Glorious sunshine lights up proud day for Kilkerley NS

KILKERLEY basked in glorious May sunshine as the pupils, staff and parents of Scoil Mhuire gan Smál, Kilkerley, raised their fifth Green flag.

The entire school celebrated as Mrs. Marty Tracey raised the Green Flag awarded to the school for their work on Biodiversity.

The raising of the green flag is a culmination of a two year programme in which the students, teachers and whole school community undertook various projects to improve biodiversity within the school and to extend the students awareness and knowledge of the subject.

Kilkerley School boasts a very spacious outdoor area which has been developed over the years with an eye on biodiversity.

Mrs. Marty Tracey who raised the green flag designed, created and helped construct the various outdoor spaces in the school over the last number of years: - the frog pond, outdoor classroom, dinosaur sandpit, butterfly and bee garden, elements garden and science garden. The school is also home to 130 trees!

So what more could the students and staff do, to develop biodiversity?

A school vegetable and herb garden has been planted by the students. A wildflower area is another addition to the outdoor areas. The Bug Hotel, aptly named Buggingham Palace (Loistín na bhFeithidí) – is home to many “creepy crawlies”!

Colm, the caretaker, who is a dab hand with a hammer and saw, made garden furniture out of old wooden pallets, for the garden area.

The Scarecrows, made by 6th Class from recycled materials, discourage the crows from eating the vegetables in the vegetable and herb garden! The birds were taken care of in the winter months with the seed cakes and bird feeders made by the children. A vast number of curricular activities were also undertaken by all classes in the classroom.

The Flag raising Ceremony began at 1pm, when students, school staff, Chairman of the Board of Management, Fr. Gerry Campbell, parents and representatives from Kilkerley Tidy towns gathered at the front of the school to celebrate.

Principal Mrs Madonna Lambert welcomed everyone. Green Schools Co- Ordinator, Mrs. Irene Brennan, along with the Green Schools Committee informed the gathering of the work undertaken by everyone over the last two years.

As Mrs. Marty Tracey raised the flag, Fionn Cumiskey from 6th class, performed the customary drum roll and rapturous cheers and applause rang out. The ceremony continued with music by the school ensemble, and all classes performed a selection of songs, poems, story and music. To end this part of the proceedings the students all sang the school song.

To mark the raising of the biodiversity flag it was very appropriate that a tree, namely a crab apple tree, be planted in the Butterfly and Bee garden. Two students from each class also planted a Hebe, which bees love, in the area surrounding the newly planted tree.

Following all this, everyone present was treated to strawberries and ice cream. A very fitting and idyllic conclusion to such a beautiful ceremony!