21 Nov 08 - Casuarina Joins Waterwise School Roll Call

The Casuarina Steiner School in Coffs Harbour has been officially recognised as a 'Waterwise School' after the students immersed themselves in water studies.

Coffs Harbour Water has joined with water authorities in Kempsey Shire and Clarence Valley to pioneer the WA Water Corporation's Waterwise Schools Program in local schools, which brings water conservation into the classroom at every opportunity. The Casuarina Steiner School is the fourth school in the Coffs Harbour local government area to receive the waterwise accreditation.

"The students at the Casuarina Steiner School can now consider themselves ambassadors for the waterwise message," said Councillor John Arkan, who made the official presentation.

"Teaching our children at the earliest opportunity that water is our most precious resource and should never be wasted, will be a message that will stay with them - hopefully for life," he said.

The Waterwise Schools Program takes a whole-of-school, long-term approach to addressing water sustainability issues with students and provides teaching support to ensure ongoing and fun delivery. The program links Waterwise issues to the curriculum studied by students across all major learning areas. It also promotes active citizenship and encourages community/school involvement and education.

As well as undertaking activities to investigate the properties of water, water health, water conservation, water cycles and waterways protection, the school split students into teams which carried out environmental audits of the school's use of water, electricity and waste.

"The audits are a way to introduce the children to the concept of collecting and collating data from the natural and built surroundings. The data from the audits provides the basis for further discussion on how to improve the natural and built surroundings and environmental footprint in general," said Ruth Lindsell, the school's Waterwise Program Coordinator.