Visionary teacher’s new life will keep link with pupils

Jul 4 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

Environment Editor Tony Henderson on green schools in a class of their own.

IN two years teacher Lisa Brown has transformed her school’s green standing. Since joining the Newcastle School for Boys in Gosforth, she has helped it win a gold award in the city council’s enviro-schools programme.

In addition the school has gained bronze and silver awards towards achieving an International Green Flag.

Now Lisa is set to repeat the process in Jakarta in Indonesia when she starts work next month at the city’s British International School. And she plans to set up an environmental link between the Gosforth and Jakarta schools.

“We could jointly examine issues in both countries like the impacts of climate change, pollution, fishing, wildlife, farming and food, which would be fantastic,” said Lisa, who is the Gosforth school’s environmental co-ordinator.

The school, which has more than 400 pupils, now has an eco club, and has set up recycling and energy monitoring systems as well as projects to grow vegetables and care for wildlife.

Lisa grew up in Whitley Bay and was previously a teacher at Belsay First School in Northumberland. She will be moving from Gosforth to Jakarta with children Maryn, 10, and Beau, eight, and husband John, who has set up an exporting business in the Indonesian capital.

“I have always been interested in environmental matters and will keep up the work in Indonesia,” she said.

“The earlier you can catch children in environmental terms, the better. The youngsters are so enthusiastic.”

School headmaster Chris Hutchinson said: “ I think the environmental element is critical because hopefully we are educating the makers and shakers of tomorrow. If they don’t develop an environmental awareness, then we aren’t being responsible as educators and Lisa has had a fantastically important role.”

Page 2 - Pupils put climate change at heart of their lessons >>