It is with great excitement that we can announce that MLMC has been officially recognised as a four-star school. The awarding of our fourth star reflects the many initiatives undertaken within the College under the guidance of the Victorian State Government’s ResourceSmart Schools initiative.
At MLMC, our aim is to become a sustainable school that acts as a living example by teaching and embodying eco-friendly initiatives that reduce our environmental impact.
MLMC has now completed the Core, Energy, Water and Biodiversity modules, with the focus this year of earning our fifth star. Our efforts will be directed toward waste reduction and the recycling of organic matter into compost that will in turn be utilised in the College’s vegetable plots. Once this and other initiatives are introduced we will be acknowledged as a five-star school.
Our first star was awarded as a Core introductory module that:
- ensures the College has policies and procedures that will embed sustainability into its curriculum across the year levels
- educates staff and students on minimising the use of water, energy and waste.
The second star was for our work to engage the community on sustainability issues and provide opportunities for people to get involved. The third star related to our integration of sustainability knowledge and practices into our campus, curriculum and community strategies.
An example of embedding sustainability into the curriculum is the College's participation in the Melbourne Water River Detectives program, whereby Year 7 students are involved in testing the quality of the water in nearby Olinda Creek (pictured) and sharing their data on a database that monitors our Victorian waterways. The College has also installed solar panels, with the assistance of VCAL and Science students constructed a frog pond that uses water run-off and provides habitat for Banjo frogs, there are recycling bins as well as bins for composting organic material placed around the College, outdoor plastic seating is constructed from recycled materials and students get involved tree planting during Sustainability Week each winter.
To be recognised as a ResourceSmart School the College has to submit baseline data regarding our water and energy consumption. This data ensures the College can record continuous improvement in its attempts to reduce resource use, make cost savings, integrate sustainability into the curriculum and celebrate achievements with the wider College community.
As I hand the reins to our new Sustainability Leader, Miss Bree Burke, I look forward to working with her and the College's staff and students in achieving our goal of earning our fifth star.
