Together, we have all had an unusual start to 2020. For Class 7, this is an especially important time as it is the beginning of the end of our seven-year cycle. The theme of growth, regeneration and connection seems especially poignant.
7S started our year with great excitement, looking forward to meeting the High School teachers and enjoying more opportunities to mix with the other Class 7.
Our English biographies lesson provided us a chance to share, remember and write about the fun of early childhood, the wonderful camps experienced in the Primary School years and also to dream towards the future, through exploring the lives of those that inspire us.
Both Class 7s worked hard to contribute to positive climate action during our Bush Regeneration lesson, planting 1800 native trees in the wetland area, west of the Kindergarten and Preschool.
The 2020 Shearwater tree planting project, organised and facilitated by our wonderful gardener, Nadia de Souza Pietramale, extended the wildlife corridor planted by previous Class 7s to almost 1.5 kilometres. The project was made possible with incredible community support including the following donations: 1000 trees from Reforest Now (who also came in with four augers and dug all the holes for the project!); 230 plants from Burringbar Rainforest Nursery; six trucks of mulch from Rainforest 4 Foundation, and a grant from the NSW Government’s Biodiversity Conservation Trust that bought another 250 trees and fertiliser; with additional support from the Mullumbimby Rural Cooperative.
When it became clear that our learning experience would take a distinctly different delivery style, we set about creating packs of material with educational content as well as our unique Shearwater hands-on practical work. Hence a Grow your own seedlings project was born (see student images above, at bottom).
I would like to finish on our afternoon verse, as we do each day in Class 7, as it also seems particularly apt at this time.
Steadfast I stand in the world
With certainty, I tread the path of light
Love I cherish in the core of my being
Hope I carry into every deed
Confidence I impress upon my thinking
These five lead me to my goals
These five give me life
Sonia Davidian
Class 7 Teacher