St. Senan’s Primary School first registered with An Taisce for the Green-Schools, Green Flag Award Scheme in 2000. Our co-ordinator at that time, Mrs. Rosemary Roche, had the vision to realise the importance of environmental awareness and care in the everyday lives of our pupils. Her leadership and encouragement helped establish a “Green” concept which reached fruition in 2005, when the school was awarded its first Green Flag.

As we consolidate the work we have done on waste management and recycling, we are also keenly aware of the importance of more effective management of energy. An Energy Audit and an Environmental Review of our school, in September 2006, informed an Action Plan which we established throughout the school. A “Switch It Off” campaign is now fully operational and is the responsibility of every individual in the school.

As part of our commitment to informing the wider community, our two Sixth Classes undertook a survey of energy use in the home. The findings formed the basis of a presentation and a documentary which was displayed at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the R.D.S. on 12 January 2007. As part of Social Environmental Scientific Education for Primary schools, our pupils explore the use of alternative energies and the importance of reducing carbon emissions. It is our hope that our Green-Schools commitment to the environment, will inform responsible, environmentally conscious adults in the future

Maeve McCauley
Green Schools Co-ordinator
St. Senan’s Primary School

January 2007

The entire school takes part in our annual Green-Schools Week of Action. Our Green-Schools Week of Action has been a great success for the past three years.

We encourage all staff, parents and pupils of St. Senan's Primary School to join in all aspects of our Green-Schools work:-

Reducing:
· Reduce waste packaging in lunch boxes
· Bring rubbish home in lunch boxes
· Compost at home and in school
Reusing:
· Bring drinks in reusable plastic bottles

Recycling:
· Use our school recycling bins for glass, aluminium cans, paper and card
· Use our school recycling facility for inkjet cartridges and batteries