Green Schools

Jack and Jill foundation

The Jack and Jill foundation is an Irish charity that supports the families of babies who are born with or develop brain damage. To help the Jack and Jill foundation we are asking staff and students to bring in their old phones. Our target for the month is 300 phones. If we achieve our target we will get an Interactive Whiteboard free of charge and we will be helping The Jack and Jill foundation. 250 mobiles provide home nursing care for a sick child for one month. We are also collecting used ink cartridges. The phones and ink cartridges can be put into the boxes placed around the school.

Third Green Flag

We are working towards our Third Green Flag. The theme for this flag is Water. We are teaching our students how to conserve water, e.g. by not leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth. Leaving a tap dripping loses 10,000 litres of water per annum. We hope that students and staff will realise the importance of conserving our water.

Waste Management at G.C.S Our Waste Management is up and running in the school and is very successful. We have landfill bins, paper bins, bread bins and compost bins The landfill bins are used for general, non-recyclable waste. The paper bins used for all our waste paper and it is shredded in the school. Our bread bins consisting of waste bread at lunchtime is given to the local community for feeding fowl and dogs. Crumbs are given to the birds on their bird tables. Our compost bins are used for grass cuttings, kitchen scraps, vegetable and fruit peelings, egg shells, leaves and weeds from the grounds. This compost is used on our flower beds and we have just planted our Spring bedding plants. Green Schools committee members have just produced a brochure on composting. Green Schools Survey Members of the Green Schools committee have just completed a survey with 1st years, to help them become aware of our waste management at G.C.S. We have also conducted a survey on water management in the school.

Bread Bins

Bread Bins The Green School’s Committee have got ‘Three Bread Bins’. There is one in assembly, one in room 14 and one in the girls’ locker rooms. We put orange luminous signs on them saying ‘Bread Bins’ so you can’t miss them! There used to be bread on the floor, and in the normal bins, it was a big waste. Now, during lunch, four Green Schools Committee members supervise the bread bins and when full give it out to fowl, dogs and the birds. This is a very successful campaign which we in the Green Schools Committee are very proud of.

Members of the Green Schools Committee collecting bread

Bird Houses

In conjunction with the Green Schools: Mr Marren and his woodwork class have offered to make two bird tables in which we will put some of the bread we get from the bread bins. These bird tables will be left at the front of the school, and will enhance the beauty of our Grounds.

Litter and recycling

Our litter and recycling bins are up and running and are very successful.

Notice Board

The Green Schools in conjunction with the woodwork department have made a new green timber notice board for our notices and up-coming events. This is displayed in the assembly area.