Green-Schools is Ireland's leading environmental management and education programme for schools. Promoting long-term, whole-school action for the environment Green-Schools is a student-led programme with involvement from the wider community.
St. Mary's College Junior School has a very proactive Green-Schools committee who meet regularly and work together to ensure that our school cares for and respects our environment. We are delighted to have been awarded our first green flag in May 2022 and our second Green-Schools flag (the blue flag) at an award ceremony in the Helix, DCU, Dublin in May 2023. The flags were achieved by the Green-School committee by examining the impact of litter and waste on the environment and exploring practical means for reducing the amount of litter and waste produced by the school.
The committee has worked tirelessly for over two years holding such events as recycling week, spring cleans, ensuring all students are knowledgeable of the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling. The Green-Schools committee are delighted to have generated a culture of environmental awareness within the school and look forward to obtaining their next flag which concentrates on supporting mental health.
The school would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Owen and Mr. Agnew along with the students, teachers and County Council members who helped in this rewarding process.
This academic year (2023-2024), Mr. Burke, Ms. Fitzpatrick and the Green-School committee are working towards achieving the Amber Flag. The Amber Flag is an initiative run by Pieta House which recognises the individual efforts of primary and secondary schools, youth reach, third level institutions, community groups, clubs and companies to create healthy, inclusive environments that support mental wellbeing.