Enviroschools facilitators delivered six new signs to early childhood education centres around Tairāwhiti this week. Tairāwhiti Enviroschools regional coordinator Charlotte Phelps said the signs were gifted to the centres to reflect their commitment to the Enviroschools programme over the past year.
Up until the last 12 months, the Tairāwhiti Enviroschools programme had been based in primary, intermediate and secondary schools. Ms Phelps said last year, for the first time in the 15 years the programme has been running, Tairāwhiti Enviroschools expanded to early childhood centres.
Thumbs up at Rewanui!
Rakakao ECE tamariki are excited about their learning and action.
“Having early childhood centres get involved in the programme has been great. It’s a completely different style of learning and it’s awesome to see the progress happening at these centres. These centres are creating change — change for their students, their teachers and their community.” – Charlotte Phelps Regional Coordinator Tairāwhiti Enviroschools
Rewanui, Barnardos, The Farmyard, Knox Street Kindergarten, Montessori and Rakakao Kindergarten were all recipients of the new signs.
“It was really neat to deliver the signs and see the excitement on the kids’ faces. They took us around their centres and showed us their vege gardens, their native trees and their worm farms. The teachers were proud — proud to be involved and proud to have their mahi recognised.” – Charlotte Phelps Regional Coordinator Tairāwhiti Enviroschools
Tairāwhiti Enviroschools is led by the Gisborne District Council with support from the Williams Trust, Eastland Port and the Toimata Foundation. A total of 31 schools and seven early childhood centres are involved in the programme.
This article was first published in Gisborne Herald: Enviroschools signs for littlies (gisborneherald.co.nz)
The sign will be secured at Montessori ECE so that everyone knows about the commitment to the Enviroschools kaupapa.
So proud of their sign at The Farmyard ECE!
Bernados centre tamariki look at where they could attach the sign to celebrate being an Enviroschools.