Sustainable living at 5-star Smart School

Eppalock Primary School has a strong environmental focus through their involvement in water saving initiatives, National Tree Planting Day and sustainable energy projects.

The school has recently won an award from the Bendigo Sustainability Group in the Early Education/Primary category for showing commitment to sustainable learning through their Living Green Program. The school just won a Bendigo Sustainability Award.

The involvement in these activities provides many opportunities for authentic learning to take place. Eppalock PS is also a five-star Resource Smart School.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is a specialist subject at Eppalock Primary School which is delivered once a week by STEM teacher Lydia Fehring. All year levels participate in a 90-minute session.

STEM education covers the specific knowledge and skills found in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. It also covers the interrelationship between these areas, allowing learning to be delivered in an integrated way, helping a deeper engagement in the four disciplines. They are skills increasingly in demand in the rapidly changing world.

STEM skills and knowledge are important for all stages of learning, jobs and everyday lives.

Eppalock’s school values include Be Resilient, Be Kind, Be Responsible, Be Respectful.

These values were chosen by the school community in 2019 as what they see to be most important to them.

They use the restorative approach across the school to resolve conflict and the school community is currently in the process of implementing School Wide Positive Behaviour.

As part of the SWPBS framework, the school has a matrix of expectations across the school and in each classroom which has been made with input from students, families and staff. The school community works hard to live by these values and expectations, at school, home and in the community.

The school is set in attractive, well maintained, spacious grounds in the rural community of Axe Creek, just seven kilometres east of Strathfieldsaye.

The area caters for families who look upon the unique features of a rural school as part of their lifestyle choice.

Students are in three small multi-age groups supported by dedicated teachers and strong family involvement. Mandarin is taught from prep to grade 6 and children benefit from specialist areas of Drama/Music, Physical Education, MARC library Van as well as the Living Green Sustainability Program and STEM Program.

Pupils also take part in cluster athletics sports with other neighbouring schools, the regional cross country, as well as many other sporting days.

The school has two School Captains and three House Captains which form an enthusiastic and positive student leadership group.

Students from all grades are elected as Junior School Councillors and take a leading role in the organisation of community service activities.

Classrooms are well resourced and each classroom has a television screen used for displaying digital learning content. A one-to-one netbook program runs from grades 3 to 6 and the prep to two access a bank of iPads and netbooks.

Eppalock Primary School is an open, friendly and caring school that strives to provide quality education that maximises all student abilities and produces well-adjusted, responsible and self-reliant students.