Last year, parents, students, teachers and other staff members attended a variety of activities
With the intention to contribute to the integration of the school community and the reflections arising from challenges related to living in new spaces, the Renova Foundation, between August and December 2016, through the Environmental Education Program (PEA), organized several actions in the municipal schools of Bento Rodrigues and Paracatu de Baixo in Mariana, and also in the state school Padre José Epifânio Gonçalves and the municipal schools José Vasconcelos Lana and Gustavo Capanema, all in Barra Longa. Overall 27 actions were held in these communities, such as planning meetings, workshops, lectures, round-table discussions and artistic interventions, which around 400 people attended.
The activities had several subjects; all designed and defined in a participatory manner, involving local public authorities, administration, pedagogues, teachers and students. They were: personal, school and collective heritage appreciation, environmental emergencies, resettlement, family and school dialogue, motivation and self-esteem, healthy eating, recycling, among others.
Round-table discussion on resettlement with students of the Paracatu de Baixo School, in October 2016. | Photo: Igor Oliveira
The actions generated positive results and clarified the questions of the students, according to the Middle School teacher of the municipal school of Paracatu de Baixo, Alice Brás. “They learned the difference between inundation and flood and about devices to measure the amount of rainfall. The part about heritage appreciation was very good because most of it was done with the involvement of the students and it was very practical. I really enjoyed the lectures given at our school, especially because we suggested the subjects. It was not an imposed matter, but defined together. ”
GRADUATIONS
On December 15, 16 and 17, the Paracatu de Baixo and Bento Rodrigues (MG) schools held their student graduation ceremonies. In total about 450 people, students and their families attended the ceremonies, which received the support of the Renova Foundation through the School Community Reintegration program. Among the students, 14 finished the elementary school and 9 completed Middle School at the Bento Rodrigues School. Another 20 students graduated from the Paracatu School.
RECONSTRUCTION
The three communities affected by the collapse of the Fundão dam – Bento Rodrigues, Paracatu de Baixo and Gesteira – have chosen the area for the reconstruction of their districts. Bento Rodrigues should be completed by March 2019; Paracatu de Baixo by February of that same year; and Gesteira by December 2017. The people of these communities participate directly in the whole reconstruction process, and to date, 641 meetings were held with the attendance of about 23,000 people.