MERCY PRIMARY SCHOOL

MOYDERWELL

TRALEE

IMPLEMENTING THE SHB’S

HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

A C T I O N P L A N

It is evident from the ethos and philosophy of our school that we care for the development of the child in every way – spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social.

Being a health promoting school, we embrace all these principles
1.The school recognises that the emotional needs of the child must be met for the child to benefit from his/her education

  • The school is welcoming
  • Children and parents are invited to pre-entry sessions.
  • Building self-esteem is a priority and we aim to ensure that each child reaches his/her full potential
  • Circle time is used to promote self-esteem
  • An Anti-Bullying Policy is in place
  • Enrolment Policy is in place
  • Buddy system used in some classes to ensure children are not left out at playtime. Some classes have a letter-box system where a child can write a letter to teacher if something is worrying them and they feel they cannot discuss it with anyone else.
  • Children of all abilities and backgrounds are welcomed and cherished in our school, and we do our best to help them achieve their full potential socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically.
  • We have a supply of toys/games for indoor play on rainy days. We encourage sharing and co-operation.
  • Project work fosters co-operation
  • Achievements are announced in the school and in the local media thus making the community aware of these events.

2.The school provides an environment conducive to learning through the recognition of the importance of supporting relationships between staff, pupils and parents, and through fostering links with the home and the community

  • Parents Association – has been established in the school for many years. A new Committee will be elected during the week.
  • Annual Parent/Teacher meetings
  • Parents invited to concerts, plays, school Masses, basketball games, quizzes, etc
  • Fund-raising events encourage parents & community involvement.
  • Parents have been involved in painting of murals
  • Newsletter sent to parents each term informing them of school events, environmental news, sports activities, etc.
  • Parents are welcome in the school at any time.
  • Homework Diaries are used in senior classes which facilitate daily communication with parents.
  • Junior school teachers usually meet the parents when collecting children from school or in the mornings.
  • Parents are informed of environmental issues and encouraged to recycle, reuse and reduce. They also supply much waste material for art/craft projects.
  • Parents, pupils and teachers have worked on the Nutrition Policy.
  • Parents were invited to a talk/video show on the R.S.E./S.P.H.E. programme, and the proposed Nutrition Policy was debated also.
  • Parents are invited to Prayer Meetings.

3.At least one member of staff has attended a recognised School Education Training Course. The Plean Scoile incorporates activity based developmental health education

  • Members of staff have attended the S.H.B. summer Course
  • Members of staff have attended Environmental Gardening Course
  • All staff members have attended Department of Education In-Service Day on P.E.
  • All members of staff have attended R.S.E. Training days
  • Some members of staff have attended Drug and Alcohol Awareness seminar.
  • Some have attended Nutrition Seminar run by S.H.B.
  • Parents have been invited to school and informed of content of R.S.E. and S.P.H.E. PROGRAMMES.
  • Parents have been surveyed on Healthy Food Issues and informed of present policy
  • Use of materials and resources e.g. Walk Tall; Stay Safe; R.S.E.; Bí-Folláin, Action for Life; N.W.H.B., Alive-O, etc.
  • Links with School Health Services in supporting the S.P.H.E. programme fully into the Plean Scoile
  • Parents are issued with leaflets on head lice and food hygiene.

Proposed Action

Incorporate the S.P.H.E. programme fully into the Plean Scoile

  • Use the most recent Health Promotion Video
  • Become more involved with parents though the new Parents Association.

4.A Healthy Eating Policy is in operation, with the agreement and support of the parents and staff, to ensure that all pupils are provided with healthy, nutritious lunches.

  • MercyPrimary School, Moyderwell has always encouraged healthy eating and helped the children become aware of the importance of good nutrition.
  • In the year 2004 we consulted with parents, teachers and children about healthy lunch boxes. All agreed to focus especially on healthy eating.
  • A Nutrition Policy was drawn up and is in action since September ’04 – on a trial basis.
  • We are going to finalise the policy very soon and launch the finished policy during a Healthy Eating Week – probably in January ’05.
  • A few years ago we banned chewing gum, fizzy drinks and crisps of all sorts. This was in the interest of:

Healthy Eating

Reducing litter
  • Parents and children have been given leaflets from the S.H.B. on healthy lunches.
  • We had a display of healthy foods on a food pyramid.
  • We surveyed the lunch boxes in January and found that the quality of lunches was very good.
  • Some classes brought in various fruits to make a class fruit salad
  • Other classes made smoothies
  • Some classes attended a Puppet Show on Healthy Food on Friday, 19th November 2004

