Kalinda Primary School is located in Ringwood approximately 26kms from the centre of Melbourne city. Set in the safe and peaceful residential area east of the city, the school enjoys an extensive and well maintained natural environment featuring quiet shady areas and expansive recreational areas.

Kalinda is a learning community of students, teachers and parents founded upon quality relationships characterized by the school’s values. The school is committed to fostering a "lifelong love of learning" by actively engaging students in a range of meaningful learning experiences.

Through these experiences the students will construct those understandings and acquire the competencies needed for further education, the workplace and the achievement of a quality lifestyle in a constantly changing society.

The school’s learning centres on three global focuses:

1. Learning about ourselves
2. Learning about and living with others
3. Learning about and living with the environment

Environmental Science Teacher

Kalinda has a dedicated Environmental Science teacher who is well supported by classroom teachers and the school community. Our Integrated Studies lead children into extending their practice and knowledge into making a difference in the community.

They have participated in the clean up and restoration of nearby Mullum Creek, working with Maroondah Council in planting and maintaining the neighbouring Kalinda Urban Forest and water testing the Yarra River from Mullum Creek to the sea and contacting local authorities offering suggestions of how to keep the creeks and rivers clean.

Environmental Science Program

Within our Environmental Science program we have built a large vegetable garden which the children work in and maintain and the produce is used in our healthy food canteen where all the food is cooked on site. The garden has a worm farm, water tanks and compost bins and we teach the children about organic fertilisers and companion planting to deter insects and pests. We also have large water tanks which service the school toilets and garden.

We also have extension programs in Environmental Science. This includes Friends of Mullum Creek, Waste Wise Wizards and, in the near future, our Frog Bog Friends. These are children who are especially interested in different areas and are able to participate in an activity and go back to their grades and report their findings and discuss issues.

In May 2009 13 Waste Wise Wizards visited Hazelwood power station in the La Trobe Valley to find out how electricity is produced, its effect on the environment and what steps the power companies are taking to restore the earth and the environment.

The children are also presenting and participating in a 3 day Environmental Conference in August aimed at senior primary and secondary students. All sorts of environmental issues will be discussed and the children will then come back and report to their grades and the school community. Our children are our leaders and decision makers of the future – we have to make them aware of their world so that they can make the best decisions for the future of our planet.

Top: Button Everlasting - Photo by Helen Moss, Mullum Mullum Creek

Bottom: Photo of Slender Sun-orchid - Photo by Helen Moss, Mullum Mullum Creek
In the history of Ringwood, Mullum Mullum is thought to mean "place of many big birds" and so historians decided therefore that it meant "Place of Eagles". Around Mullum Mullum Creek, there are Powerful Owls. They are our largest night time predators, and are becoming increasingly rare and endangered .