Health Promotion
HEALTH PROMOTION
Scoil Naomh Cholmcille has been a Health Promoting School since 2014.
Our Health Promoting committee comprises 2 teaching staff, 2 parents and 4 pupils (3rd-6th class), and involves the whole school and wider communities.
The committee meets regularly to discuss ideas and revise our duties.
Our Health Promoting ideas and duties are guided by 4 categories;
- Partnerships (Family and Community Links)
- Policy and Planning
- Environment
- Curriculum and Learning
Our ongoing campaign to promote good health among our pupils and staff incorporates our 3 priority areas;
- Healthy Eating
- Physical Activity
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
Healthy Eating
Over the past number of years, we have endeavoured to raise awareness among our pupils and staff as to the importance of healthy eating, and healthy lunchboxes, in particular. We have held colouring competition for the younger ones and slogan competitions for the senior pupils to help everyone be more aware of the food choices they make. We have all partook in “Healthy Eating Week” at different intervals over the years, when children and staff were all particularly aware of what was in their lunchboxes. We partake in “Food Dudes”. We have our School’s Healthy Lunch Policy in place which outlines that only one small treat is permitted in the lunchboxes on Fridays. And we even have an outdoor Food Pyramid to remind us all to make good food choices.
Physical Activity
There is no shortage of opportunity to be physically active in Scoil Naomh Cholmcille. There is an array of sports and activities to choose from; soccer, basketball, Gaelic and athletics to name a few. Over the course of our Health promoting campaign, we have had Orienteering days and “Walk to Work” days in conjunction with Green Schools. We also encourage Active Schools activities like playground leaders who organise “station games” and Active breaks which teachers provide throughout the day with Go Noodle and Just Dance, for example.
Mental Health
Promoting good Mental Health among our school and wider communities is of paramount importance to us. Several of our school policies (e.g. Anti-Bullying, Code of Behaviour and School Rules) safeguard our pupils and staff. Our Values tree and weekly Values awards have proven to be a very popular and effective way to introduce and reinforce the importance of values such as Love, Tolerance, Patience, Determination and Kindness. After school Yoga has been ongoing for the past number of years to help pupils relax and destress. Mindfulness also has become a regular part of our school day as teachers from Early Intervention classes right the way through our school have engaged in mindfulness colouring and mindfulness routines through the Grow in Love programme, SPHE and from sites like Moovle and Cosmic Kids.
One of our most prestigious achievements in the field of promoting health was in January 2016 when Mrs. Ford and Scoil Naomh Cholmcille featured on the RTE documentary “Sugar Crash”. This involved showcasing the knowledge that our pupils and principal had on the effects of sugar on our bodies, through interviews and discussions with Mrs. Ford and Dr. Eva Orsmond. This inspiring and informative programme can be seen on the RTE Player.
Our Health Promoting School works closely with, and has had great support from our Health Promotion Officer. We were very proud to have received our Health Promotion Flag at the end of 2019. We had hoped to raise our flag at an outdoor ceremony on a sunny day in spring 2020. We will hopefully get the chance to do this soon. In the meantime, we encourage you to try and incorporate some of our Health Promotion ideas at home during these uncertain times.
Stay Safe