Mother of Divine Grace Primary School

Our Biodiversity Flag

On May 23rd 2017 Mother of Divine Grace was presented with our fifth Green Schools Flag for Biodiversity. Ms Ring and Ms Nolan together with Ella from sixth class and Evan from fifth travelled to The Helix in DCU and received our brand new flag. We hope to raise this flag before the end of term. A huge thank to all our wonderful committee, Mrs. Fahy, all our M.D.G. staff and to Tony and John.

Working Hard on our Biodiversity Flag

The New Committee are working very hard on biodiversity (our 5th flag).

Paddy Madden, a well-known environmentalist visited the school and made suggestions as to how we might promote biodiversity in the school. One of these suggestions was that we develop a wild life garden. This will involve setting up homes for various wildlife such as insects and hedgehogs.

On National Tree day we were given 20 native trees for planting in the wildlife garden.

We are also going to cultivate some flowers and vegetables in the school garden. Thanks to the volunteer parents and teachers who helped to clear the area for the wildlife garden.

Fourth Green Flag Achieved

A huge congratulations to Mr Drew and the Green Schools’ Committee who have successfully been awarded the Green Flag in Travel. This is the fourth green flag for the school. The previous ones were awarded in the themes of Litter and Waste, Energy and Water. For more information on the themes in The Green Flag Award see: http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/themes.108.html

By promoting sustainable transport (walking, cycling, car pooling or public transport), the school worked to improve pupils’ safety, health and fitness. The journey to school is an ideal way for children to take part in regular physical activity, to interact with their peers, and to develop the road sense children need as pedestrians and cyclists. Alternative modes of transport also improve children’s alertness. The school also lessened its overall impact on the environment, by reducing emissions and pollution.

Well done to all concerned. A celebration day has been booked for Tuesday June 23rd, where we will hoist the new flag!

Walk on Wednesday

The Green Schools’ committee led by Mr Drew have embarked on the 4th Green Flag. The theme of this flag is Transport and the team are working very hard on surveying and looking at various different modes of transport.

As part of the initiative, and in an effort to be more Green we are asking people to leave the cars at home and WALK ON WEDNESDAY!

Our Third Green Flag

Congratulations to Ms. Fanning and the Green School Committee. All their hard work has paid off. We have been awarded our third green flag for water conservation. We raised our third green flag at a special celebration on 25th June 2013.

Thank you to Glanmore Foods for the delicious cake and for the goody bags.

You can read all about our Green School activities on the school blog.

We are currently working on our third green flag for water conservation.

Please look at the school blog for all current Green School Committee information.

Our First Green Flag

We achieved our first green flag in June 2009. Congratulations to the Green Schools Committee.

Composting at MDG
The school is going to start a compost bin. Once inside the bin these things will rot and form a dark black soil or compost which we will use in the school garden.

Good Composting Ingredients:
GREENS
Egg shells
Feathers
Flowers
Fruit and fruit peels
Seaweed
Tea leaves
Vegetables & peelings
Dead plant material (make sure they are dead and are not likely to seed or take root)
Vegetable kitchen scraps (it is important to bury these in your compost pile so as not to attract animals or rodents)
Herbicide-free fresh grass clippingsManure from horses, cattle, goats, poultry and rabbits
Green Garden Debris
Aquarium water, algae, and plants (from freshwater fish tanks only)

Browns
Dead Leaves
Tea bags
Shredded hedge cuttings
Tough fibrous plants
Coffee Grounds – Nitrogen rich nectar of the gods for your compost heap! I am willing to bet your local coffee shop would be willing to exchange used coffee grounds for some customer loyalty in these tough times!!
Scrunched up paper
Torn up cardboard (e.g. from cereal boxes, eggboxes, toiletroll centres etc.)
Newspaper torn into strips or hand-sized pieces – layering paper ensures it does not get too water logged
Pet and human hair (small amounts as breaks down slowly)
Egg shells
Corn Cobs
Paper
Peat Moss
Pine needles – use sparingly as they decompose very slowly
Sawdust
Straw – not hay, as hay can reseed and then you’re in trouble!

Do NOT Add: (most important bit!)Meat or fish scraps
Grease, oil, cooked food scraps
Very fatty, sugary or salty foods
Chips or sawdust from treated wood
Clippings from herbicide-treated lawns
Barbeque or coal ashes

The “green” and “brown” are added in layers and the whole thing takes roughly a year to rot completely.