Proposed Action:

  • Make our own Food Pyramid
  • Hold a Healthy Eating Week and organise competitions during that week – e.g. Poster competition
  • Display leaflets on Nutrition
  • Have samples of healthy foods on the pyramid, and have food tasting
  • Finalise Nutrition Policy and launch it
  • Survey lunch boxes again

NUTRITION POLICY

  • Encourage every child to have at least one piece of fruit/vegetable/dried fruit every day
  • Encourage each child to have a bottle of water beside his/her desk or in lunch box as an extra drink (still water not fizzy water). Younger children may use cups provided in class rooms and get water from tap.
  • Lunches should contain foods from the bottom 4 shelves of the food pyramid
  • Foods from the top shelf contain lots if fat and sugar and should be used sparingly.

5.There is regular and frequent participation by all pupils in organised physical activity.

  • Each child has one hour of P.E. weekly. Timetable in place for use of school hall for P.E.
  • We have Irish dancing classes twice a week
  • We have gymnastics one day a week
  • Classes from 1st – 6th have swimming lessons at Tralee Sports complex
  • We hold an annual Sports Day. In addition to our well equipped P.E. hall, we have a large gym and a large outdoor court. On sports Day, we also have use of the John Mitchell’s Football Field and the Tralee Harriers Race Track in the TownPark.
  • We take part in the Irish Heart Foundation Skipathon
  • Our pupils take part in the Primary School Sports each year.
  • Classes from 1 – 6th get regular Basketball coaching and take part in matches within the school and with other schools.
  • 4th class get Volleyball training
  • Some classes do Table Tennis
  • We go for Nature walks in the townPark regularly.
  • School Tours have been taken to Cappanalea, U.L., Ballyloughran and Knockreer House with pupils taking part in a wide range of activities.
  • Children are encouraged to take part in physical activity outside school. Many are involved in Football Clubs, Disco Dancing, Tae Kwan do, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, ballet, etc
  • We encourage children and staff to walk when possible – Care Free day, Teachers walk around the block at lunchtime.
  • We had yard markings for hopscotch and other games. These are now faded but we plan to renew them in the Spring/Summer season

Proposed Action

  • Continue to motivate children to take part in sporting activities – both competitive and non-competitive
  • Renew the yard markings for Hopscotch, etc

6.A School Safety Policy is in operation. It covers safety within the school premises, arriving at and leaving the premises and procedures for dealing with medical emergencies. Parents, pupils and staff are fully informed of this policy.

  • A Health and Safety Policy was drawn up some years ago. This is being reviewed and renewed at present.
  • A Fire Safety Policy is in use. We organise Fire Drills and we have an evacuation procedure.
  • Emergency procedures displayed in staff room for children with diabetes, nut allergy, etc.
  • Parents provide phone numbers in case of emergencies
  • Gardaí have visited school for talk about road safety and drug/alcohol misuse
  • Leaflets on road safety and fire safety have been distributed occasionally
  • School has an anti-Bullying Policy
  • First Aid Kit in school
  • Procedure in place for dealing with accidents
  • Children are not allowed run in the school building

Proposed Action

Review and renew Health and Safety Policy

Investigate the possibility of staff training in First Aid

Introduce some training on water safety to the children

7.With the support and co-operation of staff and pupils the school environment is clean and attractive

  • Our school, both inside and out is kept beautifully clean by our caretaker, cleaners, pupils and staff
  • We have enhanced our playground by painting colourful murals on the walls and in the shelters. Children, teachers, parents and a local artist were involved in this
  • We have a small garden patch up steps and another at the back of the school. These are maintained by pupils and staff
  • We have a herb wheel and an organic vegetable patch which are planted each Spring
  • We have been involved in An Taisce’s Green School Project since 2001. We won our first Green Flag in 2002 and renewed it successfully this year
  • We take part in the annual An Taisce Spring Clean, and as well as our school and grounds, we clean an area outside our perimeter
  • We took part in the ESB Environmental Award Scheme three times. We came 1st in Kerry and 1st in Munster in 2002, 2nd in Kerry in 2003 and 1st in Kerry in 2004
  • We recycle waste materials in art and craft classes
  • We collect batteries, ink-jet cartridges, newspapers, magazines, etc. for recycling
  • We shred our paper and it is given to parents for animal bedding
  • Each class from 1st – 6th spends a week on “yard duty” – litter patrol. Children are encouraged to bring more fruit and less rubbishy snacks – this cuts down on litter
  • We had a wormery and compost bin which took most of our waste food
  • There is a bin in each room and there are big bins in the yard
  • We had brown bins for food waste but the Town Council stopped the collection
Proposed Action
  • Repaint some of the murals where faded
  • Repaint the markings for hop scotch, etc
  • Build a compost box and start the brown bin scheme again for waste food
  • Raise the vegetable patch

