Waterford Today - 11th June 2008
The Department of Education and Science has commended the teachers, parents and pupils of a small, county Waterford school for fund-raising for hi-tech classroom tools which have made learning easier and more fun.
It makes it one of the most technologically advanced schools in the country.
The Department openly commended the use of interactive white boards in Irish classrooms, endorsing independent research which shows the hi-tech tool helps boost pupil concentration levels and makes learning fun.
A Department report Aglish National School commends its principal, staff, board and parents who fund-raised to install interactive white boards in all of its classrooms. It adds that the use of the board left children more motivated, interested and stimulated than a traditional, chalk board.
The report backs up independent research carried out by Wexford-based company, Prim-Ed Publishing, which shows its hi-tech, Promethean whiteboards stimulate pupils far more than traditional black-boards.
The Whole School Evaluation report on Aglish National School in county Waterford says integrating such technology in the classroom not only boosts pupil participation but brings subjects such as Irish to life. Prim Ed's interactive white boards are also a massive boost in a multi-class situation, the report adds.
"Teachers' success in ensuring pupil interest and participation in lessons is due to the stimulating methodologies employed by the staff and the highly commendable use made of resources, including, in particular, the computerised interactive whiteboards," the Inspector's report into the school says.
"In addition, the teachers are working with laudable dedication on placing as many resources as possible on to computer hard disc and thus having material available instantly for the whole class, when required, on the interactive whiteboard," the report continues.
"Motivation and interest are maintained by means of stimulating methodologies that emphasise the key curricular principles of active learning, environment-based learning, differentiation and integration of knowledge. In addition, pupils' attention is maintained through the very effective use made of resources," the report stresses.
Ronan Culloo of Aglish NS in Cappoquin, county Waterford, said they are thrilled with their board and with Prim-Ed's service. "These are the greatest and best teaching aid and learning support which has come on the market. The children have really taken enthusiastically to being taught with the interactive board. Their attention is greater and they enjoy interacting with the board."
Prim-Ed's Publishing's managing director, Seamus McGuinness, said teaching young children using Prim-Ed's interactive white boards has never been so engaging and exciting. "When Prim-Ed's white boards are used, all eyes are to the front. Younger children learn to read and write with fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters and scenery. They can develop storyboards which encourage discussion and debate.
"Maths is brought to life using dices, coins, grids and graphs. History is brought to life before your eyes. One of the most exciting elements of our Activprimary teaching solution for teachers and pupils is the attention grabbing and time saving resource library that helps teachers to create dynamic lessons across the National Curriculum," Mr McGuinness added.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Irish Green-School Grabs Recycling School Of The Year Award
Eco-Schools Newsletter - November 2007
An Irish Green-School was awarded the Repak Recycling School of the Year Award 2007.
The school in question is Aglish National School in Waterford in the South East of Ireland who have already been awarded the Green Flag three times by An Taisce! The Award is designed to reward a school that has gone to extra lengths to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
A Black-Tie Gala Dinner event was organised to honour Aglish National School and the other Recycling Award Winners in Dublin in October where the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley T.D., presented the awards.
Aglish National School is a four teacher primary school in Cappoquin, Co Waterford. The students and staff along with Principal Ronal Culloo are a shining example to us all. They recycle everything from aluminium cans, paper, cardboard, cartons and plastic to cartridges, batteries and lunch containers.
They give bags of shredded paper to local greyhound owners for bedding, and any tattered towels and old clothes are given to local mechanics and agricultural contractors for oiling machines and engines. All of the artwork in the school is created from recycled materials.
The schools daily "Wash and Squash" campaign means each individual is responsible for their own recycling. All the while, the Green Schools committee is busily monitoring all activities ensuring good practises are upheld. Convent Primary School, Bathview, Mallow, Co. Cork and Corrandulla National School in Galway were joint finalists with innovative and fun initiatives taking place at both schools. Green-Schools continues to grow in Ireland with now over 2,780 schools registered and 1,118 schools awarded the Flag! With another busy year ahead we know these numbers will continue to grow daily! To see more details of Aglish NS and other schools, check out the Case Study Section of our website at www.greenschoolsireland.org.
Congratulations to Aglish NS again from all of us in the Green-Schools Team at An Taisce!
Cathy Joyce
An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland
www.greenschoolsireland.org
An Irish Green-School was awarded the Repak Recycling School of the Year Award 2007.
The school in question is Aglish National School in Waterford in the South East of Ireland who have already been awarded the Green Flag three times by An Taisce! The Award is designed to reward a school that has gone to extra lengths to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
A Black-Tie Gala Dinner event was organised to honour Aglish National School and the other Recycling Award Winners in Dublin in October where the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley T.D., presented the awards.
Aglish National School is a four teacher primary school in Cappoquin, Co Waterford. The students and staff along with Principal Ronal Culloo are a shining example to us all. They recycle everything from aluminium cans, paper, cardboard, cartons and plastic to cartridges, batteries and lunch containers.
