A big high 5 to St Francis’ National School, Barnesmore, which has been awarded its first Active School Flag for excellence in physical education by the Department of Education and Skills.
At a flag raising ceremony in the school the significant contributions of various sections of the school community were duly acknowledged. These included the Board of Management, teachers, ancillary staff, parents and pupils, local clubs, the HSE, members of the school gardening committee and an Garda Síochána
The extent of pupil engagement with the process was also noted. This included:
• participation in sporting events (home and away),
• performance (including rap, song and dance)
• active school displays,
• cross curricular projects,
• logo competition
• art exhibition
The awarding of the flag culminated in a high octane Active School week, featuring the World Premiere of Happy at St Francis’ NS., a video recorded in and around the school by 6th class student, Emily Erskine.
Fr Danny McBrearty blessed the flag and endorsed the school’s commitment to continued engagement in active projects for physical and mental health in the future. Students from the ASF committee then stepped forward to raise the flag.
As it shimmied up the flagpole, the fingers of a gentle June breeze unfurled it tentatively to an approving sun.
There was applause and final words of thanks which were drowned out by the growl of a passing tractor.
It didn’t matter, however. For all present the raucous racket might just as well have been rockin’ to the Pharrell Williams’ Happy, adopted sound track of St Francis’ NS Active School Year 2013-2014.