Health Promoting School
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About our HPS initiative |
Background – what we wanted to address
In 2006, Gaelscoil Mhainistir na Corann took up the challenge of becoming a health promoting school-scoil cothaithe sláinte, with the guidance and support of the HSE Health Promotion Department in Cork. In order to facilitate this process and co-ordinate the various activities in the school, health promotion co-ordinators were appointed from the school teaching staff, Muireann Ni Chonnuibh and Gráinne Ní Dhonnabháin. A committee was then established comprising of the aforementioned teachers, two parents, namely Rachel Quaid and Geraldine Noonan, and two pupils in the school, namely Sally Ní Chróinín and Riain Jordan. It was envisaged that this would enable all parties to have a voice and an input regarding all planning and decision-making.
What we aimed to achieve
- to revise and update our healthy eating policy following consultation with all parties
- to facilitate the development of the seachtain bia folláin (healthy eating week) each year
- to co-ordinate sporting and physical education activities within the school
- organise guest speakers and health related activities
- to arrange that each edition of the monthly school newsletter would contain news and information on health promotion
- to develop an awareness of health related matters among all children and staff in the school
- to provide literature on different aspects of health for children, staff and parents
- to ensure that health and health promotion underpinned all aspects of school planning and development
What we did and how we used the Health Promoting School approach
- Having established a health promotion committee which encompassed two representatives from each of the relevant parties namely, teachers, parents and students, we sought about revising and updating our healthy eating policy.
- Having attended a workshop on this matter given by Francis Deasy and Fiona Rush, a lunch box survey was conducted throughout the school, the results of which were displayed in pictograms in the main school foyer.
- In addition, a suggestions box together with suggestion cards were provided in the main entrance to enable other parents and children to share their ideas and recommendations on how the school could promote health and healthy eating.
It was after all this information was compiled that the Health Promotion Committee met and devised a revised healthy eating policy in both Irish and English to ensure that it was understood by all. A parents information evening was also organised with guest speaker Francis Deasy, to inform parents of what the health promotion journey would entail, how they could get involved as well as providing them with information leaflets on food, exercise and food hygiene.
Seachtain Bia Folláin
Seachtain Bia Folláin (healthy eating week) was firmly established as a yearly event to include various activities and competitions. In 2007, it included various art and writing competitions based on the theme of healthy eating from naíonáin bheaga right up to rang a sé. It also included smoothie demonstrations and tasting activities organised by the health promotion school committee for all classes in the school. During this week also, health and in particular healthy eating was a focus in different classes in the school.
In 2008, the week comprised of competitions for each class group which included, a colouring and cutting competition for naíonáin bheaga and naíonáin mhóra, an art competition for rang a haon and rang a dó, an acrostic poetry writing competition in Irish using the names of fruits and vegetables for rang a trí and rang a ceathair and a ‘design a menu competition’ written in both Irish and French for the senior classes. The prizes again this year were kindly provided by Cairde (Parents’ Association). In addition, the committee arranged a fruit day whereby the committee along with a number of parents, came in to the school and prepared freshly cut fruit which were displayed in fruit bowels an were distributed to every class with the help of ‘Mr. OrangeHead’ which was taken on loan for the day from the HSE Health Promotion Department.
The Food Dudes programme was very successfully adopted in the school with very positive results.
Sport
To ensure the provision of a wide range of good quality sports material for the school, we engaged in the Supervalue token collection scheme which enabled us to purchase P.E. equipment for use with different classes throughout the school. In addition, we organised various other sports related activities-a skipping workshop, partaking in the skipathon, the organisation of swimming lessons for 3rd and 4th classes, the organisation of training sessions for the children from a representative of the G.A.A. as well as the continuation of the after-school training for those interested in playing on the school football and hurling teams etc. In addition, a project documenting the various physical education activities that take place within the school was put together by senior classes which earned the school a physical education award.
Other Activities
- A Busy Bee Activity CD has been purchased for all classes.
- A defibrillator was purchased for the school by Cairde (Parents’ Association) and staff are due to be trained in the safe usage of this equipment in the coming months.
- Visits have been organised from guest speakers such as dental hygienists, physiotherapists and members of An Garda Síochána.
- A health promotion notice board was mounted which is updated with health related material to inform all school parties.
- The monthly school newsletter now contains a piece on general health matters/on health promotion in the school. Information, ideas and tips on healthy eating and healthy lunchboxes are also included.
- This website has been updated to include a page specifically devoted to healthy eating. This page includes information and useful tips and ideas on how to make lunches as healthy and as environmentally friendly as possible.
- Each incoming class of naíonáin bheaga, receives a information pack which also includes handy tips and ideas for healthy lunches.
- Resources and literature have been distributed to the classes in the school on a multitude of topics for both staff and children. Literature includes such as tips for a healthy heart, how to deal with bereavement, physical exercise, sun safety etc.
- Health Promotion is now one of the topics on the agenda for almost all staff meetings.
Our school is now engaged in a mentoring programme for newly qualified teachers under the direction of our mentoring co-ordinator in the school, Sadie de Róiste. Among other things, Sadie has developed a pack comprising of information on all aspects of the school to provide support for newly appointed teachers and in particular, newly qualified teachers in the school. In addition, on the first Friday of every month, one teacher volunteers to bring in some snacks for the staff to share over morning break in the staff room.
* The S.A.L.T. programme (Stop Ask Listen Talk) has now been adopted in the school to equip the children with the necessary social skills for school and society.
Reflection - What worked best
The Health Promoting School approach with its focus on co-operation and consultation with all parties involved in education and in the wider community has been used very successfully in the school. As can be seen from the details of what our school has undertaken thus far, the recognition among all related parties that health and health education and promotion underpins all aspects of school life and should inform school planning in all its forms has also been adopted with great success.
What others could learn from our experience
The main way in which others could learn from our experience is that they could use and develop further the initiatives we have undertaken, adapting them to their own school setting. Others could also see our school as a role model for a school which has developed into a health promoting school.
Where to from here: What we will do in the future to build on our HPS initiative?
In the future, we hope to develop further our themed weeks to include a friendship week, a good practice week/month as well as continuing to organise various health promotion activities and inviting knowledgeable speakers to speak with the children on different health topics. We will continue to communicate with all parties and we will regularly hold brain showering committee sessions to come up with new ideas and initiatives to benefit all.
People to thank
We would like to say a special word of thanks to our parents association Cairde who have been and continue to be extremely supportive in all areas. We would also like to thank Sibéal de Paor who became one of the school’s health promoting co-ordinators during the school year 2007/2008. In addition, we would like to express our gratitude to our principal Mairéad Uí Fhloinn, to the Health Promotion Committee and to the entire school staff as well as to the parents and children for their help and support. A special word of thanks is also due to the hard-working team in the Health Promotion Department of the HSE and in particular to Francis Deasy who provided us with the information, guidance and support without which this exciting and rewarding journey would not have been possible to undertake.
