Green Schools

Raising Our First Green Flag –  Childrens’ impressions

It was 8:30 last Friday the 21^st of June. I was getting ready for school, feeling happy and nervous about the performance. Everyone was happy on the bus. When I arrived at school I rushed over to chat to my friends.

After break the performance started. First there were speeches and then Amy Forde’s story about finding the Queen Bee.

Next the junior classes said their poem about bees.  Then it was my turn to sing my heart out.  I thought it was excellent and brilliant.

After that we went down to raise the Green Flag. Everyone clapped and cheered. Then we went back to our classroom and packed our bags ready to go home when Mrs Finnegan announced there was a surprise for us. Outside there was an ice-cream van and we got a delicious ice cream. It was a great day.                                                                                                                                                 Sophie Mc Kenna Third class

 

The Raising of the Green Flag

When I arrived at school last Friday I was so excited because we were going to raise our first Green Flag. We were barely in the classroom when Mrs. Finnegan called us into the gym for our final practise before the Flag Raising ceremony. After the practise we went out for our break. While we were outside some of the guests and parents started to gather. That was when I started to get nervous.

After break we assembled in the gym and the adults came in. There were so many people I couldn’t count them. I was playing my tin whistle at the very start of the ceremony. Everyone clapped when we had finished playing. I was very pleased with that.

Next Dylan, Darren and master Mullen made speeches.  Then Amy Forde read a story about the queen bee. I enjoyed it the most. Then a few people said a few words.  The infants, first and second classes did their poem about pollinating.  They were dressed up as bees and they were hilarious. Everyone enjoyed them and clapped loudly.

Third to Sixth classes sang their song “An Brat Glas” (we had spent a long time practising that song).

The whole school then proceeded down to the flag pole followed by the adults. We got some photographs taken. Colm Mc Elwain  finally raised the flag. Everyone cheered and clapped.  I was overjoyed. We had spent two years of hard work trying to get this flag. I walked up to the school feeling very proud but thinking that the adults would eat all the biscuits but to our surprise we heard music. It was coming from an ice cream van.  We all got lovely free ice cream.  That was a great part.

Aoife Brady  Fourth class

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 28th May 2013 Mrs Finnegan and three members of the Green School’s Committee, Dylan Rhatigan, chairperson,  Darren Treanor, vice chairperson and Rachel Woods collected our first Green School’s Flag.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Rachel’s account of the day.

Collecting the Green School’s Flag

  by Rachel Woods

Early that morning I woke up, got dressed, ate my breakfast, brushed my hair, got my bag ready, jumped into the car and dashed off to school. I arrived first followed by Mrs Finnegan, Darren and Dylan.

Off we headed to Mc Nally’s car park to catch the bus. Mrs Finnegan ran to get a parking ticket and soon we were on our way to Ashbourne.

We eventually arrived at the Pillo Hotel. It was lovely!  We hopped off the bus all of us extremely excited and went inside. First we had to line up to get signed in. We were given a Green Schools bag as we waited in the queue. Mrs Finnegan called Darren, Dylan and I over to get photos with a green school flag.

Finally it was time to go into the ceremony. I couldn’t wait! There were lots of people there, some collecting their flag for energy, others were getting their water flag. We were getting our first flag for litter and waste.

The presentation began. Lots of schools were going up to collect their flag.  “St Dympna’s National School” shouted the announcer. We were so, so excited. Dylan, Darren and I went up on the stage and collected our Green Flag and a certificate. We were thrilled.

Afterwards we went out to get food. “Not so fast,” said Mrs Finnegan. “Another photo please!”

Lunch was pasta and a drink which was very nice. After one last group photo we got on the bus and headed back on the long journey to school. We arrived back just as the children were going home.

Darren, Dylan and I leaped out of the car waving the flag and shouting “we’ve got it “

Everybody cheered. I had a great day thanks to all the work of the Green School Committee and the school community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Note from the Chairman –  Dylan Rhatigan

We received great news from An Taisce last week, we have been awarded our first Green Flag for our work on recycling.

The flag was awarded by An Taisce in recognition of the efforts being made in the school to reduce and minimise the amount of waste we send to landfill.

Four representatives from our school are invited to The Green- Schools Award Ceremony on the 28^th May to be presented with the flag. Everyone is thrilled and looking forward to the raising of the flag.

First Green Flag

My name is Darren Treanor and I am the vice chairperson of the Green school’s committee. Since the committee was formed I’ve always wanted to be a part of it.

I love the environment, nature and all living creatures.

On Wednesday the 18^th April the Green School’s Committee received a letter from An Taisce. We were thrilled when Dylan our chairperson read that we had been awarded a Green Flag.

When Dylan and I announced the news to all the classes they were just as thrilled. We thanked everybody for their help and support and we believe they will remember everything for the future.

Since we started the Green School’s programme the committee and school have worked so hard. Younger members have been added to the committee to help them understand how much damage littering can do to the environment. Nowadays when we do the litter spot-check there is hardly any litter which is brilliant and something we want to keep up because wouldn’t the world be a better place with less litter!

