Southern Suburbs BM; Tuesday, 7th February 2012; Gymea NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Castle Hill; Monday, 13th February 2012; 4:30-6:30 pm read more

Hunter Valley BM; Monday, 13th February 2012; New Lambton NSW; 5:00 pm. read more

Northern Suburbs BM; Monday, 13th February 2012; Cammeray NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Central Metropolitan BM; Tuesday, 14th February 2012; Burwood NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

PIP Cyber Savvy - Dee Why; Wednesday 15 February 2012; 4:30-6:30 pm read more

South Coast BM; Wednesday, 15th February 2012; Woonona NSW; 6:45 pm. read more

Penrith Blue Mountains BM; Wednesday, 15th February 2012; Penrith NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Metropolitan East BM; Wednesday, 15th February 2012; Randwick NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Central Coast BM; Thursday, 16th February 2012; Gosford NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

IEU Reps Training Day - Tamworth; Friday 17 February 2012; 9:15-3:15pm read more

Mid North Coast BM; Friday, 17th February 2012; Nambucca Heads NSW; 6:00 pm. read more

South East Branch Meeting; Friday, 17th February 2012; Griffith NSW; 6:00 pm. read more

Riverina BM; Friday, 17th February 2012; Wagga Wagga NSW; 7:30 pm. read more

North West Branch Meeting; Friday, 17th February 2012; Tamworth NSW; 5:30 pm. read more

Principals BM; Saturday, 18th February 2012; IEU Office Parramatta; 10:00 am. read more

Cumberland BM; Monday, 20th February 2012; IEU Office Parramatta; 4:30 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Sydney City; Monday 20 February 2012; 4.30 - 6.30pm read more

Ku-ring-gai BM; Thursday, 21st February 2012; Hornsby NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

IEU Reps Training Day - Orange, Friday 24 Feb 2012; 9.15 to 3.15 read more

North Coast BM; Wednesday, 22nd February 2012; IEU Office Lismore; 5:00 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Revesby Heights; Wednesday 22 February 2012; 4:30-6:30pm read more

Monaro BM; Thursday, 23rd February 2012; Barton ACT; 4:15 pm. read more

Lansdowne BM; Thursday, 23rd February 2012; Fairfield NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Central Western BM; Friday, 24th February 2012; Orange NSW; 7:30 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Forbes; Monday 27 February 2012; 4.30-6.30 read more

StColumbans_inside [stcolumbans_inside_1.jpg]

St Columban's Turns Tide On Sludge

The lack of a tidal waterway is proving no barrier to a successful Waterwatch program at St Columban’s Mayfield, where a stormwater drain provides ample challenges for staff and students alike, writes IEU Journalist Tara de Boehmler.

The first time IEU Member and St Columban’s Teacher Michael Cashmere took his Year 4 class to the open drain, his students were “pretty disgusted” with how residents, businesses and even some local council practices were polluting it.

“Our school is in an urban setting and our nearest ‘creek’ is actually a concrete drain — part of Throsby Creek — which feeds into the harbour. It’s not a healthy environment and the first time we went there we found shopping trolleys, plastic bags, paper, glass, computer circuit boards and household waste. It was slimy and there was graffiti all over it,” he says.

Ongoing tests

To keep students out of the “hostile environment”, Michael appointed himself sole sampler and ever since has made a weekly trip back to the site to secure a portion for testing and check the temperature.

Students test pH levels, electrical conductivity and turbidity of the water sample. They upload the data to the Hunter Waterwatch site each week. Michael’s students are also passionate about ridding the waterway of refuse.

“Today we’re concerned with Newcastle City Council mowing the lawn as clippings are thrown back into the stormwater drain, gets washed down the creek and depletes the oxygen for the shrimp.

“At the moment students are writing to Council asking them to consider getting a new lot of mowing implements, that they get grass catchers put on and recycle the clippings into compost for use by the public.”

The class is also asking for bins to be picked up on Mondays to collect broken glass that accumulates in the park on weekends and there is a permanent oil slick from one of the businesses which they’d like stopped.

Keen to educate

Now that Michael’s students understand the link between the health of this drain the plight of mangroves, crabs, prawns and other Throsby Creek residents, and what ends up in the harbour, they are keen to educate others.

They’re creating billboard-style works as part of a Newcastle Council art competition, writing community education scripts for cleaning up Throsby Creek and are looking at avenues for an online video campaign.

“This is hands-on fun and the kids don’t realise it’s schoolwork, yet we’re covering Science, Maths, Drama, Art and everything. They are thinking, hypothesising and planning.”

As they start to see how they can make a difference, their enthusiasm is multiplying.

“The other day in class the kids were yelling out ideas for who we should write to. One of them suggested the Lord Mayor, and another said to send it over to Kevin Rudd.”

Positive boost

Michael says the program has the potential to improve the health of Throsby Creek and the harbour while also providing a boost to students.
“In this disadvantaged environment we are in, it is amazing for them to see the positive impact they are having.“

Staff commitment

St Columban’s Mayfield Principal and IEU Member Michael Doyle says Michael Cashmere is one of a number of teachers at St Columban’s who are innovative in their teaching of primary science and environment education.

A relationship being developed with the CSIRO Energy Technology Group based at Mayfield West is also cause for excitement, he says, with scientists working on renewable technologies and intelligent energy management.

“Through the CSIRO Scientists in Schools Project, our senior primary teachers and children will be visiting scientists in their workplace and the scientists will be visiting the school.”

Other programs conducted by the school include vegetable and herb gardens, breeding and raising chickens (with all produce going to the school canteen), worm farms to recycle vegetable scraps, frog ponds, bird breeding, regeneration projects in the local area and testing water and surveying bugs at the Shortland Wetlands.

The school will also benefit from a combined school Hunter Water program which will make $1000 available for tree planting, educative signs and an end of project celebration.

Michael Doyle says most primary schools embed sustainability initiatives into daily life but teachers require the time and space to tap into its potential.

“The interest in environmental education by primary teachers is one avenue for the teaching of science, which can be neglected in an overcrowded primary curriculum.”