior kapa haka performing as the school and guests gathered for the Enviroschool Celebration assembly. Photo / Dean Taylor
The winning Jump Jam team showed why they were heading to the nationals and senior kapa haka performed as students and guests gathered for the event.
Room 5 used music to creatively share the results of their recent school waste audit.
The aim was to further minimise the amount of Pirongia School waste going into landfill.
Kahikatea Team Room 5 teacher Michele Tyer leads her class in a musical presentation of a school waste audit. Photo / Dean Taylor
A range of options are offered, including; collecting food scraps for the worms and chickens, paper and cardboard recycling, and plastic, glass, tin and soft plastic recycling.
Wilson said it was an absolute delight seeing the Enviroschool Kaupapa woven through all aspects of the New Zealand Curriculum and shared with the community.
