...paves the way for meeting the sustainable needs of children with disabilities
I was greeted with a hive of activity when recently visiting Hamilton North School in Warwick Avenue. The school, with the help and guidance of the ‘no dig’ gardens people had recently completed their raised vegetable gardens – and today was planting day! The gardens have been designed specifically to meet the needs of students in wheelchairs as well as those more physically able. The vegetable gardens are part of a greater vision to create an interactive sustainable garden for the students and community of Hamilton North School.
Tony Kane, principal of Hamilton North said that he and his staff had bounced around the idea of becoming an enviroschool for about five years but after attending an information evening in Term 4 of 2007 they felt that the time was right. Hamilton North School is a school which caters for students with special needs from five to twenty one years of age. The school offers a functional curriculum designed for students who have needs that cannot be met by the regular school curriculum.
After gathering input from their students, the staff collectively developed a large ‘visual pathway’ towards their goal, dividing the seemingly overwhelming vision into smaller achievable portions within a timeline. The creation of this ‘map’ of their projected journey enabled staff to work with the students on key aspects of the greater project. It also meant that funding applications could be tailored to distinct mini projects within the bigger scheme. Teachers worked collaboratively to put together successful applications to the Hamilton City Council Envirofund, and the Environment Waikato Enviroschools fund (as well as others either in the pipeline or unsuccessful!).
Stage one of the project involved shifting the fence from its existing site to about 15 metres into an area that was previously occupied but unused by neighbouring school St Andrews Middle School.
One of the features of this acquired plot was a small hill. This became the central point of a path the school developed in stage two. The pathway opened up this area to those in wheel chairs or able to use the variety of bikes that the school has recently supplied for their students.
Over the wet winter months students were busy creating mosaic tiles. These were recently placed in concrete, and add a bright, fun aspect to this area. The winter months also provided an unexpected bonus for those students who loved playing in mud! The pathway, prior to the laying of pavers became a haven to the mud enthusiasts!
It was great to see the results of a year of hard work reaping obvious benefits, observing the kids racing around the track on their bikes and planting vegetables and then watering (the power of hose possession is mighty). Still to be added to the raised gardens is a seating arrangement alongside, where students that are generally confined to wheelchairs can slide from their chairs onto the garden seats.
Other projects planned include getting the compost worm farms up and running, and developing an orchard that will provide a selection of fruit for the school community through all seasons. A trip to the Sustainable Backyard for the older students is being organised.
One of the passionate teachers of this school, Elizabeth Hassan, commented that they have noticed that having more space outside has had a positive influence on the children. Teacher Robyn Jerebine was thrilled that the development of the gardens has created interest amongst their parents and whanau. Families have shown an interest in what is happening, have come to open days and Robyn sees this as helping to develop a sense of ownership and belonging. Another teacher, Michele Smith mentioned that one of the next stages in the development of their sustainable school was to develop a greater level of inclusiveness.
Robyn Irving