8.The school has a policy in place in relation to tobacco, alcohol and substance misuse which has the agreement and support of parents, pupils and staff

  • Tobacco, drug and alcohol misuse have been covered in the R.S.E. and S.P.H.E. Programmes
  • Teachers and parents are invited to a seminar on tobacco and drug etc misuse in the I.T. on Tuesday 16th November
Proposed Action
  • Put a more comprehensive policy together on tobacco, alcohol and substance misuse
  • Invite Garda or other suitable person to give a talk on this

9.Access to Dental, Medical and Psychological services

The school encourages and facilitates access to dental, medical and psychological services, and appropriate community resources that promote the health needs of the children

Dental Services:John L. Jones

Medical Services:Southern Health Board

School Doctor:Dr. Bridget O’Brien

School Nurse:Ms. Claire Gibson/Ms. Geraldine McMahon

Psychological Services:Ms. Eileen Devitt

We e have positive relationships with dental, medical and psychological professionals

  • The school is welcoming to visitors
  • Rooms are made available where health professionals can work
  • Psychological assessments take place when necessary
  • The school nurse checks vision and hearing
  • Dental appointments are sent to some classes, and these children attend the dental clinic
  • Vaccinations are administered by Health Board personnel - parents attend with child
Proposed Action
  • Visit from Dentist
  • Visit from School Nurse to talk about importance of good nutrition

Resources for Teaching

Programmes used by Teachers in the Promotion of Health:

  • Bí Follain
  • N.E.A.P.S.
  • R.S.E.
  • Action for Life Programme
  • Stay Safe
  • Walk Tall
  • Be Safe
  • S.P.H.E.
  • Seedlings
  • Earthlink’s
  • Evolution
  • Circle Talk
  • Alive O
  • The Space Quest – Nutrition Education
  • Look Around
  • What a Wonderful World
  • All around me
  • Switch on Science
  • Leaflets from Bórd Bia, the National Dairy Council, S.H.B., Bórd Glas, etc
  • Video and posters/workbooks on the Tooth
  • Ár Sláinte

Visitors to the School

  • Michéal Ó Coileáin annually gives a talk/slide show on litter
  • Last year we had a visit from Marvin the Magician, who did a lovely show on using waste materials to make puppets, etc.
  • Catherine Daly has visited a number of times with her Super/Furry animals show
  • We had a visit recently from the Author, Cora Harrison
  • We also had a visit from an artist,
  • Last year, a “Seanchaí” came and told stories
  • Members of the Gardai visit annually to talk about road safety
  • Regular visits from the school nurse and doctor
  • We had a visit from a Vet, Richard Hurley during Pet Week
  • We have had visits from Radio Kerry to tape our School Choir, and talk to members of the Green Committee

Proposed Action

  • Arrange visit from dentist Mr. John Jones, Moyderwell Dental Clinic
  • Arrange visit from School Nurse to talk about the importance of good nutrition

CONCLUSION

MercyPrimary School has always and will continue to recognise the importance of promoting good health practice in children.

We realise that without the support of parents and the local community, this development is limited.

With the help of the Health Promotion Officers, we the teachers, pupils and parents of MercyPrimary School hope to place a particular emphasis on health over the next three years and to work on the principles outlined in this action plan.

We hope that the progress made over the three years will be continued well into the future.

In our first year we hope to focus specifically on healthy eating and physical activity, and as a working group we will focus for the following two years on:

  • Anti-Bullying
  • Tobacco, Alcohol and Substance Abuse

The school is regularly updated on the HealthPromotionSchool’s Programme by Martina Keane, Health Promotion Officer and through the SHB Magazine “Ár Sláinte” to which we hope to contribute.

We intend to spend the grant provided by the SHB to make our own Food Pyramid and to promote good health by purchasing fruit for tasting.

The Action Plan is not definitive and will be adapted as necessary. We see it as a working document which will be reviewed regularly.