“What does an Enviroschool look like? That’s the thing – each one is unique and has its own journey. If someone was to ask me that question, I would tell them to take a walk around Pirongia School, you will see it, but more importantly you will feel it. You are a shining light for others who are at the beginning of their journey, and an inspirational example of what can happen when a small seed is planted and allowed the time to be nurtured, so that continues to bloom as each ākonga and kaiako add their own unique perspective to a thriving kaupapa.” – Sara Taylor, Enviroschools facilitator.
The reflection and celebration provided an opportunity for many people to reconnect
Early Term 4 in 2024, saw Pirongia School community come together to share, celebrate and reaffirm their commitment to the Enviroschools kaupapa. The Holistic Reflection Day began with a mihi whakatau welcoming Enviroschools Facilitators, Regional and District Council Representatives and Councillors, and members of community groups that have been supporting learning.
The great thing about Enviroschools Reflection celebrations is that it brings the whole community together, including representatives of groups and organisations that have been instrumental in building knowledge for specific engagement and ensuring that actions taken are locally relevant, with expert support. It is a culmination of thoughtful reflection using the lens of the Enviroschools kaupapa to ask, listen, understand and share, in ways that are tamariki centric and help investigate the impact and quality of their learning and actions and affirmation that they are making a difference.
Waipa District Council was an early adopter and supporter of the Enviroschools Programme starting their funding in 2001-2002. Attending the celebration, local councillors Claire St Pierre and Dale-Maree Morgan were eager to hear students’ stories and talk about local initiatives and opportunities.
Drama was one of the entertaining ways that students shared and consolidated their learning.
The celebrations started with tamariki singing their school song with pride – the beginning of an immersive day guided by story tellers, actors, dancers, narrators, scriptwriters, politicians, comedians, ecologists, planners, teachers, artists, worm-farmers, IT experts, musicians and trappers – ākonga eager to share their perspectives on how the Enviroschools kaupapa is lived at Pirongia and woven into all aspects of school and community life.
Planning for this whole day event began at the end of Term 2, with an initial hui between Sara Taylor, Enviroschools Facilitator and Dee Wilson, Lead Teacher. A staff meeting was planned to refresh understanding of the Guiding Principles and how these were lived at Pirongia. Sara explained how the Holistic Reflection process was part of the Action Learning Cycle (ALC) and that the whole cycle could guide them in their mahi. This initial meeting was followed by 30 min fortnightly check ins with Sara, Dee and the Lead Teacher from each teaching team. The ALC was broken down so that each team (of 3-4 classes) could go away and work on that part with their tamariki and then come back and share progress.
The changes to the Enviroschools Holistic Reflection process were accepted with openness. Dee and Principal Kelly Bicknell were receptive to the new simplified way of reflection and with their facilitator Sara’s support, shared these changes with the staff, (many who had been part of the Silver Reflection).
The sharing shed is a place to leave surplus so that others can benefit.
School values help guide whole school life.
Invitations were designed and made by the students and sent to all those who have been part of the Enviroschools journey at Pirongia, including the previous lead teacher Sandra-Lee and principal, Jan, as well as facilitators, Cami and Robyn who had facilitated and supported the school through earlier reflections.
Kelly has been Principal at Pirongia School for 4 years and in her speech to the gathered school and guests talked about her vision and observations.
“One of the things I love most about our school is the incredible sense of student empowerment. It’s not uncommon for students to approach me with comments like, ‘Mrs. Bicknell, we’ve noticed…’ But they don’t stop there – they follow up with thoughtful suggestions for changes, new ideas, or improvements based on their observations. This level of ownership and initiative is something I’m incredibly proud of. It reflects the strong sense of pride and belonging our students have in Pirongia School – our school, our place.” – Kelly Bicknell, Principal
Lead teacher Dee quietly encourages everyone’s involvement.
Lead teacher Dee has been on her own journey with Enviroschools, previously teaching at Cambridge Kindergarten before grasping the opportunity to work with new entrants at Pirongia.
“People have come and gone over time, but the ideals of the programme have remained strong.” – Dee Wilson, Lead Teacher
Dee’s goal when she took over the Lead Teacher role was to see a school wide approach to Enviroschools, and organically this happened over time, thanks to many teachers, community members and parents. Enviroschools is deeply embedded in all that they do at Pirongia School.
“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”, Dee said.
The community came together to see, hear, affirm and support the continuing Enviroschools journey.
The Enviro leaders guided visitors around the 4 teams, where classes delivered rich kōrero about aspects of their learning and action including their ongoing involvement in the ‘Trees for Survival’ programme, (with some next steps to underplant the native bush area on site), and the newly establish Rongoā garden which will become an area for cross-curriculum learning, and a legacy project for the Year 8 leavers. This garden development provided a great place to install a previous legacy project of pou.
A particular strength of this kura is their connection with their community and their place, with all children through their time at school learning on, about and for Pirongia maunga, including working with Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society. Kahikatea Team, spent some time at Pirongia Lodge early in term 1, exploring what it means to show kaitiakitanga. This was a day of workshops and activities to guide them to be successful service leaders within the school.
Ākonga tell their stories about the local biodiversity.
Their learning in the later part of the year involved finding out about ‘Taiea te Taiao’ an ecological corridor connecting Pirongia to Maungatautari, supported by NZ Landcare Trust. Students have since worked with the local Predator Free group volunteers checking and baiting traps. This has helped build knowledge around pests, monitoring and control and they hope to build their own traps and begin trapping at school next year. Classes shared, through role plays and performance, their learning journey. It was a joy to watch them share their understanding through this art lens.
The visitors were guided around the school by enthusiastic students, aided by a map created by the IT class.
The ‘Treasures of Pirongia School’ tour was a highlight, with a digital map developed by ICT students. The tour showcased past students’ artwork, a visit to the māra kai to check out the weekly Tuesday lunch time Gardenators club, favourite trees, carvings, the 150th Jubilee stone, murals of the house birds, a jump jam performance, student-initiated artwork of the school values and the town bell that had been gifted to the school.
The sharing and celebration ended with a school wide assembly, where the Kapa Haka group welcomed visitors and parents. Rata, the junior team, shared their learning around native birds, and their next steps of working with Kahikatea team to identify what pests visit on the school grounds.
“We were surprised about the number of pens and felt tips in the bins” – said tamariki about the waste audit.
An opportunity to practise public speaking and present their perspective and give voice to aspirations.
Waste Audit results were presented in a first of its kind, wonderfully creative, digital slideshow accompanied by the students performing a percussion piece showing their results and impact that their waste has and ways towards change.
One student commented on how they love all the “outdoor trips we go on and the things we do to take care of Papatūānuku”.
Pirongia School look forward to the opportunity to share what they do with other Waipā and Waikato schools.
The Holistic Reflection process was a joyful, authentic celebration allowing students and kaiako to pause and reflect on all the sustainable initiatives happening at Pirongia School. This has seeded ideas for further growth and exploration and affirmed the value of and commitment to their unique journey of sustainability.
Worm farming: Some of the detail of all the sustainable actions in the school community captured in a large mural painted by students.
Pikia tō tātou Maunga: This kōhatu has journeyed from the foothills of the maunga, Pirongia to Whatiwhatihoe where King Tawhiao resided and then across the awa, Waipa to rest at the kura as a symbol of the learning journey over 150 years.
Banner image: A vibrant learning environment for the whole school community.
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