Avoca National School - S. N. Phàdraig Naofa

Fly the Flag

Over the last number of years, Avoca Primary School has successfully been awarded
five Green Flags in the Green Schools programme. "Green Schools" is a programme
run by An Taisce. It aims to increase students' awareness of environmental issues
and to turn this knowledge into positive action in the school and in the wider community.
The programme is themed. Schools initially focus on the theme of Litter & Waste.
To obtain their first flag the children explore ways of reducing waste in the school
and at home. They learn how to recycle, to compost and how to minimise the use of things
like packaging. Once successful, the school moves onto the Energy, Water, Travel
and Green Home themes.
Because Avoca is now an established Green School the aim of the current committee is
to uphold the ethos of the “Green School” philosophy through recycling, litter control
and the conservation of water, energy and fuel.

2010 WOW-day theme "Alice in Wonderland"

Award of the Green Flag at An Taisce

Spring Clean in Avoca

The students also continue to celebrate WOW days at regular intervals where students
walk, cycle, car pool, bus or park and stride to school in an effort to reduce fuel consumption.
In May 2010 the theme was “Alice in Wonderland”. Everybody dressed up as a character
from the story. We also had a quiz with questions based on the recently released film
which we had seen at a special screening in the cinema. For May 2011 we again followed
a current topic when we “WOWed like Royals” i.e. students dressed up as characters
who attended the Royal wedding!

The school considers the Green School initiative to be an important element of students'
daily lives in school as it re enforces what they learn in the SPHE and SESE curriculum.
It is hoped that this in turn will foster a lifelong desire in each child to live by example
in their homes and the wider community.

Keeping Avoca tidy

Our first Green Flag!