Dear Parents, Provided below is an overview of 'why' and 'how' Montessori is embracing the movement towards greater sustainability

practises. Since 20 2 !ustralian "ary #hildhood Services $"#S% have had a &ational 'uality Standard $&'S%. Previously, sustainability and education for sustainability have not had a high profile with "arly #hildhood Services. (his has now changed, as 'uality !rea ).) re*uests a service to +ta,e an active role in caring for its environment and contributing to a sustainable future+. (he &S- .ffice of "nvironment and /eritage funded "arly #hildhood "nvironmental "ducation &etwor, $"#""&% to develop and trial +"#. Smart+ which is a 'tool' to support sustainable *uality improvement plans. !s each licensed "arly #hildhood Service within !ustralia will be underta,ing a 'uality 0mprovement Plan $'0P% it was deemed to be an opportunity to influence the early childhood sector with sustainable decision ma,ing. So, "#. Smart is the tool used to help "#S integrate sustainable principals into their '0P. "#. Smart is a guide with suggested activities. "ach service needs to ma,e their own evaluation as to the appropriateness and viability of there own circumstances and the services operations. "#. Smart '.verlays' the seven &'S and for each &'S *uality area, "#. Smart provides a broader, more sustainable perspective to consider. (hese concepts consider what each *uality area might loo, li,e from a sustainability perspective as well as including an audit in the areas of water and energy for e1ample. So how do we use "#. Smart222 % !ssess our current practices against the &'S and consider the "#. Smart perspective for each &'S *uality area referring to the audit for specific ideas. 2% 0dentify areas for improvement, reflecting on the &'S guide and "#. Smart e1amples )% "stablish goals within your '0P and consider how best to achieve these. 3% !s you achieve the goals, incorporate further actions into future '0P's, recognising the need to continually evaluate previous accomplishments. /ere are the big and small sustainability '4oals to 5ic,' for Montessori. -e are aiming to have implemented all of these activities by (erm 2, 20 3. (he numbers in brac,ets refer to the 6Standard7 within the 6'uality !rea7, which is ta,en from the attached document 8"#. SM!9( for "arly #hildhood:. ;ig % !udit "nergy $).), ). , <.2% and water $).), ). , <.)% use 2% Ma,e contact with groups=government bodies=organisations in the area to support sustainability initiatives $>.)% )% Develop an "co team to drive change $<.2% 3% 9eview cleaning practices to minimise chemical use and ensure low environmental impact cleaning procedures=products used $2. , ).), <.)% Small % 9eview sunscreen used to minimise to1icity $2. % 2% ?se of unbleached=recycled toilet paper $).)% )% !ppliances turned off during the holidays $).), <.)% 3% .pportunity for children to learn about water use and water cycle $ . , .)% !ttached is the 8"#. SM!9( for "arly #hildhood: document for your purusal and to gain a greater understanding of the possibilities that can be embraced by our school regarding sustainability.

PARENTS PLEASE READ AND PROVIDE COMMENT

@ou may li,e to ma,e comment on the *ueations outlined below or in any regard concerning sustainability. % -hat are your feelings towards Montessori7s approach to improving sustainability within the school2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

2) #an you thin, of a way you can support your child7s awareness of sustainability2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
)% -ould you be prepared to assist in some way2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3% !fter reading over the 6"#. SM!9(7 document, which areas do you thin, we should focus on ne1t2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU, 5arli and !nthea

PARENTS PLEASE READ AND PROVIDE COMMENT

@ou may li,e to ma,e comment on the *ueations outlined below or in any regard concerning sustainability. % -hat are your feelings towards Montessori7s approach to improving sustainability within the school2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 2% #an you thin, of a way you can support your child7s awareness of sustainability2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA )% -ould you be prepared to assist in some way2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3% !fter reading over the 6"#. SM!9(7 document, which areas do you thin, we should focus on ne1t2 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU, 5arli and !nthea