2015

The Gore Main School Envirogroup were extremely busy over 2015.  The Tranquility Garden was the priority for the year and the group (with the help of Mr Sleeman) managed to get the space up and running for student relaxation!  Many things were achieved over the year.  We shifted smelly old compost bins to another, more suitable area.  We made mosaic stepping stones and tyre sculptures.  The School Council donated chairs (which the Envirogroup painted) so that there was a sitting space.  Also there was a sign made by Mr Udy that reads 'Tranquility Garden, this was erected in the garden.  Other classes contributed to the garden by making some garden art to beautify and add colour to the area.  The Tranquility Garden is very popular with the students and it is a great addition to Gore Main.

Here is some photos of some of the things we got up to in the development of the Tranquility Garden...

Gravel for the site where the compost bins used to be

Reach for the Stars sign

Painting tyes

Putting bricks around the fruit trees

Creating mosaic tiles

Potting Strawberry plants

Adding bright painted stones around the fruit trees

Moving the compost bins

Adding more soil around the fruit trees for the bulbs

Children playing with the tyres in the tranquility garden

Digging the mosaic tiles into the grass

Garden art

Potting strawberry plants

Moving gravel 

Reach for the Stars sign

Moving the compost bins

Moving the compost bins 

Staining the sign

Tranquility Garden Sign

Garden Art made by other classes add colour to the space

Envirogroup 2015

We have formed the Envirogroup for 2015.  This year we selected children that have shown a commitment to Gore Main School by working hard around the school.  We are looking forward to completing our Tranquility garden this year.  Here we are...

Left back:  Mrs M, Matthew Johnston, Jessica Udy, Maddie Cockburn, Connie Fricker,
Baileigh McDowell, Georgia Cockburn, Miss McKenzie
Middle:  Damian Dowie, Hanna Lawlor
Front:  Saydee McDowell, Summer Botting, Ben DeJong

ABSENT:  Hayley Christie, Luca Patching

Children's Day 2015

On Sunday the 1st of March 2015 Gore Main School celebrated 'Children's Day' by running a stall down at the Gore Multi-Sports Complex, alongside many other generous sponsors.  Children's Day was an absolute hit with the Gore Community.  Gore Main School is proud to support and be a part of the Gore community.  Mrs M, Miss McKenzie and parent helper Robina Johnston were kept busy giving away free juice & spring water and chocolate brownie slice.  This was funded by the Gore Main School Enviro-group. The free juice and spring water was an absolute hit with everybody as temperatures soared into the late 20's.  Patrons were encouraged to 'recycle' their paper drinking cup to show care for the environment. The 2015 Gore Main School Enviro-group intends to reuse these paper drinking cups later in the year to nurture small poppy seedlings for 'Anzac 100 Years' celebrations.  Thank you to all people involved in supporting 'Children's Day.'  
Check out the photos...

Robina Johnston, Miss McKenzie and Mrs M all hard at work giving away juice and cake!
REMEMBER TO RECYCLE!

"Children's Day 2015"

Merry Christmas

The Gore Main School Envirogroup would like to wish all of our supporters a very 'Merry Christmas!'  We look forward to a prosperous and rewarding 2015!

Enviro-schools Hui 2014

This year the Enviro-schools Hui was held in Te Anau.  Gore Main School were lucky enough to get 8 children to the Hui.  We managed to get there safely after some bus sickness and a rock hitting the window screen!  The day began at the Te Anau Wildlife Park. We were welcomed and then we had a chance to roam around looking and learning about the wildlife at the park.  We got a yummy muffin for morning tea!

After walking around the Te Anau Wildlife Park we drove over to the Kepler Track.  We learnt how to use a tracking device to track endangered birds!  It was fun.  We managed to track a soft toy with a tag on it!

We learnt all about the "Kids restoring Kepler' programme and got to see different types of trapping and monitoring.  The children involved in the programme monitor animals by using food tunnels with ink and card strips inside them.  The children can then see what sort of creatures are around, whether they are friends or foes by looking at tracks or prints left behind.  They then decide if they will set traps or leave the area alone.  'Snap' traps are a tool that the 'Kids restoring Kepler' use to kill pests.  This is humane as it kills pests instantly.  We got to see a live stoat.  It was very growly and had very sharp teeth.

Dead stuffed stoat

Live stoat

Ink and card monitoring

Another part of the day we enjoyed was when we had the opportunity to just relax in the beautiful bush around Lake Te Anau.  We sat and listened to the birdsong and felt calm and relaxed.  We looked at a tree that was around 500 years old!

As part of the Hui, we had to take something that we had created back at our school to 'trade' with another school.  Gore Main School took a 'gardening' package with some plants, some worm juice and a piece of our corrugated iron garden art.  We had to talk about what we had made.  We all did really well standing up in front of different schools and explaining the things that we had done.  We managed to trade our things for other great things.  We got some recycled paper, some plants and some material owls.

Presenting our 'garden' package at the Hui.  Who wants to trade with us?

We would like to thank Environment Southland for organising this wonderful day.  They looked after us very well.  We received wonderful gifts (tunnels, ink card monitoring, stuffed toys, food and knowledge).  The DOC staff were knowledgeable and we learnt a lot about the 'Kids restoring Kepler' programme.  We absolutely loved the environment (being right in the bush) and the friendly people that share with us a love of nature and of sustainability.  Thank you!!  The Hui rocks!!

Tranquillity Garden

The goal of the Gore Main School Enviro-group during 2014 has been to begin a ‘Tranquillity garden’.  A school survey showed that children would enjoy a space at playtime where they can read, reflect or relax with friends.  We chose an area beside our orchard to begin the space.  It requires a lot of planning and work, like fencing.  We visited St Patrick’s in Invercargill to get ideas from their ‘Prayer garden’.  We have begun smaller initiatives within the school that will eventually be incorporated into our ‘Tranquillity garden’.  We have not yet completed this space but look forward to seeing how it develops in the future.

Garden Art that has been designed to go into the Tranquillity garden

Tyres - Garden planters for the Tranquillity garden

       

Weather station and weather vane

The Gore Main School Envirogroup recently purchased an amazing 'weather station' and a copper 'weather vane!'  They did this with the support of the Fonterra Grass Roots fund, who provided funds for us to be able to buy these things!  Thank you Fonterra!  The purpose of this weather equipment is to be able to clearly monitor the weather at school.  The weather station has a rain gauge, a wind meter & direction, inside/outside temperature and humidity.  You can download previous day's weather to try and predict future weather or look for patterns.  The copper weather vane has been erected to true 'north' and when is becomes less stiff, will begin swinging to give an accurate wind direction.  We look forward to becoming better at reading the weather soon.