A school at the foot of the lush Waitakere Ranges needs parents' help to rid it of weeds and, instead, re-introduce native plants for their kids. By Debrin Foxcroft
It's an invitation parents can refuse. But teachers and students at Woodlands Park Primary School hope they don't.
Once a week, the little school on the outskirts of Titirangi throws open its gates to local people in the hope they will come in and help.
``Volunteer Mondays' are an attempt by the school to complete labour-intensive projects, with a par ticular focus on replanting much of the native bush along the school boundary.
Ruth Bunney is a parent of two children at the small school. She used to be a park ranger for the Auckland Regional Council and she's using her knowledge of the environment to lead the restoration project.
``In the past, volunteering at the school was very haphazard,' she says. ``We needed some way to keep work going regularly.'
So Volunteer Mondays were born.
``Everyone knows it's happening but, this way, they don't have to be locked into it.'
Between 9am and 10.30am each Monday, parents turn up to help out where they can. It's mostly a lot of weeding and planting and the attendance can vary, depending on the weather.
``If it is crappy weather, then no one wants to come out,' says Mrs Bunney.
The pupils at the school also spend a lot of time working in the garden. Recently, there was a planting day, with the whole school coming out to work on the project.
Mrs Bunney says the school was able to buy plants with funding from Weed Free Waitakere and the regional council's Environmental Initiatives Fund. But it's not just about planting.
``We are in the process of getting a nursery started so we can grow our own plants so that we are not dependent on funding during the tough times.'
The value of the time investment by parents goes far beyond the school's boundary fence.
``Volunteering like this means par ents start to get a sense of belonging,' says Mrs Bunney.
``People have busy lives, and they can't always be here. But without the work of the children and the parents, then projects like this simply wouldn't happen.'
Principal Liz Manley says the work of the parent volunteers has meant the world to the school.
``Speaking from my heart, my dreams for this school couldn't happen without the help of these parents. They have made a huge difference and we couldn't do it without them.'
The principal hopes to eventually develop a nature trail through the bush.
``These projects are outside of the scope of normal curriculum. They are extending the area into an outside classroom and changing the experience of our children, all of whom are involved in the planting.' debrin.foxcroft@theaucklander.co.nz
02 07 2009
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