Frankston High School has implemented a five year strategic sustainability plan outlining initiatives to reduce our water consumption by 40% by the year 2013. Since beginning this journey we have implemented new school policy outlining our commitment to reducing our impact on the planet. This includes plans to ensure drought resistant plants are purchased, tank water is used for flushing of toilets and watering gardens. Also, we have begun monitoring our water use by installing the program SETS.
In addition, Frankston has already installed a 200,000L tank that has just been connected to the toilets on our junior campus. We have placed informative signage around the school and purchased drip spikes for use over summer. We have also installed a second water tank on our senior campus for use on a garden areas. Frankston plans to continue to make changes to the school’s existing set up by highlighting our water reductions to the wider school community with the use of television monitors and through the school newsletter. Also, water related issues have become embedded in the curriculum. For example during year nine students investigate the Water Crisis by exploring alternative sources of useable water and the impact their own water usage is having on Melbourne’s water supply.
Furthermore, the student Environment Committee has run Water related workshops with both year 8 students from Frankston HS and year 4 students from Derinya PS. The school has also run a whole school assembly focusing on Water for students in years 7-10. All of these changes has enabled us to gain a Silver accreditation in the Water Liveit!Learnit! program.
