Our Awards
We are a Green School with 9 Green Flags
Green-Schools is Ireland’s leading environmental management and education programme for schools. Promoting long-term, whole-school action for the environment Green-Schools is a student-led programme with involvement from the wider community. The programme is operated and coordinated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce.
One of our millennium projects was to become involved in the Green School Programme. We have been awarded nine flags based on the following themes:
- Litter & Waste.
- Energy.
- Water.
- Travel.
- Biodiversity.
- Global Citizenship Litter and Waste.
- Global Citizenship Energy.
- Global Citizenship Marine Environment.
- Global Citizenship Travel.
We are currently on our two-year programme for the 10th theme which is Global Citizenship Food and Biodiversity. This two-year theme explores how to grow, harvest and prepare your own food using organic means whilst also investigating the impacts of the current food production system on the local and global environment. Every class will get to experience growing and harvesting their own food over the next two years!
Mrs Greally is the current Green School Coordinator, assisted by her fourth class. Mr Kelly’s 5th and 6th class are a sub-committee for the current theme as they have a keen interest in and a great knowledge of growing plants and vegetables.
We all have a responsibility in looking after our environment and everyone can make a difference. We in Scoil Chroí Naofa have become friends of the environment by:
- Keeping our school clean and tidy.
- Disposing of our waste in the correct bins.
- Saving electricity.
- Making the best use of heat.
- Conserving water in our school.
- Enhancing our school environment.
- Walking to school whenever we can or using Park and Stride.
- Protecting biodiversity in our local area.
- Thinking globally and acting locally.
Our Scoil Chroí Naofa Green School Code is:
“Be seen to be green, keep our environment clean”.
Discovery Primary Science and Technology
The Discover Primary Science and Maths Programme (DPSM) is part of Science Foundation Ireland’s Education and Public Engagement Programme, which aims to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among students, teachers and members of the public.
Our school has participated in the Discovery Primary Science Programme for several years. Teachers in various classes teach their pupils many interesting science lessons and the children have the opportunity to carry out a wide variety of scientific experiments.
In the academic year 2019/2020, we were successful in achieving our fifteenth Discovery Primary Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths Awards of Excellence.
This school year (2021-2022), we are participating in the Discovery Primary Science Award yet again and we will enjoy celebrating the different weeks linked to this programme such as Science Week, Space Week, Maths Week Engineers Week and Tech Week.
We are an e-learning school with 2 e-awards
We were the fourth school in Co. Galway to receive the Digital Schools Award which recognises excellence in our approach to the integration of ICT in learning, teaching and in administration. In 2014, we secured a second award called the Digital Schools of Distinction Award, in acknowledgement of our high standards as an e-learning school.
We are an Active School with an Active School Flag
A new committee called the Active School Committee was established in the school in 2015. Mr. McDonald is the Co-Ordinator assisted by Mrs Greally. Their slogan is Be active! Keep active! Stay active! We participated in a two years Active School Programme and received our Active School Flag in 2016. The Active School flag committee has 3 aims:
- To make sure that everybody takes part in some kind of activity during or after school, e.g. walking, cycling, swimming, running or playing,
- To help children be more active inside and outside of school. It is recommended that children have at least 60 minutes of activity every day.
- To make sure we have fun while getting more active. It’s much easier to be active if you’re having fun doing it!
We have an Active School Week in June where children are encouraged to be active at home, at school and at play. Check out the ASC page under ‘Committees’ for more information on the work of the committee.
We are a Healthy School with a Health Promoting School Flag
Our school implemented the two year Health Promoting School Programme under the guidance of Mrs Hennessy’s third and fourth class in 2015 and 2016 (Healthy School Committee). Their motto is : Healthy Body Strong Mind Go Better Together. We achieved our Healthy School Flag on June 20th 2016. Our school continues to implement the key points of the committee Action Plan which was as follows:
- To revise our healthy eating policy.
- To carry out research on sugar content in various drinks (see below).
- To encourage the school community to drink more water.
- To become better fruit and veg eaters with the assistance of the Food Dudes Programme.
- To enhance our environment by painting a large mural and games on the playground.
- To plant more trees, flowers and shrubs on our school campus.
- To highlight our school as a bullying free zone especially during Anti Bullying week.
- To implement the Fun Friends, Friends for Life and the Zippy’s Friends programmes which teach children to cope with difficulties, to build resilience and to manage anxiety.
- To become an active school and to achieve the Active School Flag.
- To provide a variety of workshops for the children such as nutrition, well being, origami, bird watching, Zumba, kinex, Lego, canine buddies, sean nos dancing, cycling, visits from authors etc.
We are Entrepreneurs with our JEP Flag flying high
Mrs Monson’s 6th class and Mr Kelly’s 5th and 6th class took part this year in the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) . JEP is an entrepreneurial awareness & skills enhancement programme for primary school children over a 12 week period.
The children were encouraged to become critical thinkers, to identify a diverse range of strengths & talents, to engage in teamwork & collaboration and to reflect on their learning. Over the 12 weeks the children came up with their own business ideas out of which five ideas were selected. The ideas were presented to our two dragons: Mr Naughton and Mrs Cronin. It was a great day.
The winning product chosen were Lucky Bags. The next phase was design and costings. The school gave a start up loan of €400. Then it was a very busy two weeks of production where the 6th class room and 5th and 6th class rooms were turned into a hive of activity.
Finally the products were showcased & sold to the whole school and the girls raised over €1,500. They paid back their €400 loan to the school. The remaining profits were divided between the 5th and 6th class girls. Each girl got €30 . It was a fantastic programme and an overall great learning experience for all involved.
Thanks also to staff, parents and children who supported 5th and 6th class by purchasing their product.
