On Monday the 25th February, Green Schools held an up-styling workshop ahead of the Ms. Green Queen competition 2013. The workshop began with an introduction by Mrs. Glynn. The workshop was run by Green Schools members Sarah O`Grady and Amy McGourty. After a brief PowerPoint Presentation, the girls got to work, showing the first years some quick up-styles that they could easily do at home, to update and re-style old, outdated clothes. They also gave the girls some ideas for Ms.Green Queen, the first year up-styling competition which would take place that Thursday. The workshop was a great success and Green Schools would like to thank all of the first years that attended.

Calling all budding photographers! Green Schools would like to let all Transition Years know about a fantastic photography competition in association with Keep Kilkenny Beautiful. There are great prizes to be won and for all the details of the competition please visit the Keep Kilkenny Beautiful Facebook page.

Green Schools would like to inform all staff and students that a number of Action days will take place in school next week, Monday 25th February to Friday 1st March. An up styling workshop for first years and the annual Ms. Green Queen will be taking place during this time. We hope that it will be a successful week and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Green Schools plays an important role in our School. We have a committee of 21 members. All the members are chosen from the transition year students in our school. Those interested had to fill out an application form and the best applications were chosen to be members of the green schools committee. At the beginning of the year we made a plan of our aims and goals for the year, the committee was divided into various groups to undertake various tasks. We also appointed a chairperson a treasurer and secretaries. The main event of the Year so far was The Big Clean up week this was an anti litter and waste management promotion week. We ran various events in the week such as a battery collection, various PowerPoint presentations, bring home your rubbish week and intercom announcements. We created posters to help distinguish different items that go in different bins. The whole week I think worked very well and I hope the school now has a better understanding of waste management and anti littering. The Green Schools is constantly fundraising and working on different projects throughout the school and the notice board with all the information is located in the school canteen.

In accordance with our Educational Philosophy, we promote a respect for the environment.  Our Green Schools Committee is active in promoting this ideology and by putting it into practice in real terms.

This year we are to be awarded the Green Schools Flag which is in recognition of our work to create an environmentally friendly school.  We are the first second level school in Kilkenny to be awarded the flag.

23 April 2010 was a special day for our school as it was the day in which we raised the Green Flag for the first time.  A special ceremony was organised by our Green Schools Committee and was attended by our very special guests: Bishop Seamus Freeman, Lord Mayor Malcolm Noonan, Minister Mary White T.D., Senator John Paul Phelan and Cllr. David Fitzpatrick as well as representatives of An Taisce and Keep Kilkenny Beautiful.

What is Green Schools?

Green Schools is an international project designed to encourage and acknowledge whole school action for the environment. In our school a group of 18 transition year students are on the Green Schools committee as well as a teacher overlooking the meetings and helping the girls with ideas.

The Benefits to Your School

The Green Schools award scheme can help schools to:
• Improve the school environment
• Reduce the litter and waste
• Reduce fuel bills
• Increase environmental awareness
• Involve the local community
• Create links with other schools in Ireland

What We’ve Done So Far

• Held an assembly for first years so we could educate them about the role of the Green Schools committee in the school.
• We had a battery collection for the whole school and collected a total of 652 batteries.
• We divided ourselves into groups of 3 or 4 and assigned ourselves to first year classes, so that we can personally inform them about any upcoming events and about the Green Schools.
• Held a quiz for first years on the 15th of October, which included questions about the environment.
• Hosted a ‘Bring home your own rubbish’ day on the 18th of November and as it a great success we are now going to carry out a ‘Bring home your own rubbish’ day once a month.
• Ran an Eco-Action from the 18th to the 22nd of January, which involved;
o A thought for the day everyday.
o Face painting while raising awareness about Green Schools.
o Hosted Miss Green Queen for 1st years. This meant that Miss Green Queen was the most eco-friendly among 1st years.
o Bring home rubbish day.
o Battery Collection
o Had a visit from Mrs. Mary White.
o Visit from an inspector, from An Taisce, who would decide if Loreto would receive a Green Flag.
• Received news two weeks later that Loreto would indeed receive a Green Flag.
• Held a pancake sale, during lunchtime, on the 25th of February. We raised €104.20 for Green Schools, so we would like to say a huge thank you.

Our Agenda

• Run a competition for the design of a mural and then allow the winner to paint the winning design on a section of the wall on the grounds of the school.
• Run a ‘Bring home your own rubbish’ day once a month.
• Make a film so that it can be used to educate future first years on the role of the Green Schools and also on how they can help keep the school litter-free.
• We also hope to peer-teach our first year classes about recycling and other green things.
• On the 2nd of March 3 girls on the Green Schools as well as Mrs. Glynn will go to Hotel Kilkenny, where the National An Taisce Awards will be held, to receive the Green Flag.
• We, the Green Schools Committee, are currently planning a special morning at the school, when the Green Flag will be raised. A date is not yet finalised, but we are all looking forward to the celebrations.