Sustainability Program
At Albany Rise Primary School, we recognise the importance of sustainability and are committed to managing our resources effectively while fostering a culture of environmental responsibility within our school and wider community. Through education, action, and collaboration, we aim to create a more sustainable future for all.
Our Sustainability Journey
Since joining the Resource Smart Schools program in 2022, we have been working towards achieving a 5-star accreditation by meeting key sustainability benchmarks in:
• Curriculum – Embedding sustainability into our learning programs.
• Biodiversity – Enhancing and protecting our natural environment.
• Waste – Reducing, reusing, and recycling effectively.
• Water – Promoting responsible water usage.
• Energy – Minimising energy consumption across the school.
Indigenous Garden and Connection to Country
Albany Rise Primary School is proud to be located on Boonwurrung land, and we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land, paying our respects to their Elders—past, present, and emerging. As part of our commitment to sustainability and cultural awareness, we have created an Indigenous garden, featuring a variety of native plants that are significant to the local environment and First Nations culture.
Our Indigenous garden includes native grasses, bush foods, and flowering plants that provide habitat for local wildlife and support biodiversity. Students engage in learning experiences that explore the importance of Indigenous plants in traditional practices, sustainability, and environmental conservation. The garden also serves as a quiet, reflective space for students to connect with nature and learn about the deep relationship between the Boonwurrung people and the land.
Albany Rise Primary School is fortunate to have Marrung Leader, Kylie Szabo, who plays a vital role in supporting Indigenous education and cultural learning across our school.
Working Together for a Sustainable Future
By working together, students, staff, parents, and community members, we are making significant progress toward these goals.
Our school’s sustainability journey is a collaborative effort, bringing together students, staff, and families to create a greener future. Through hands-on learning, waste reduction, practical solutions and environmental awareness initiatives, we empower our community to take responsibility for our planet.
Student Leadership in Sustainability
Students play an active role in our recycling and waste management programs. Every Thursday morning, they take charge of walking out the bins and ensuring that waste is properly sorted. This simple but powerful routine fosters a sense of responsibility and builds lifelong environmental habits.
We are also at the beginning of our composting journey, learning how to make it work effectively within our school environment. Students and teachers will begin a routine in 2025 to deliver food/fruit scraps to compost, ensuring that we carefully monitor what is being added. A recent “yellow scissors” discovery in the compost bins sparked important conversations about waste sorting, contamination, and how composting works—shaping how we educate students on organic waste management.
Our veggie patch and gardening projects are student-led, with the environmental team selecting what to plant and learning about seasonal growth cycles. From growing tomatoes and sunflowers to observing biodiversity in the frog bog, students engage in practical experiences that connect them to nature and sustainability.
With dedicated outdoor learning experiences, such as nature walks to observe seasonal changes, sustainability is embedded in our curriculum, empowering students to take ownership of their environment.
Sustainability Awards and Recognition
In October 2024, Albany Rise received an award for the ‘Actions for Earth – School Sustainability Challenge’ This award recognizes our school’s dedication to creating a healthier environment, empowering students to lead sustainability efforts, and increasing awareness within our community.
Additionally, Albany Rise was awarded a $5,000 Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grant in 2022. These funds were used to transform an overgrown garden into an Indigenous Garden with a frog bog, enhancing biodiversity and providing hands-on learning opportunities for students. The frog bog remains one of our most valued outdoor learning spaces, offering students the chance to engage with nature, explore ecosystems, and participate in meaningful environmental education sessions.
Our Environmental Team
In 2025, we have two of our senior student leaders leading sustainability initiatives. However, as the year progresses, the Green Team will expand, welcoming students from other parts of the school, including our junior school, to further strengthen our commitment to sustainability across all year levels.
These leaders, along with classroom sustainability monitors from each year level, are driving sustainability initiatives across the school.
Our team’s key responsibilities include:
• Reducing classroom waste and encouraging sustainable habits.
• Conducting regular waste and energy audits to track and improve efficiency.
• Creating newsletter articles to inform families about sustainability efforts.
• Organizing sustainable events and promoting important environmental dates.
• Maintaining and expanding our vegetable and herb gardens to promote local food production.
As our Green Team continues to grow, we look forward to achieving even greater sustainability milestones!
Key Sustainability Initiatives
Energy Conservation
Albany Rise is committed to reducing energy consumption through:
• Motion-activated lighting in our Foundation–Grade 2 building (since 2011).
• Annual participation in Walk/Ride to School Days to reduce carbon emissions.
• Signage and reminders encouraging students and staff to turn off unused lights.
We have recently upgraded our ARC building through Sustainability Australia making substantial improvements that contribute to a more environmentally friendly school. A key achievement was recognizing the need for energy-efficient lighting, and we are proud to have taken steps to reduce energy costs while improving sustainability.
Waste Reduction & Recycling
At Albany Rise, we are continuously working to understand new waste streams and improve the way we manage and reduce waste across the school. Our goal is to implement more effective recycling and sustainability initiatives that align with best practices.
One of the key sustainability policies at our school is that we do not accept soft plastics. We do not have the facilities or avenues to remove soft plastics from the school, so any soft plastic brought in must be taken home. This is an important initiative that students will be educated on, and we encourage conversations at home about responsible waste disposal and reducing soft plastic usage.
To further enhance waste management, we are in the process of updating our recycling stations in every classroom, ensuring they have the appropriate logistics and signage to support students and staff in correctly sorting waste.
Additionally, food scraps will soon become a key part of our composting journey, helping us divert organic waste from landfill and repurpose it into valuable resources for our gardens.
Water Conservation
To ensure responsible water use, our sustainability team conducts water audits and promotes water-saving strategies, such as:
• Using two 1,000-litre rainwater tanks for garden irrigation.
• Applying sugar cane mulch and wood chips to reduce water evaporation in garden beds.
Looking ahead 2025 and beyond
Albany Rise Primary School will continue to expand its sustainability efforts in 2025 through the Resource Smart Schools Program. This government initiative helps schools reduce energy and water usage, minimize waste, and integrate sustainability into learning, empowering students to become the environmental leaders of tomorrow.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone in our school community for their support. Together, we can continue to make a difference.
Simone Cheslett,
Sustainability Coordinator
