We are a Green Flag School. Read more here.
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   THE GREEN SCHOOLS PROJECT
In recent times we have all become aware of issues concerning our environment. Hardly a day goes by without mention of environmental problems such as location of landfills, pollution of our waterways or global warming. In Whitechurch N.S. we decided that it was time to create more awareness of environmental issues among the staff and pupils. The green schools project seemed a good way in which to encourage and acknowledge whole school action for the local environment. After making enquiries we applied to an taisce to register as a green-school. Waterford Co. Council have assured us of their full co-operation in implementing the programme. We formed a committee consisting of teachers, pupils, parents and care taking staff. We have meetings to discuss plans for the school. We had lots of ideas. One of them being litter patrols where the pupils were put into groups of 5 or 6 and go out and pick up the rubbish. Each group are put on a rata and their turn comes every 2 or 3 weeks. We have three bins in every classroom were we put all the rubbish. These bin are labelled one for organic waste and one for milk and one for paper. The committee decided to re-landscape the front of the school. We dug up a corner of the lawn and planted lots of shrubs and flowers. We also set creepers around the oil tank, which will improve the look of it. We also put down plastic on some of the waste area and put pebbles on top so as to stop weeds from coming up. Lots of children brought in seeds found around there home e.g., acorns, beech nuts and chestnut and they set them in pots in school and we are hoping to have little trees to set around school in years to come. We have a suggestion box in school. So far we have had lots of ideas come of which are included above. We decided to put a bird table in the centre of the new shrubs, one child in sixth class made it and looks after and keeps the food on it. We hold a committee meeting every 8 or 10 weeks at this meeting we discuss all the plans we put in place and make sure they are all going well. The committee decided to relandscape the front of the school. We dug up a corner of the lawn and planted lots of shrubs and flowers. We also set creepers around the oil tank, which will improve the look of it. We also put down plastic on some of the waste area and put pebbles on top so as to stop weeds from coming up. Lots of children brought in seeds found around there home e.g., acorns, beech nuts and chestnut and they set them in pots in school and we are hoping to have little trees to set around school in years to come. We have a suggestion box in school. So far we have had lots of ideas come of which are included above. We decided to put a bird table in the centre of the new shrubs, one child in sixth class made it and looks after and keeps the food on it. We hold a committee meeting every 8 or 10 weeks at this meeting we discuss all the plans we put in place and make sure they are all going well. We also discuss some new ideas that might be in the suggestion box and decide whether we should go ahead with them or not. We also decided to have a newsletter and send it to the parents telling them of all the improvements that we have made and the ones we entend to do. Our local Co. Council held an environmental art and poetry competition between all the school, in this competition two of our pupils won prizes Marie Shine for poetry and Karen Hallahan for art. Mrs. Fennell is our Green School Coordinator. |
