Eco-Schools

Eco School’s Co-ordinator – Mr Henry and Mrs O’Donnell

Eco Team –

P3

Isla Mulvenna

Ciara O’Shea

Ethan Hassan

P4

Rory McConnell

Tyler Owens

Daniel Man

Miron Pudlo

Noah Alexander

Ava Boyd

P5

Molly Doherty

Caolan McCormick

Conor McCourt

Maria Hassan

Madeline  McCaffrey

Ana McClelland

P6

Aleena Shiji

Daniel Noade

Anthony Ashmore

Connor Murphy

Abbie O’Loan

Eve Scullion

P7

Rhea Waring

Roma Gillen

Ciara Connolly

Patrick McCaffrey

Shine Philip

Anna–Rose McSorley

We were successfully awarded our 3^rd Eco Flag in September 2017. The Eco Assessors made the following comments after their visit:

“A large, engaged and enthusiastic Eco-Committee is ably led by Mr Henry and other committed teacher volunteers – we were treated to highlights of an Eco-assembly that had been held earlier in the day.

From the Principal down, the school seems most supportive including the lovely lady from the canteen who had prepared organic pear crumble from fruit picked in the school garden.

Very impressed with the plastic bottle greenhouse built with the help of several Grandads.

Lots of focus on all important Eco-School areas including the pupil designed Trim Trail which helps the whole school keep fit.”

Nigel McGarry and Chris Woods

This term the Eco Team are working hard with Sustrans to develop our Active Travel programme. Sustrans Active School Travel Programme is an exciting initiative for schools who wish to see more of their pupils choosing an active and healthy journey to school. The team are looking at our surrounding area and suggesting safe places for children and parents to ‘Park and Stride’ to school. Each distance is within 10 minutes’ walk and is safe with footpaths and road crossings. They believe the church (4 min), Castle Mall (7min), Maxol garage (2min) and Castle Grounds (5min) car parks are ideal for parking and walking/scooting/cycling to school. This is also aimed at reducing the heavy traffic in our school car parks.

Sustrans is being funded by the Department for Infrastructure and the Public Health Agency to continue delivering the Active School Travel Programme across Northern Ireland for the next five years until 2021.

Increasing the number of children who regularly walk, cycle or scoot to school has numerous benefits including:

• increased physical activity levels resulting in improved health and well-being
• reduced congestion and pollution around schools
• improved academic performance and attendance rates
• increased road safety awareness
• increased confidence, self-esteem and independence for young people.

This initiative provides schools with a planned programme of activities throughout the year, both in and out of the classroom, as well as direct hands-on support from our dedicated Sustrans Active Travel Officer, Johnny McCrystal. The fundamental aim of the initiative is providing schools with the skills and knowledge to get more children walking, cycling and scooting as their main mode of transport to school.

Many thanks the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for providing the school with brand new food waste bins for every classroom. We would like to remind the children that only food scraps are allowed in the bins. Place tin foil, cling film and wrappers in the general waste.

Click on the link below to view our School Eco Code.

Our 2^nd Eco Flag                                              

We were so excited, but also nervous on the day! First of all we had a practise of doing our part in the presentation allof the eco team had made. Then we went back to our classroom, seeing as Cathy, the inspector had gone to the wrong school. Then, after she had arrived, Mr Henry  took us to the first place we planned to take her to, the eco schools notice board. She asked us lots of questions, and we answered them. Next I suggested going to P5A. Cathy asked about eco monitors. We said that they switch of lights and make sure that pc’s and whiteboards are switched off when we’re not using them. Then we went to P7 to visit Lorcan, Arjah and Tom, our Environmental Speech finalists. Cathy asked if we were doing anything else to be eco-friendly. MrMcLaughlin said they were doing an end of year show and they used recycled materials for props. After that we went to show Cathy the starting of our greenhouse project and when we went out, some of the P1’s were gardening so Cathy asked them a few questions. After that we went inside to show Cathy the reports of the Spring Clean P3’s had made. Next we went to the P3’s classroom to ask them a few questions. Cathy then went to talk to Mr Matthews while we waited a few minutes. Then just before lunch Cathy announced that we have earned our 2^nd Eco Flag!

By Eva  P5B