They give bags of shredded paper to local greyhound owners for bedding, and any tattered towels and old clothes are given to local mechanics and agricultural contractors for oiling machines and engines. All of the artwork in the school is created from recycled materials.
The schools daily "Wash and Squash" campaign means each individual is responsible for their own recycling. All the while, the Green Schools committee is busily monitoring all activities ensuring good practises are upheld. Convent Primary School, Bathview, Mallow, Co. Cork and Corrandulla National School in Galway were joint finalists with innovative and fun initiatives taking place at both schools. Green-Schools continues to grow in Ireland with now over 2,780 schools registered and 1,118 schools awarded the Flag! With another busy year ahead we know these numbers will continue to grow daily! To see more details of Aglish NS and other schools, check out the Case Study Section of our website at www.greenschoolsireland.org.
Congratulations to Aglish NS again from all of us in the Green-Schools Team at An Taisce!
Cathy Joyce
An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland
www.greenschoolsireland.org
Aglish NS Recycling School of the Year Winner
www.repak.ie
Aglish NS is 4 teacher school with approximately 60 students. Principal Ronan Culloo and the rest of the school have been awarded the Green Flag an impressive 3 times and are currently working to receive their fourth this school year! The school are avid recyclers who also give bags of shredded paper to local greyhound owners for bedding, and any tattered towels and old clothes are given to local mechanics and agricultural contractors for oiling machines and engines. All of the artwork in the school is created from recycled materials.
The schools daily "Wash and Squash" campaign means each individual is responsible for their own recycling. All the while, the Green Schools committee are busily monitoring all activities ensuring good practises are upheld.
Aglish NS is 4 teacher school with approximately 60 students. Principal Ronan Culloo and the rest of the school have been awarded the Green Flag an impressive 3 times and are currently working to receive their fourth this school year! The school are avid recyclers who also give bags of shredded paper to local greyhound owners for bedding, and any tattered towels and old clothes are given to local mechanics and agricultural contractors for oiling machines and engines. All of the artwork in the school is created from recycled materials.
The schools daily "Wash and Squash" campaign means each individual is responsible for their own recycling. All the while, the Green Schools committee are busily monitoring all activities ensuring good practises are upheld.
Green-Schools Water - Aglish NS
2006 - Green Schools Website
Aglish N.S. is a two teacher rural primary school located in west Waterford.
With regard to water conservation, Aglish N.S. looked at toilet cisterns, through which they found a lot of water was being wasted unnecessarily. They decided to put rocks in the cisterns in order to reduce the volume of water used in each flush. They were careful with the rocks they selected, they made sure to measure the right amount of space so that there was enough water in the cistern for one good flush without having to flush twice. Therefore, they weighed the rocks collected outside, so they would all take up the same capacity in the cisterns. They filled a 1000 millilitres (1 litre) jug and put rocks in cisterns. The water rose to 1150 ml, so the rocks saved 150 ml per flush. Aglish N.S. worked out the average number of flushes per day i.e. 90 flushes. They knew they were saving 150 ml per flush, therefore through this simple no cost measure, the school was saving 13,500 ml (or 13.5 litres) of water per day. This works out at 67.5 litres per week, and with approximately 36 weeks in a school year, the school is saving 2,430 litres per year!
Other measures to conserve water:
Aglish N.S. have continued their work on Litter & Waste and Energy. They are monitoring closely the amount of material being recycled, cost of electricity bills, the volume of oil used for heating. These figures are recorded monthly and go back until 2002, therefore enabling them to look at trends over a four year period.
Aglish N.S. is a two teacher rural primary school located in west Waterford.
With regard to water conservation, Aglish N.S. looked at toilet cisterns, through which they found a lot of water was being wasted unnecessarily. They decided to put rocks in the cisterns in order to reduce the volume of water used in each flush. They were careful with the rocks they selected, they made sure to measure the right amount of space so that there was enough water in the cistern for one good flush without having to flush twice. Therefore, they weighed the rocks collected outside, so they would all take up the same capacity in the cisterns. They filled a 1000 millilitres (1 litre) jug and put rocks in cisterns. The water rose to 1150 ml, so the rocks saved 150 ml per flush. Aglish N.S. worked out the average number of flushes per day i.e. 90 flushes. They knew they were saving 150 ml per flush, therefore through this simple no cost measure, the school was saving 13,500 ml (or 13.5 litres) of water per day. This works out at 67.5 litres per week, and with approximately 36 weeks in a school year, the school is saving 2,430 litres per year!
Other measures to conserve water:
- Every pupil makes sure to turn taps off properly and keeps an eye open for any leaks.
- The school harvests rainwater for watering plants and flowers.
- The kettle is filled up with the amount of water that will be used.
- Cartons, paintbrushes, etc. are washed in a plugged sink to avoid constant running water.
Aglish N.S. have continued their work on Litter & Waste and Energy. They are monitoring closely the amount of material being recycled, cost of electricity bills, the volume of oil used for heating. These figures are recorded monthly and go back until 2002, therefore enabling them to look at trends over a four year period.
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