Green School / Student Council / Student Wellbeing / Sporting Activities / Active School Week / The Arts / Other Initiatives
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We are very proud of the number of initiatives in our school.
Here is a flavour of some of these initiatives
Green Schools
In our school we have a Green Schools Committee made up of children and staff from 2nd to 6th Class.
We are delighted to have been awarded six Green School flags: Litter and Waste, Energy, Water, Travel, Biodiversity and Global Citizenship Biodiversity.
We are currently working to maintain the work we have done for these Green School flags.
Student Council
St Vincent de Paul Girls’ School believes that our pupils play a vital role in creating a positive and welcoming school environment conducive to learning and happiness. We believe that our Student Council is integral to achieving this.
The aim of our Student Council is to provide the children with an opportunity to contribute to the positive development of our school.
Our Student Council
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provides an opportunity for pupils to voice their opinions and offer suggestions in relation to many aspects of school life
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offers an opportunity for pupils to voice their opinions on proposed changes and thereby play a very significant role in improving our school
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acts as a channel of communication within the school, between pupils and between home and school
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encourages pupils to organise events in St Vincent de Paul Girls’ School and to represent the school in a positive way during these events.
Student Wellbeing
The World Health Organisation constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. Mental Health is a state of well-being in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”
Here at St. Vincent de Paul Girls’ School, we value the wellbeing of the whole school community.
We endeavour to create a positive and supportive environment enabling all members of our school community to thrive and flourish. We want our pupils to feel safe, secure, seen, heard and valued.
Weaving Wellbeing
As part of our SPHE programme we use Weaving Wellbeing. This programme is devised to give children the opportunity to weave positivity into their daily lives through a range of activities in a variety of areas. These areas include identifying and using their authentic character strengths, boosting positive emotions, developing and nurturing positive relationships and connections, building practical resilience skills (including mindfulness) and developing self efficacy through empowering beliefs.
Buddy System
Our Buddy system is one of the highlights of the year for our 2nd and 6th class pupils. The girls engage in organised fun and educational activities throughout the year. Many of the activities are organised in tandem with seasonal celebrations, for example last year the girls had lots of fun making daisy chains during Friendship & Wellbeing Week, obstacle courses were set up as a fun challenge during Active Week and a big Céilí Mór went down a treat during Seachtain na Gaeilge. The 6th class pupils are wonderful role models for the younger girls and take great pride in sharing their experiences, skills and knowledge with the 2nd class girls. The Buddy System is beneficial for both the younger and older children and contributes to their development, in particular their social and emotional development. Click here to view photos from the gallery
Friendship Week
Every year we take time to dedicate a week to recognising and celebrating friendship. The aim of this week is to encourage our pupils to be more conscious of the importance of friendship and to promote activities and events that foster the development of positive friendships.
Sporting Activities
We are very proud of the excellent sporting prowess of our pupils. Physical Education is an integral part of the primary curriculum. Our staff teach a progressive and continuous Physical Education programme of fun, collaborative and skill-based lessons for our pupils. Our school also creates numerous opportunities for students to engage with and learn from sporting professionals, in football, yoga, cycling, dancing, boxing and basketball. We have observed our students thriving in these various areas, as well as finding new interests and talents.
Our teams
We have school teams in GAA and athletics where the students work cooperatively and train hard for the matches and competitions in Dublin. The girls’ persistence and dedication in their teams have resulted in many cups, medals and prizes, as well as getting to play in Croke Park on a few occasions!
Active School Week
Each year, we engage with Active School Week by organising and participating in numerous activities, such as active homework, walking challenges, 10 at 10 and lots more!
The Arts
The Arts are loved, practised and celebrated in our school. The students express their opinions, experiences, interests and feelings through the arts subjects.
Music
In our school, we encourage and inspire students to develop a love of music through choir and instrumental practice for school concerts and events. Through these experiences, students develop their talents, creativity and self-confidence.
Drama
We are proud of the shows we performed over the years for the school community. The students have great fun learning how to act, sing and dance with their teachers as well as professionals in these areas. Students with an interest in visual arts learn how to build the sets and make costumes. The excitement on show nights is always amazing!
Visual Arts
The corridors in our school are full of the beautiful and individual visual art pieces created by our students. We also enjoy holding our own visual arts exhibitions, where we showcase our abilities and ideas.
Other initiatives
ESB Science Blast
Each year, our classes engage with the Science Blast and take home awards! Science Blast focuses on the positive aspects of STEM and builds the students’ confidence in these areas. We understand that science is a vital part of a students’ daily lives, and this project encourages students’ natural curiosity.
Junior Entrepreneurship Programme (JEP)
Our sixth class students have been completing JEP and receiving JEP awards for the last few years. JEP allows students to experience practical, real-life business learning as part of their formative education. Under teacher guidance and local entrepreneurs, students discover their strengths as individuals and part of a team. This programme promotes collaboration, independence, creativity, problem-solving and confidence building. Each year the students come up with innovative projects which are presented to both the school community and JEP offices.