The Active School Flag is a Department of Education and Skills initiative which recognises schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community, by awarding them with the Active School Flag (ASF). Scoil Náisiúinta Naomh Pádraig has recently decided to try for Active School Flag this year . Our first task was setting up our Active School Committee. Each student submitted an application form to be chosen as a member of the Active School Committee.
The Active School Committe then held a meeting to generate ideas how we could encourage the school community to become more active. We drew up a rota of playground leaders. Every break playground leaders ensure all pupils are active throughout the breaks. Playground leaders and the ASC are also in charge of organising our new initiative ‘Try it out Tuesdays ‘. Every Tuesday , the playground leaders bring out different PE equipment out to the school yard for our pupils to try . They will also teach different yard games to the pupils to encourage pupils not just to play soccer every break. We have a suggestions box where any pupil can pop in suggestions of games or PE equipment they would like to try out. During Rainy day breaks , our leaders visit the classrooms to help dance and exercise and be active regardless of the weather.
Our Playground Leaders this month . They have set up a tennis net and our school are currently trying out Tennis!
Physical Education : Our Teachers looked at what strands of the PE curriculum they could further improve in our school. They decided to focus on Dance and Athletics. We had a big audit of our equipment and purchased javelins, hurdles , foam discuss and relay batons and much more to help the teaching of the Athletics strand. Mrs. Binions also located a wonderful cd with lots of dances we could learn. Mrs McEvoy attended training for the Fundamental Movement skills and when we are working on a strand in PE we also focus on a movement skill. We contacted the Local Athletics club to avail of a fabulous resource they developed to support the teaching of Athletics in the school and helped pupils practice their running in the lead up to a competition.
In January , The Senior room started Irish Dancing for the first time. We worked really hard on our steps and the Fundamental Movement skill of Balancing . We eventually learned ‘The Walls of Limerick ‘ and the ‘Siege of Ennis’ .The Junior Room learned some lovely folk dances . They learned ‘ Come to me ‘ The Bird flew into the Nest ‘ and ‘The Cuckoo Dance ’
Active School Week :
Our first Active week was a great success. On Monday 18th of June, We had our sports Days. Parents volunteered and we ran lots of different types of races and competitions such as Egg and spoon, Wheel barrow, Javelin throw , Obstacle course and hurdles.
Run around Ireland Challenge :
Every morning we run laps of the school totaling 500 metres . A tally is kept to see how many kilometres we can reach . On our Active Schools noticeboard we have plotted on the map the towns in Ireland and their distances. We are hoping to run enough Kilometres to achieve the challenge of running around Ireland.
On the 10/04/2018 The school ran enough Kilometres to reach Kilkenny.
By the 23/05/2018 , the school ran enough Kilometres to reach Derry .
By the 13/06/2018. the school ran enough Kilometres to reach Westport
We finally finished our Run around Ireland challenge on November 16th . We have run the distance between all the towns in Ireland ! Well done to all .
Our Active School Walkway :
With the help of Mrs. Nevin and Mrs. McEvoy , we marked out an active school walkway. During breaks , we can now go for a walk while we talk !
Our Active School Slogan:
Well done to Keelin Lawlor and Thomas Malone who won our Active Schools Slogan poster colouring competition. We now have an Active Schools Slogan :
Run , Jump, Hurl and Play. Be Active everyday!
Active Schools Partnerships :
Our Cluster Blitz
A cluster blitz was organised between the four local schools. The students were divided into groups according to thier class. Active stations were set up by local volunteers from Carlow GAA . A very active and fantastic day was had by everyone!
Our Parents Association and our pupils got together and organised a Sponsorship Walk/Run to Goolin Woods to raise money for the school on Sunday 17th of June 2018 .
Well done to our students, Conor Hickey, Dylan Ryan Doyle , Jack Redmond , Jack Joyce and Sarah Joyce who took part in the Carlow County Athletics races. Jack Joyce won a medal. He finished in 9th pace in the 1000m out of 150 students. Sarah also did very well, finishing in 17th place out of 150 participants.
Well done to our girls Football team who reached the Cumann na mBunscol Finals. They lost the final to Glynn NS.