                                                Our Green School’s Slogan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St.Dympna’s  will soon be applying for their first  green flag. This flag is for recycling. Everyone has been working very hard to reduce litter and to improve the appearance and image of our school. This year’s projects include, ‘What kind of waste can be reduced/prevented or reused?’, ‘Recycling’ and caring for our environment. The projects cover a wide range of subjects including Geography, Science, Maths, English and Art.

 

Green Flag Committee  The first Green Flag Committee was set up in St Dympna’s N.S. in September 2011.  The chairperson is Gavin Mc Phillips and helping Gavin to lead the committee is Conor Lappin, the vice chairperson and Claire Mc Crudden the secretary. The other members include Gareth Sherlock 6th class, Claire Sherry, Rachel Woods, Rhea Mc Kenna, Darren Treanor, Leah Maguire, Eleanor Murphy 5^th class, Emma Brady, Aoife Brady  4^th class, Ben Woods, 3^rd class, and Grace O’ Malley and Finn Sherlock 2^nd class. The committee meets once a week. They help to organise the litter patrols, tidy classroom competitions, poster competitions and over the last year have been working towards getting our first green flag by looking at ways in which the school can recycle more and cut down on waste. The teachers on the committee are Mr Mullen ( Principal)and Mrs Finnegan.  Parents are represented by Mrs Olive Lappin  and Mr Paddy Sherry  and Mr Seamus Mc Carville from The Tidy Town’s Committee

A note from the Chairperson

Hello! My name is Gavin and I am the chairperson. I am here with Conor, the vice-Chairperson, and Claire, the secretary. This is the Green Flag Newsletter which tells you about some of the things the school has been doing to be green lately. We are trying to get the green flag for recycling, which we have to apply for by November. We hope we get it. We have a compost bin, into which we put our food waste, shreddings, cardboard. We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter. Keep an eye on our Green Schools notice board for recycling news. Please recycle this newsletter when you have finished reading it.

 

My trip to Mc Elvaney’s Waste and Recycling Plant

By Finn Sherlock (2^nd Class)

When we went to the recycling centre it was fun. We learnt lots of new information. Paul showed us around. He showed us lots of skips outside with signs on them for example paper, cans, and paper.  We learnt things like where they are sent to and what can be made from them.

He took us to a huge shed where they sorted out different types of rubbish. It was very interesting at the Waste and Recycling Centre. Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! for our environment and us.

 

Here are some interesting facts on the benefits of Recycling

By Conor Lappin (6^th Class)

• Each ton of paper recycled can save 17 trees,3 cubic yards of landfill space and 7,000 gallons of water.
• Every plastic bag we throw away stays buried in the

ground for up to 500 years before it breaks down

• It takes 5 PET bottles to make the filling for a jacket or 150  to make a mat
• 1 glass jar recycled saves enough energy to run a TV for 15 minutes
• 670 aluminium cans make up to 1 bicycle when recycled

 

My Visit to Scotch Corner Recycling Centre

By Grace O’Malley (2^nd Class)

On 13^th June we paid a very informative and enjoyable visit to Scots Corner Recycling Centre. We were taken on a walk around the site and shown all the materials accepted, what is done with them on the site and where they go after they leave the centre and what they can be made into. We went to a viewing area to see what happens in a material Recycling Facility. We saw all the materials separated and put into cubes ready for loading onto trucks to head off to Dublin and other places for recycling.

   Our Trip to Peadar Morgan’s Wildlife and Heritage Centre

by Rhea Mc Kenna (5th Class)

 On the 13^th June 2012 the Green Schools Committee and4^th class paid a visit to Peadar Morgan’s Educational Wildlife Centre. When we first arrived we all had our lunch. When we were finished Peadar told us lots about the animals he has.

The swan beside Peadar in the picture is one he got stuffed after it had been electrocuted.

He showed us some living animals like owls, donkeys, birds and peacocks. He rescued the owls after their nest was blown down in a storm.  We also saw old farm machinery; the one which I liked best was the thresher. He has many other machines which were very interesting as they let us see the way of life in Ireland many years ago.

 

 

 

 

Our new composter 

Composting is a great way to recycle and we at St. Dympna’s are doing our bit to reduce waste going to landfill.  We are looking forward to having nice, rich compost for our plants in the Spring!!

Slogan Competition

                                              Our Green School Slogans

 

 

 

The school’s raised beds in August 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The children were fascinated by the visiting wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating National Tree Day October 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green Schools Day of Action

As part of the Green Schools Programme, all pupils participated in an Action Day on Friday 30th March 2012. Pupils did a spring clean of the school playground and the school itself. Some pupils also planted seeds in our new raised beds adjacent to the school building. We hope to see these vegetables growing during the next number of weeks.

Many thanks to John Joe Sherlock and Paschal McCarra for preparing the raised beds. This involved much planning and hours of hard work.

Thanks also to Seamus McCarville from the Tidy Towns Committee who gave a very interesting and informative talk on looking after our environment.

 

 

Posters

Here are the children in Infants and First Class working hard on their Green Schools posters. As you can see they are very environmentally aware and rightly proud of their finished products.