Denman Wins State Tidy School Award
Denman Public School students, staff and volunteers are excited to be formally recognised for the work they have been doing in an environmental sense at school.
The school received the School’s Environmental Achievement Award at the recent Tidy Towns awards ceremony in Murrurundi, winning the category ahead of other schools across New South Wales.
School captain Rubie-Lea Stacey said there is a lot of interest when Miss Clendinning puts the call out for helpers in the gardens.
“At assembly she will say that gardening club is on and a fair few children will come out and do some gardening with her, helping with the chooks and we have some compost bins as well,” Rubie-Lee said.
“Each class has a bin full of fruit scraps and we put it in a big bin and give it to the chickens.”
Raised garden beds, citrus trees and the popular chook pen occupy school playground space and it was these areas that captured the eye of the Tidy Towns Judge.
While not officially part of the 2020 award, the school is also involved with helping grow the critically endangered plant the Denman Pomaderris with the Department of Planning industry and Environment monitoring their growth success.
Shoots have been planted around the school and are monitored to determine the best growing conditions.
They also have a yarning circle that allows students and teachers a dedicated area to be open and honest, as well as being an alternative outdoor learning space.
Relieving assistant principal Jake Sawyer said the school was thrilled to be named the winner.
He accompanied school captains, Rubie-Lea and Haydon George, to the award ceremony in Murrurundi to accept the award.
The students were the only ones allowed time for an acceptance speech. They told the gathering that they hoped what they have started in the school grounds would be continued by the students that would come through the school in the future.
Mr Sawyer said the environmental programs was part of the whole school education program and that all students could be involved with the lunch time garden club.
He said the win would surely encourage more students to be involved.