Greening the Blue in 2012

Last year we established Greening the Blue as a broad focus for the school.  Living into our beautiful hand made school, we wanted to deepen and broaden our commitment to “touching the earth gently” and contributing to the shaping of a future for the earth and her inhabitants, that is sustainable, celebratory and fair.

Toward this goal, a number of pathways have emerged over the past year which we would like to continue and grow into 2012.  It is our hope that this focus is something that will resonate with parents and that together as a Kindlehill community we can elaborate and bring the focus into grounded reality.

Here are some of the developments of 2011 which we would like to continue in 2012 with “a little bit of help from our friends”.

• Community gardens –  S’haila has led the way to establish the roof top vegie garden this year, productive and creative in its plantings.  Flourishing gardens have also been established by the younger classes and kindy, outside their rooms, and the orchard is thriving.  We would love to see more people get involved with the gardens, planting, tending and harvesting.  While the classes  harvest from the gardens regularly, there is surplus of fresh organic produce that we are happy to share.  In the mountains there is a network of people whose aim it is to establish common gardens in every town!  Next year, we will continue to tend these gardens and hopefully add more plants that are bee food, as Duncan is keen to bring a hive to the school.  The straw from our animals is used to activate the compost which has been used to enliven the soil in our gardens.  We also have our biodynamic compost which we make in the autumn, primarily of fallen leaves from the neighbourhood.  Most of the fruit trees and seedlings have been gifted to the school.  We also have a healthy bush tucker garden.  In 2012 we will also set to the task of landscaping around the new buildings and carpark.  So there is lots to do!

• Welcome to country – The welcome to country given by Aunty Carol Cooper at our opening was an important event for us. We are hoping to grow our relationship with the indigenous people in our region out of respect for the traditional people of this land and also because we see this as integral to the creating of a sustainable and fair society. Last year, the children were involved in activities with indigenous people such as dance, bush walks and perspectives on colonisation.  In 2012 we will continue these pathways; we have also been invited to participate in an indigenous arts project for children.  We have invited Jo Clancy to use our performance space to develop her latest dance project: Dragonfly.

• The high school – the high school initiative takes as its inaugural theme; “think global and act local”.   We hope to address, in these high school years, the concerns of our times and how individuals and societies are shaping productive responses to these. We hope to enable young people to develop the capacities and vision to understand their world and contribute positively toward the good of all.  We take as a mandate the following:

Professor David Orr, an eminent environmental educator in the USA, says that….What is needed in our times is a paradigm shift comparable to the enlightenment… “A higher order of heroism, charity, wildness and the rights of children…a movement of hundreds of thousands of young people equipped with the vision, the moral stamina and the intellectual depth necessary to rebuild neighbourhoods, towns and communities around the planet…”

• Seasonal celebrations – in 2011 we celebrated World Harmony Day and at our Spring Celebration, the focus was turning and twirling for peace.  In 2012, we hope to continue to link our seasonal celebrations with the life engendering impulses in our wider community as well as with the earth’s cycles.

• Pathways into the community – 2011 saw our school engage with a number of community events such as the co-op 30^th birthday celebration.  In 2012, we will continue to look for opportunities to be involved in community events as well as to hosting these in our new performing arts space.  In 2013, it is the bicentennial of the crossing of the Blue Mountains and our school has been invited to be involved, the planning and preparation will happen in 2012.

• Handmade with love – Shelves, blackboards, furniture for classrooms, continue to be made by parents in the school out of beautiful timbers and where possible, recycled timbers.  We also make every effort to repair broken furniture and tools, and rely on parents at working bees to help us in this effort toward reducing, reusing and recycling.  The Craft Group meets regularly and produces high quality toys, clothing and accessories as a fundraiser for the school.  The craft items are handmade with natural materials and provide a beautiful alternative to mass produced products.  Michelle and Claudia have also set up a Kindlehill selection in the Nook in Leura.

• Kindlings quarterly – In 2011, we introduced a seasonal publication to be distributed into our school and regional community.  It provides a taste of the richness of life at Kindlehill and creates yet another pathway into the community.  Contributions from parents and students are welcome.

• Walk in Wednesday – (primary school children only) walking for health and well being; walking in once a week as a reminder to ourselves of how quickly we jump into our cars….We also encourage car pooling and train use as a means of transport to school where it is feasible.

• Kindling Community – Last year we sowed the seed of a mighty vision, resourced and grown locally, the greening of the blue.  In 2012 we will continue to tend to the life that is unfolding, deepening the roots and supporting its branching out.   We would love to see our families continue to support and celebrate this work .  There are so many ways to be involved.  We thank you for generous support and love in the past year.  In the words of a parent, it is a rewarding and nourishing experience to be involved in the school, “I want to live with my family, in a world where people ‘give a little’ generously, and ‘take a little’ with gratitude”.

In anticipation……and continuing to green the blue…..Lynn