St.Louis Infant School

The green school programme is an international education programme whose aim is to promote environmental awareness through education and action linking home, school and the local community. The green school is both a programme and an award scheme with schools aiming for the prestigious Green Flag award. St.Louis Infant School is a green school and we are very happy to be part of the green school programme. Over the last year we have had lots of success in reducing our amount of waste going to landfill and reducing our carbon footprint. Our task is ongoing. This year we aim to achieve our first green flag. Many thanks to last years committee members who played their part Sophie Callan, Liam Conway, Aoife Gavin ,Tiarnán O'Rourke and Kacper Ostrowski. Fortunately for us we have three experienced members remaining in first class Megan Prunty, Sam O' Connor and Aaron Gallagher. Their willingness was appreciated as they did all of the compost emptying for the Junior infant classes during September helped by Cairín Mc Kenna. It was soon apparent that extra help was needed. New committee members were needed urgently. The children were asked to give a reason why they would like to be on the committee and the class teachers selected accordingly. The new committee members are as follows
Mrs Greenan (Green school Co-Ordinator), Mrs McTiernan, Miss Peoples and our caretaker Kevin Clerkin
Senior Infants
Luke Mc Manus, Senan Mc Cudden, Charlie Mc Elroy, Sean Callan, Nicole Karlaite, Dion Brady, Lorcan Brennan and Orla Sherry.
First Classes
Michael Naklicki, Lauren Sweeney, Aaron Gallagher, Sam O'Connor,Megan Prunty, Juste Neimantaite, Caolán Mc Kenna, Aleksandra Wosnita and Mark McManus.

Already the children have made a valuable contribution in terms of ideas, suggestions and practical help.
We began in Oct.2009 by examining the school's environmental impact re Litter and waste. With the help of Niall O' Connor, Monaghan Co. Council an environmental Audit was carried out. Waste was weighed and results recorded by Green school Committee and waste graphs were drawn up. The childrens’ involvement was very evident during the environmental audit. They helped weigh and record the waste.They also acted as stewarts e.g. helping the teachers direct the children from and to the twelve classrooms. In June 2010 and again in October 2010 weigh ins were carried out by our Greenschool commitee.

The children on the committee have a special role in reporting back to their classmates thus helping to involve everybody. As a follow on from the review the greenschool committee set about implementing the programme, working towards achieveable targets . Monitoring and evaluation is ongoing under the watchful eye of Kevin Clerkin and the Greenschool Committee.
The greenschool noticeboard keeps parents /teachers informed.

Huge reduction achieved

As a result of the Oct.2010 weigh in the committee were able to report a massive 84% waste reduction and a graph was drawn up to reflect this wonderful achievement. Our motto to "Wash it, squash it and pop it in the bin" is having the desired effect and the encouraging result leaves us in a great position for the December application for our first green flag.

Green School Assembly

On the 20/10/10 we had our very first Green School Assembly. It was very exciting for all the children to see the waste reduction graph. Mrs Mc Tiernan congratulated the children on their wonderful achievements reminding them that the Green flag is now within reach. The committee members were introduced to the whole school and thanked for the important work they were doing.

Mrs McTiernan spoke to the Junior Infants telling them that they also had a role to play. The teachers of the 4 Junior Infant classes were given 'Green School Monitor Badges which the Junior Infants will wear on a rota basis as they carry out their green school duties in their own classrooms.
The assembled children were then invited to join in the following activities

• A waste sorting demonstration
• Lets make a green school poem
• Waste in its proper place competition
• Green School Art project
• Compost mixing

The children responded with great enthusiasm and they seemed to particularly enjoy the 'green school poem exercise. Finally the assembly finished with prizes for the first classes. Each child who partook in the recycling at home project during Repak Recycling week received a pencil pack (Click here to view the projects in our gallery). Nial O' Connor from Monaghan Co. Council was so impressed with the wonderful effort and variety he donated the prizes courtesy of Monaghan Co. Council. A very enjoyable time was had by all and we left the hall singing our new Greenschool song.

Through various recycling projects children are learning that recycling is not only good for the environment but can be a valuable fund raiser for charity. In the clothes recycling project Mrs Mc Tiernan raised €300 for St.Lukes Hospital and €300 for Ireland's Flood victims.Ms. Rocks has collected old mobile phones achieving her target of 300+ thus helping the Jack and Jill foundation to provide nursing care for a seriously ill child while also procuring another whiteboard for the school.

What we don't need can make a difference to others