St Monica’s wants other schools to follow their lead

St Monica’s wants other schools to follow their lead

Students, parents and teachers at St Monica’s are aiming to set the bar high with the introduction of soft plastics recycling to their already extensive recycling program. This enables students to reduce their impact on the environment and take action for a sustainable future. Fosterville Gold Mine was excited to support the school with these grand plans.

The children have been showing great dedication to the new program and the reason is quite simple according to Grade one student, George Sheldon ... “Because it’s good for the planet!” 

An extensive recycling regime has been established, including cardboard boxes, paper, bread tag collection, worm farms, a prominent bin presence and most recently the introduction of soft plastics recycling.

When grade four student, Harry Sheldon was asked whether he was happy that his school was working hard to recycle all the waste at St Monica’s, he said: “Yes, because we are doing stuff that other schools aren’t and they might copy us”. 

Fiona Dearn, Principal at St Monica’s Primary School, Kangaroo Flat said, “We are so proud of how the students have embraced all they are being taught and becoming more conscious of the benefits of adopting more sustainable behaviours.”

St Monica’s Parents and Friends Committee (P&FC) are also very engaged in supporting the school’s environmental efforts and decided the next step to help the students would be to introduce soft plastics recycling. 

“We applied for one of Fosterville Gold Mine’s Community Grants and were very excited to be awarded the grant,” Cindy enthused. 

FGM was proud to support the expansion of St Monica’s recycling program with a Community Grant, the funding allowed the school to purchase 18 small bins for classrooms (and staff room) and three large bins for the playground. The P&FC then ran workshops with all the students to explain the hows and whys of soft plastics recycling and the students haven’t looked back since.  

We look forward to hearing more about the program in the future and seeing other schools follow St Monica’s lead.