What is the Earth Smart Science Program?

The Earth Smart Science (ESS) program will assist schools to become more sustainable. The program is an election commitment by the Queensland Government to expand the number of environmentally sustainable schools in the State from 60 to 1000 by 2012. This also includes Education Queensland’s declaration of 2010 as the Year of Environmental Sustainability. A statement from the Department of Education and Training that provides general information about the program from is available for download.

• All state primary schools in Queensland will be required to participate in the ESS program by 2012.
• ESS will focus on a whole-of-school approach to environmental sustainability.
• Curriculum links will particularly focus on Science and Maths.
• Schools will be supported to develop, implement and monitor School Environmental Management Plans (SEMPs) to reduce their ecological footprint.

How will ESS be implemented?

The ESS program will be implemented through the Queensland Environmentally Sustainable School Initiative (QESSI) regional hubs.

Amaroo Environmental Education Centre and Queensland Murray-Darling Committee have been appointed to implement the Earth Smart Science Program in the Darling Downs and South West Region.

• Amaroo Environmental Education Centre and the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC) will each be supporting 15 schools annually from the Darling Downs and South West Queensland.
• Schools will receive support in the form of training for staff, resources and visits from QESSI hub staff.
  

Amaroo EEC and QMDC are each seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from 15 state primary or P-10 schools in the Darling Downs and South West Queensland Region to participate during 2010.

EOI Form (word doc) for Amaroo EEC (Toowoomba, The Downs and Warwick district schools)

EOI Form (pdf) for QMDC (Roma, The Downs and Warwick district schools)