We have been awarded our 2nd Green Flag, well done to everyone involved. Our Green School Committee is working hard at implementing the Green Flag Programme on the theme of Energy. We will promoting the Water Theme next year.

The current committee members are:
Orla Clancy - parent
Pat Meaney - Cloghan Community Development
Valerie Daly - Principal and coordinator Nicola Kilmartin - teacher and coordinator
Tyrese Brennan, Jack Fitzmaurice, Emily Daly, Paulina Kurylak, Cathal Mahon, - 6th class
Sharon McDonagh - 5th class
Ciarán Flynn - 4th class
Jack Doolin - 3rd class
Alex Slevin - 2nd class
Seán Devery - 1st class
Séamus Óg Carbery - senior infants and Aoibhinn Concannon junior infants.
Caretaker – Oliver Flynn.

This is a photograph of the pupils on our committee.

Summer Clean UP Day – 31st May 2017

Parents, Teachers, SNA's, Pupils and the Community Development Committee worked together today to clean up our school and the village. We had a very enjoyable day caring for our environment.

Green Flag Awards - 24th May 2017.

Green Flag Action Plan – Energy

Objectives:

To raise awareness that simple actions can cut down energy consumption substantially;
To help pupils and the wider community understand that conserving energy is vital in order to help protect our environment from the impacts of climate change and to protect our future;
To show pupils the link between energy consumption and financial cost- and how it impacts on home as well as school life;
To monitor energy consumption whenever and wherever possible;
To use data for curriculum work;
To learn about the different types and sources of energy;
To learn about the importance of the different energy sources to everyday living;
To carry out calculations using suitable number strategies and techniques;
To collect, interpret, and present data in different forms, using ICT where appropriate;
To present findings to others in a way that will persuade them to change their attitudes or behaviour;
To work co-operatively with others.

Goal 1 : To ensure that the school is fully aware of the Green Schools Energy programme and to encourage full participation in the programme by December 2015.

Action	People responsible	Time Frame	Progress Made
Set up our new Green School Committee to include all of 6^th class and one member from each of the other classes from Junior Infants to 5^th class (these members will be chosen using the ‘Hat’ app and cannot have served on the committee previously, except for 6^th class).	Green school coordinator	By the end of September 2015 and new committee in September 2016	Completed.
Raise awareness in all classrooms that the school is working together to save energy.	Committee	By the end of October 2015.	Completed
Organise a “ switch-off” campaign, with notices in all classrooms to remind everybody to switch off the lights when leaving a room or when not needed, and to switch off appliances when not in use.	Posters designed by committee members and placed beside switches and appliances	By the end of November 2015	Completed
Conduct an environmental energy audit-a lighting and appliance audit.	Committee.	End of February 2015	Completed
Display findings on the Green School Noticeboard	Committee	By the end of May 2015	Completed.
Areas of concern (a) The school is losing heat when the front doors are left open – doors to be closed every morning and after all breaks. (b) This was reviewed in June 2016. The Board of Management decided to fund door closers to automatically close the external doors and to help save more energy.	5^th and 6^th class prefects to close external doors in the morning and after each break. Principal and caretaker.	Immediately. September 2016	Completed. Completed.
(c) The classroom windows are opened to cool the rooms -turn heat off earlier in the day and open classroom doors to spread the heat into the corridor if the classroom is too warm.	Staff	Immediately	Ongoing.
(d) Create heat reflectors for behind the radiators in all classrooms.	Caretaker	As soon as enough recycled cardboard is collected for the project.	Completed
(e) Reduce the number of appliances left on and left on standby	Staff and pupils	Ongoing	Ongoing
(f) Continue to monitor litter and ensure that litter is recycled properly.	Green School Committee and 5^th class.	Ongoing	Ongoing
(g) Litter wardens ensure that the school premises are litter free.	Green School Committee	Ongoing	Ongoing
(h) Plant vegetables in our raised beds and in pots to take home.	All classes sow seeds from the Incredible Edibles project, Argi Aware. www.incredibleedibles.ie. They record and monitor their growth.	March/April	Ongoing every year.

