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The Green School committee and Tony and John have been hard at work putting together our Insect hotel!! Thank you to everybody for bringing in old bricks, piping, cardboard and twigs. We still need more so please keep up the great work!!!

Wow just look at the great many things Mrs Lyons and Ms Leahy’s class brought in for MDG’s 5 star Insect Hotel. We got such a variety of materials from bricks, to bamboos, to cardboard, pipes and lots of wood! Our bugs will be delighted!!!!

Well Done MDG!!!!!

We had such a great day on Wednesday March 15th for Biodiversity!!

Everyone dressed in green and we raised €525 for Dogs Aid!! The Green Schools committee worked very hard guiding classes all day long around our Biodiversity garden. We spotted robins, magpies, thrush and a squirrel.

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!

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!

On March the 8th we had our water action day. All the children and staff wore something blue to represent water and brought in one euro which was donated to Trocaire’s ‘Gift of Water’ iniative. We raised a whopping 400 euro! Thank you and well done to everyone for taking part!!

Check out our busy scientists in 5th class! For water awareness month Ms Murphy’s class had lots of fun doing experiments on filtration and absobtion. Take a look at our pics!

February was water awareness month! All the pupils in MDG have been really busy throughout the month of Februaury learning about water and water conservation. Here are some photos of the projects, experiments and fun we’ve had!

A huge thank you to all the parents, children and staff of MDG for taking part in the clothes for clobber project. The collection was a great success, a whopping 444 euro was raised! Well done to all involved.

5/10/12
• All classes reported continued success with composting.
• The committee reported that lights are being left on in toilets when they are not in use.
• Signs to be made for all toilets.
• Doors to the yard and in corridors are being left open. Door monitors have been appointed by teachers to close yard doors. Green schools reps to close classroom doors when the class are leaving.
• Class surveys were returned and discussed.
RESULTS:
o 3 out of 6 junior classes have a sink in their classroom. These classrooms all have a basins.
o All senior classes have a sink in their classroom but none have a stopper or a basin. Water is being wasted in these classes.
o Ms Fanning to organise basins for these classes.
o No leaks were reported.

12/10/12
• Now that weather has turned colder doors on corridors and classrooms to be kept closed. Committee members to make posters to promote TURN OFF & CLOSE CAMPAGIN.

19/10/12
• All senior classes to take part in water investigation to investigate whether using a basin saves water when washing art supplies. Results to be recorded and returned at the next meeting.

26/10/12
• The committee were reminded to empty all bins Friday afternoon for the mid term break.
• 126 bags were collected in the clothes recycling project.
• Some classes have yet to return water investigation results.

All classes reported a big improvement in composting.
The committee discussed the uses of water in the class rooms and how water could be saved in classes.
The committee made up the following questionnaire for all classes that have a sink.
Class Survey Room________
1. Is there a sink in your classroom?____________
2. If yes does your sink have a stopper?__________
3. Do you have a basin in your sink?_______________
4. Is the tap leaking/dripping?__________________
5. On average how often do you use the sink?
Daily □
2-3 times a week □
Once a week □
Other_______________________
6. What is water used for in your classroom
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________