Congratulations to the Green-Schools Committee and all our pupils on receiving their 5th Green Schools Flag for Biodiversity. On the 11th May we held our Green Schools Celebration Day.
Guests of honour on the day were Geraldine Clarke, former Deputy Principal and Green Schools Co-ordinator, Sharon Finnegan, Environmental Officer with Monaghan County Council and Conor McManus, past pupil, local club and County All Star footballer.
Celebrations got underway with all pupils, staff and invited guests coming together for the very first time in our new purpose built Halla Spóirt.
Mrs Moorehead welcomed everyone and thanked them for their attendance on what was a very special day for the whole school community. She outlined and acknowledged the diligence, commitment and huge effort of so many people in securing a Fifth Green Flag for the school and in particular applauded the Green Schools Committee, Mrs. Quinn, the Green Schools Coordinator and her assistant, Mrs. Caroline Lafferty.
Mrs. Moorehead pointed out that there was never a time when Green Schools was more important than now as Climate Change urgently needs to be addressed. She emphasised the need for the pupils to bring the message of what they are learning and doing in school home and to ensure that it is reflected in their daily lives to protect the world in which we live.
Our Green Schools Coordinator, Laura Quinn, applauded the work and commitment of the Green Schools Committee, Mrs. Lafferty and all the pupils and staff. Mrs Quinn detailed the work undertaken by the committee and pupils: The Green-Schools Committee have worked very hard over this past couple of years increasing biodiversity in our school. They have created wild flower garden boxes for the bees and butterflies, and they have planted trees around the school grounds. They have taken part in the National Spring Clean around the school community working alongside An Taisce. As well as this, the boys and girls continue to learn about biodiversity within the classrooms. We look forward to continuing to further develop Biodiversity around our school in the coming year.
Our Green-Schools committee also spoke at the ceremony about how much they enjoyed being a part of the committee and working together. They spoke about the importance of remembering the other themes that the school has previously received flags for i.e. Litter and Waste, Energy, Water and Travel. They also reminded all the boys and girls about how all the latest information on Green Schools can be found on the school’s new website.
Sharon Finnegan, Environmental Officer, congratulated the pupils on all that they had learned about nature, birds, animals and insects. She commended the Green Schools Committee on their work and told them that through working on the Green School Committee they had learned many life skills which will be of great benefit to them in the future. Sharon concluded by re-emphasising the importance of bringing the message of Green Schools home to their families. She congratulated the school on their fantastic achievement of being awarded a Fifth Flag.
Conor McManus said he was delighted to be back visiting his primary school to raise the Fifth Flag. He reminisced on raising the First Green Flag some years ago with Ms. Geraldine Clarke who deserves great praise for introducing Scoil Mhuire to the Green Schools Programme.
Conor said that he was delighted to see the great work being continued in the school. He congratulated the pupils on learning how to do things properly in terms of the environment and sustainability. He encouraged the pupils to continue practising what they have learned in school, to bring it home and to keep up the hard work.
The Green School Committee and invited guests welcomed the break in the rain to venture outside where Conor hoisted up the much coveted Green Flag.
The celebrations concluded with much welcomed refreshments for the guests, Green Day fun and activities for the pupils, and the visit of an Ice Cream Van went down a treat!!
