St Canice’s NS earns health promoting flag
St. Canice’s N.S., Rosbercon, New Ross became the latest school in the country to be presented with the Healthy Ireland ‘Health Promoting Schools’ Flag’.
The Healthy Ireland Health Promoting Schools (HPS) Flag is presented by the HSE to schools as an acknowledgement of their work in improving the health of their school communities. The HPS supports schools to focus on health and wellbeing and involves all members of the school community. Pupils, staff, parents and guardians are consulted to identify priority health areas. Over a period of around two school years, the school developed an action plan to address the health areas identified.
European research has shown many benefits of the HPS - whole school approach to health. Chief among these benefits are increased self-esteem, safer and cleaner school environments, lowered incidences of bullying, a positive approach to health issues, increased parent involvement and better student/teacher relationships, to name a few.
In St. Canice’s N.S. some of the many health initiatives chosen to take on board in order to progress as a Health Promoting School included: Introducing a Healthy Food Policy, Promoting Physical Activity, Student and Staff Wellbeing, Connectedness, Improving the Physical Environment. St. Canice’s NS are also celebrating achieving the Active School Flag this week. As well as running many initiatives throughout the school year they held their second Active Week in May, which was a huge success.