5th and 6th Class sang for us!
The green school committee told us and our special guests about each of our green flags and why we were awarded them!
Flag 1 is for Litter and Waste
Environmental awareness and care studies are a big part of the curriculum in Science and Geography for all classes. We use green bins and fruit and skins bins in all classrooms, offices and in the staff room. The bin inspectors make sure we get it right. They monitor the bins and the level of waste in the school. We also encourage the use of lunchboxes instead of sandwich bags, tinfoil or cling film. There are posters - encouraging recycling - around the school.
We hold an Annual Fashion Show using recyclable materials. This year the theme was Green Halloween and we made some fantastic costumes – all from recyclable materials.
Flag 2 is for Energy
Green Schools Committee members monitor energy usage in school. This year alone we have reduced our bill by an amazing 500 euro since September.
Children in each class are appointed as energy monitors and ensure lights and interactive whiteboards are turned off when not in use.
There are signs on light switches and the Green Schools Committee make sure all the lights and IWB’s are turned off when not in use.
Flag 3 is the Water flag
Water is very important, without it we could not survive, so we need to do our best to conserve water. The Green Schools Committee members monitor water usage in the school. They make sure taps are turned off and that basins are used in the class rooms.
Water bottles have been put in the toilet cisterns to reduce the amount of water used when flushing.
- Water butts collect rainwater around the school for use in the school garden.
- Water cycle, water pollution and water conservation are topics covered in the curriculum through Science and Geography.
- We also encourage everyone to use reusable/refillable bottles.
Flag number 4 is for Transport
Walk on Wednesday and Cycle on Wednesday initiatives are in operation in the school. The Golden Boot and Silver Wellie are awarded to the classes with the most walkers. The Green Schools Committee record the number of children walking each week and the Golden Boot Award is awarded to the class with the highest levels of walking. The Silver Wellie was introduced for second place due to demand.
The winners are announced at assembly and on the school website. We hope to introduce the Bronze Slipper for third place this year!
Cycling lessons for Fifth Class take place in the third term each year and road safety lessons take place in all classes.
Flag number 5 is the Biodiversity Flag
Our school garden is thriving. Last year we linked with anotherPresentation School in India for a garden project. We have took part in a seed exchange and planted native Indian flowers and vegetables in our garden and indoors in our school, leading to a study on climate and availability/import of food in to Ireland. Fourth Class completed a project on the banana and how it gets from plant to our fruit bowls. Second Class completed a study on the grain train and how grain is transported. Biodiversity is a topic covered by all classes as part of the curriculum.
Flag number 6
Finally, Flag number 6, which we are raising today is all about -Global Citizenship – Litter and Waste.
As part of our work on Green Flag number 6 we undertook aGlobal Awareness Survey and a Nationalities Survey. This year there are children from 23 different countries in our school.
We held a Day of Action where every class did projects about where our food comes from and how it gets to Ireland. They found out all about food miles and carbon footprints and presented their projects to the rest of the school in May last year. A Local Supermarket Survey of the origins of fruits and vegetables in our locality was also completed by Fourth Class.
- Our school joined Recreate to help us source recyclable art supplies for all our art projects.
- The Green Schools Committee found out about how other countries deal with waste.
- We also developed a School code – Before you finish eating your breakfast in the morning you have depended on half the world – Martin Luther King Jr.
- We investigated and made environmentally friendly cleaning products.
- We introduced a No Cut Flowers policy in the school.
Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald spoke to us.
Minister Frances Fitzgerald raises the Sixth Green Flag with assistance from John Kelly (caretaker), Mrs. Carol Burke-Heneghan (Principal) and members of the Green Schools Committee
No comments:
Post a Comment