Partnerships
 'Exercise a lot, give it your best shot' 

Active School Committee

In February 2022 all students in our school were given the opportunity to apply to be a member of our ASC. The students were asked to answer two questions:
Why do you want to be a member of the Active School Committee?
And list two ideas you have to make our school more Active.
We had an enormous response from our student body, almost 70 applications. From this we put together our committee made up of students from first class upwards. We have a wonderfully proactive and hard-working committee.

What does our Active Committee do?

• Set up equipment for events such as 10@10 

• Lead Active Lines
• Come up with ideas and organise Active School Activities throughout the year
• Lead warm-up's for activities such as our Santa Dash, Road Run and 10@10
• Organise and make announcements at Active Assembly and make class announcements
• Check the PE store, keep it tidy
• Take on the role of playground leaders
• Attend Active School meetings
• Plan, organise and run ASW

Our Active School Committee, busy at work below! 

School Teams.

For lots of whole school activities school teams are required. There are ten school teams with 10 or 11 team members on each team from all different classes. These teams are all different colours to make it easier for children to line up and to know their team. We use the school teams for a wide variety of Active School Activities throughout the year. Before an activity our ASC layout the team numbers at markers in the school yard or school hall. This is where we assemble and then warm-up together.

Active School Notice Board

All ‘Active’ activities are posted on our Active School Notice Board which is located at the end of the corridor. All children will see new notices as they go in and out to the yard. We have a suggestions box on the corridor all of the time for children to share their ideas. There have been lots! At times during the year students sign up to be part of activities such as playground leaders, basketball leagues at the Active School Board.

Ballyadams Active School Crest Competition, March 2023. 

Our ASC ran this competition over two weeks to find a crest to represent Active Schools in Ballyadams N.S. The finalists can be seen below and all entries are displayed on Bulletin Boards in our school. On Monday March 20th, our ASC visited each classroom and explained the competition and handed out the blank templates and guidelines. We held an Active Assembly on March 31st to celebrate the competition and counted down to reveal our winner! Active School prizes were presented to lots of winners.

Active School Newsletter

During the year we have sent out Active School Newsletters to keep parents/guardians up to date on what is happening in our school. It also gives us the opportunity to ask for help from parents in assisting us with various events.  Parents/guardians have helped greatly throughout the year supporting the Active School initiative. We would also always have an Active School paragraph in our monthly school newsletters. 

Active Assembly

Active Assemblies takes place in our school hall on a regular basis. Our Active School Committee make announcements about upcoming events, for example to explain what is taking place for bike day, Active School Crest Competition or Active School Week. We also demonstrate new exercises for Active Lines and get everyone to try them out. If the weather is nice, we have our assemblies outdoors. 

Twitter

We use twitter throughout the year to keep all our followers up to date on Active School Activities.  

Here is a sample of some of our tweets. 

Saint Abban's. 

So many children in our school attend Saint Abban's Athletics Club. 
Inspired by The Daily Mile, inspired by other children and opportunities to try out Shot Put during playground leaders, lots of children in our school have decided to join Saint Abban's. 

Tag Rugby

Tadhg Kelleher from Athy Rugby Club coached in our school from March 2022 to June 2022. He returned again in February 2023 and lessons will continue until June 2023. He visits on Fridays and teaches all classes Tag Rugby. The students enjoy developing their ball skills and playing games. 

Autism Awareness Week. 27th-31st March 2023. 
Special Interests Day. 

On Tuesday March 28th 2023, we celebrated Special Interests Day as part of Autism Awareness Week. Lots of children picked a sporting hobby as their special interest. Children wrote about their special interest and presented this to their class and other classes. The children were invited to bring in props to help with their presentation. It was a super opportunity for the children to show their loves and strengths, similar to 'What Club Are You In?'. 

Colour Run. March 30th 2023. 

Continuing our celebration of Autism Awareness Week, we completed a Colour Run. This was a 3km route on roads around our school. Parents assisted with stewarding and colours! The video below is just before we set off, warming-up! 

​Gaelic Football. St. Joseph's GAA/LGFA and Laois GAA/LGFA.

Our school has a close relationship with Saint Joseph's Gaelic Football Club. During April and May 2022, Saint Joseph's came to our school every week and completed coaching lessons with the children from 3rd to 6th classes. 
They are planning to visit our school during Active School Week 2023 for Gaelic football coaching. 

On October 6th 2022,  members of the Ladies Ladies Gaelic football squad visited the school. They had recently been crowned  All-Ireland Intermediate Football Champions 2022. The Saint Joseph's Minor team also visited on this day, they had recently won the Laois minor championship. It was a fun opportunity for the students to ask questions and see past pupils enjoying their sport. Children wore their Laois and Josephs colours. Peter Barry is our Hurling coach, he trains the boys team at lunch time and is a member of Saint Joseph's club. We are very lucky to have him and he is very generous with his time. 

Sporting Achievements.

Achievements outside of school are regularly celebrated. Children are always encouraged to share stories with their class about their active hobbies and sporting activities outside of school. The children are encouraged to perform their talents for other classes e.g. Irish Dancing. Photographs are displayed on the school corridor as part of our 'What Club are you in?' noticeboard.

Active School Flag Questionnaires. 

In January 2023 we carried out our Active School Questionnaires. Our parents survey was created in consultation with staff and our Active School Committee. It was created on google forms and sent out via a link on Aladdin schools. Our student questionnaire was created by our Active School Committee and completed for homework by all children in our school in written format. This was returned to class teachers and results were collated by our Active School Committee and with the help of first and second classes. 

Cumann na mBunscol. 

There is a long tradition of Cumann na mBunscol in our school. In Laois, the football competition takes place during September and October and camogie and hurling during March and April. We have teams in all competitions. Students from 4th, 5th and 6th classes train and develop their football and hurling skills. 

Laois Sports Partnership. 

Charlie and Lee from Laois Sports Partnership visited our school during March 2023. They taught students from Infants to Second balance bike lessons. During Autism Awareness Week in March they returned to deliver corrective gymnastic lessons. The lessons were so enjoyable for the children and super to have such great coaches that our teachers could learn from also.