22 June 2022

The community of St Joseph’s School, Sorrento, have had their hard work acknowledged when the school became a finalist for the ResourceSmart School of the Year Award.

The school is a three-star ResourceSmart School with a proven track record of increasing biodiversity within its grounds, despite 90 per cent of the school having hard surfaces. Guided by Sustainability Leader Jane Byrne and supported by Principal Monica O’Shannassy, the school was highly commended for its involvement in many sustainability initiatives, including:

• Green Gang student leader group
• Nude Food school status
• Hooded Plover support group
• Sorrento Boomerang Bags support
• Dolphin Research Institute student team
• Clean Up Australia Day
• P−6 Environmental Stewardship education program.

‘Students from all levels are involved in all aspects of our garden’s design, planting, maintenance, mulching and watering’, said Jane. ‘Through these actions, they gain an understanding of caring and learning about the life cycles of plants, flora, fauna and insects. We are committed to increasing our biodiversity at St Joseph’s and learning how to care for the environment through our Stewardship programs.’

Becoming a finalist in the ResourceSmart Schools Awards was the latest in a long list of acknowledgements. The school has also received a Victorian Schools Garden Program award for Demonstrated Improvement of Green Space, a Mornington Peninsula Shire Climate Action Grant and two Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants, which have been put to good use in garden projects