Goal 2 : To reduce rate of electricity consumption through “low cost” and “no cost” methods over the next 2 years.

Action	People responsible	Time Frame	Progress made
Read electricity meter monthly to monitor energy usage. Monitor the amount of oil being used each month.	Senior pupils on committee & school secretary. Senior pupils on committee & school secretary.	Ongoing Ongoing	Ongoing – our school numbers have increased over the past two years and we are using 2 additional classrooms, more ICT and laptops. Outside lights were also put up as a security measure. They are low energy sensor lights that use very little electricity. Overall, the electricity bills have increased but we feel that we are still making good progress and the bills would be much higher if we hadn’t intervened with our action plan. The oil usage is dependent on the weather. A timer was installed in 2015 and the oil is turned off manually if it is not necessary. The classrooms are noticeably warmer with the installation of the heat reflectors. Classroom doors are opened if rooms are too warm instead of windows. The amount of oil used has reduced.
Create no energy Christmas decorations to decorate the school trees.	All pupils	December 2016	Completed
Pedal Power Workshop to demonstrate how every day, household items can be recycled to create energy.	Offaly County Council sponsored workshop by Paul Finch	February 2016	Completed
Complete SEAI energy audit and display our Energy Statement on Green School Noticeboard.	Treasurer of the Board of Management and Principal	April 2016 March 2017	Completed
Create a frame to stabilise the compost bin as it is being knocked over by animals when the school is closed.	Principal and a parent	June 2016	Completed.
Energy Workshop funded by Offaly County Council on climate change, coral reef and the impact of pollution.	Michele Castiaux funded by Offaly County Council	September 2016	Completed.
Form an “energy squad” to ensure “switch it off” campaign is being fully implemented- daily checks.	Green School committee	From January 2017	Ongoing
Create an energy rap and teach it to all classes. “Close the windows, Up the blinds, Shut the door, Everything rhymes. Turn off the lights, It’s far too bright. If you are wise, The flag will rise.”	3^rd and 4^th class	February 2017	Completed
Create an energy code and teach it to all classes. “Close the doors, Turn off the lights, Close the windows, Let the sun shine. Turn off the computer, Save energy, it’s our rule Remember always, Keep our school cool.	1^st and 2^nd class	February 2017	Completed
Register with An Taisce National Spring Clean 2017	Green School Coordinator	February 2017	Completed
Organise a low energy day for whole school participation and awareness raising. Create posters to raise awareness.	Whole school	March 2017	Completed The school uses an average of 25 kWhs of electricity daily. On the low energy day, 7 kWhs were used which included the outside lighting overnight. The school community realised that we can manage without lighting for most of the day and we can cope with fewer electrical appliances.
Inform parents of the aims for Green School Programme and encourage energy conservation at home in the school newsletter.	All pupils and staff.	March 2017
Checklist of energy saving tips to be produced and sent home.	Pupils, staff and parents.	March 2017
Fill in and submit application form for Green Flag.	Green School coordinator.	March 2017
Extend the clean classroom competition to all classrooms with a trophy as a weekly reward and a No homework day when 5 wins are recorded.	All classes and teachers.	April 2017
Hold a clean-up day in the community with the Community Development Committee to support the Litter and Waste theme	Whole school, parents and community development committee.	April 2017
Hold a poster competition to increase awareness of energy conservation.	Committee	Summer 2017
Commitment to install only energy saving lighting if the school renovations are sanctioned by the Department of Education and Skills.	Board of Management	Summer 2017-2018

Green Sale Day - we planted vegetables during the year and had a summer sale of our produce during the holidays. Parents and pupils turned up to buy and sell our greens. Thank you to everyone who supported us.

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Our Green Flag Celebrations June 2015. The Army Band was our Special guest. We raised our Green Flag after a fabulous recital and the community shared light refreshments with us in the school.

Green Day 2015