The school was delighted to be awarded the prestigious Green Home Flag award at a ceremony in Dublin recently. St. Peter’s was one of seventeen schools nationally to be honoured in Taylors’ Hall, headquarters of an Taisce. We have been part of this pilot project for two years and parents, children and teachers have looked closely at energy conservation, global warming and renewable energy sources. Many households conducted a detailed energy audit and looked at ways in which they could reduce energy bills. A highlight of the year was a visit by the RTE cameras to film an insert for the Eco Eye programme. The Blaney and Fussey families detailed their energy saving initiatives. A big thank you to Eileen Costigan, Green Home co-ordinator from an Taisce and to school co-ordinator Anne Mc Guinness. A special word of thanks also to generous sponsor the EPA.

GREEN HOME POSTER COMPETITION

The artistic talent in Dromiskin was once again recognised with two winners in the Green Home poster competition. They received a wet suit and a clothes voucher. The winning posters will also feature in a specially commissioned Green Home calendar for 2009.

POTATO PROJECT

Not many people know this but 2008 is the international year of the potato!! Agri Aware organised a super competition inviting schools all over the country to grow their own specially provided seed potatoes. Each school was provided with their own growing kit and asked to keep a diary and write up a project based on their experience. Under the guidance of Mr. Hamilton, the children in Dromiskin undertook the task with gusto. The potatoes were planted and nurtured with great care in the classrooms. Detailed research was carried out and recorded and photographs marked each step of the way. Highlights included a visit and talk from potato retailer and wholesaler, Eamonn Mc Ginn, showing all the different potato varieties. There was also a field trip to watch potato farmer Paul Mc Donnell plant his potatoes locally. The children were thrilled to see the machinery in operation and were even given a spin on a tractor! Who can forget our cooking extravaganza where all sorts of potato dishes were prepared by Mr. Hamilton’s charges and tasted by the children from 3^rd to 6^th.

And what about our crop? Sadly this was the only part of our project that was not a success!! Our young potatoes for whatever reason did not grow. But ….. there’s always next year!

JUNIOR INFANTS PLANTING

We planted seeds in February and every day we made sure they had plenty of water and that they had lots of sun. When the plants grew big and strong we started putting them outside in the morning to make them big and strong and took them in at home time. Once the plants were strong enough we planted the flowers outside. Unlucky for us, we choose the sunniest week and our plants didn't fare too well!