South Longford primary school gains Green Flag and Blue Star Flag

They came to celebrate the school being awarded the Blue Star of Europe award and their Sixth Green Flag for Global Citizenship – Litter and Waste.

The school successfully earned the Blue Star Award as they fostered a better understanding and knowledge of the European Union and how it has an effect on the lives of primary school children. As part of this initiative, the school hosted a Global Citizenship event to celebrate the 14 different nations that are within the school.

As part of the award, the senior end of the school researched different countries within Europe and using digital technology funded by the Learning from the Extreme Initiative, the pupils were able to create Google slide presentations on their chosen country.

Lanesboro Primary School had the pleasure of speaking with members of the Portuguese Department of Education, along with their counterparts in Greece, concerning the use of digital technology in the school and how it is used to bridge the gap between new entrant learners from other countries such as the Ukraine.

Lanesboro Primary School recognises their place within the community of the EU and is looking forward to future projects with the EU.

The school, through hard work, civic engagement and through several different activities, earned the sixth flag of the Green Schools Initiative.

To earn this prestigious award, the pupils of 5th and 6th Class did numerous community clean up events, such as litter picking around the children’s playground in Lanesboro as well as the main street in the town.

Fifth and Sixth Class also visited Mulleady’s Waste processing facility to learn more about how waste is disposed of in an efficient and sustainable manner.

1st – 4th class participated in the Picker Pal’s programme. This was a school initiative where pupils would pick litter around the school as well as at home using equipment supplied to them by this programme. It was a very valuable and worthwhile programme that enabled the children to develop a greater understanding of the importance of keeping our communities tidy and free of litter.

The Global Citizenship aspect of this flag involved the pupils learning about the Global Development Goals and celebrating the different nationalities for Global Citizenship Day.

Members of the Green School’s Committee travelled to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone to collect the Flag and were treated to a tasty lunch afterwards.

The Green Flag was raised by Joe Flaherty TD.

Deputy Flaherty said, “I have watched the school progress with these projects, and I am greatly impressed by the enthusiasm and the energy of the pupils. I have seen the school reaching out to school communities across Europe, and these are great initiatives for the school and it is something that all of the families within the school community can be very proud of.”

The pupils and staff of Lanesboro Primary School would like to express sincere thanks to Maria Walsh MEP, Joe Flaherty TD and Senator Micheál Carrigy for supporting them in these activities and they look forward to future projects.