Step 1: Green School Committee:
In September 2016 we set up our Green School committee for Travel. It consisted of 7 children representatives from the Junior and Senior Rooms, Chris Harrison (School Caretaker ), Noelle Higgins(Parent), Michelle Jordan (Teacher) and Michael Heffernan (Principal).
- Our Green School Committee usually consists of 6 children and 4 adults.
- Each class (First- Sixth) has one representative on the Green School Committee.
- Priority is given to sixth class children.
- If a number of children from the same class want to become a member of the committee, a lottery takes place.
- Adult members consist of teachers, parents and non-teaching staff (caretaker).
- Parental committee members are selected by lottery also.
- The committee changes after 2 years ensuring consistency for that 2 year period to evaluate the success or further needs of each theme.
- Regular meetings are held and all members are invited to take turns taking minutes.
- The meetings update everybody on what has been done and decide on future events.
- At the school assembly, Green School decisions and/or information is shared with all the children.
- The children not directly involved on the committee have an input and share their ideas at these assemblies.
- Information is also displayed on the Green School Notice Board which is located in a prominent position in the hallway.
- We also use the School Newsletter and School Website to circulate information to the wider community.
Step 2: Travel Review:
The Green School Committee with the help of the other pupils in the school and Lisa McDaniels conducted a travel review and audit from October to November 2016 to establish how children were currently travelling to school. We used the following methods:
- Mapping the houses of our pupils to see approximate travel distances
- A walkability audit was completed in Year One with Lisa McDaniel to provide an idea of the situation in and around Cloonloo School. The Green Committee investigated how safe it was for students to walk or cycle to school. The school was not surprised to find there is no infrastructure to help people walk to school. The main access is via narrow, windy lanes with no footpaths. All the students are driven to school.
- A baseline travel survey was also carried out by Lisa McDaniel in October 2016 with the children from First to Sixth Class. The results showed that all the students travel to school by car (100%).
- The Parents Association made a number of short term and long term recommendations to increase safety at the school gate. In the short term it was recommended to restrict access and parking around the school gates for parents and to bring in the procedure of parents collecting all children at the gate. In the long term it was recommended to talk to the local engineer and to apply to CLÁR for funding to create a set down zone and footpath. It was also recommended to improve the road signage around the school including a sign showing the speed limit.
Step 3: Action Plan:
Aims & Targets
- To raise awareness of sustainable transport options in the school and wider community.
- To improve parking facilities around the school.
- To improve general road safety and awareness to make a safe environment for walking/ cycling, park & stride and carpooling.
- To increase the number of children cycling to school by 5% in the Spring/Summer months.
- To increase the number of children walking or parking and striding to school by 40% in the Spring/Summer months.
Step 4: Monitoring & Evaluating
- The regular meetings held by our Green School Committee ensure that a progressive approach is taken to achieve our action plans and to keep us on track concerning the tasks assigned to individuals/groups.
- We get feedback from the children at the whole school assemblies.
- We check and revise the Action Plan.
- We display graphs, pictures and results on the Green School Notice Board.
Step 5: Curriculum Work
- English: Writing Travel Code
- Gaeilge: Córas Taisteal
- Visual Arts: Drawing: Road Safety Posters, Designing Helmets
- Maths: Traffic surveys, making graphs, tally charts
- Geography: Mapping, looking at the environment spatially
- SPHE: Road Safety and Awareness
- PE: Outdoor & Orienteering – Walking, Cycling
Step 6: Informing & Involving
The Green School Committee with the help of the other pupils in the school and Lisa McDaniels conducted a travel review and audit from October to November 2016 to establish how children were currently travelling to school.
We used the following methods:
Every year new members are brought onto the Green School Committee when Sixth Class children on the committee move onto Secondary School. The parent/children members of the committee are changed every two years when a new Green School Theme is introduced.
After each Green School meeting, a Green School assembly is held with all the children in the school. Children are informed about what targets have been achieved and information is provided and discussed.
All children in the school are involved in implementing actions from the Action Plan.
A Green School notice board is located in a prominent spot in the hallway for all the children in the school to see. This notice board displays the action plan and up to date information about Green School Activities. The notice board is regularly changed and update.
The school newsletter is used to bring information about the Green School programme and the children’s on gong work to parents, teacher and the Board of Management.
The school website www.cloonlooschool.ie is regularly updated with Green School news.
Step 7: Green School Code:
Be cool!
Bring your friends to school!
Have a talk
While you walk!
Travel Safe
Be Safe