LOVE of the great outdoors and the environment could clearly be seen at St Brigid’s NS, Clonegal recently when the school officially opened ‘An Seomra Ranga sa Ghairdín’ (the classroom in the garden).
Local curate Fr Joseph Fleming performed the honours at the opening on Thursday 4 May and cut the ceremonial tape.
The school’s sensory area and herb garden were destroyed during the recent building project but they have since been redeveloped and provide a valuable resource for the pupils to study nature, environmental awareness and care, geography and science.
Fr. Joseph Fleming cuts the ribbon to officially open the outdoor class at Clonegal NS Photos: michaelorourkephotography.ie
The school was very fortunate to receive funding from Carlow County Council under the Local Agenda 21 scheme and pupils and staff are very appreciative.
An action plan for the development of the garden and for raising awareness of biodiversity and waste management, which was submitted to the council in June of last year, was accepted for funding. Work had to be completed in April.
The area now includes a wide selection of fruit trees and bushes, herbs and vegetables. There is also an array of plants that appeal to the senses.
Bird feeders and boxes encourage plenty of visitors to the garden and the pupils and staff are hoping they will have lots to watch next year, as one of the bird boxes is equipped with a camcorder and is connected to the school’s laptops and computers.
The pupils were really delighted when expert Maria Cullen visited them and shared her expertise in the areas of biodiversity and waste management. Her enthusiasm was infectious and the children learned a huge amount from her. Thanks is also due to Maria for her assistance in planning the application.
The pupils were actively engaged in the redevelopment of the gardens. They used compost from the school’s compost bins for the raised beds and learned a very practical lesson in how important it is to carefully sort waste. The few pencils and crayons, which made their way into the compost bin during the year, had to be removed before the compost could be used. They also sowed seeds, plants and shrubs and spread stones to complete the work. They used a membrane under the stones to reduce the growth of weeds and to ensure there would be no use of sprays.
Parents and grandparents spent time working in the garden, too, and their assistance was greatly appreciated. Members of the after-school gardening club also do tremendous work in keeping the school grounds looking beautiful and several teachers and SNAs work alongside the children.
To ensure the messages on the importance of biodiversity and waste management were shared with the local community, the school organised the opening event to coincide with its annual science day. Children spoke of the work they had done and explained how important it is to protect our environment.
