Gaelscoil Osraí leading the way in healthy eating for children
November 2, 2016
Parents and staff of Gaelscoil Osrai enjoyed a well attended and positive evening on Thursday, when Professor Donal O’ Shea and Dietician Ellen Roche spoke about healthy eating.
The evening was part of a week-long focus on healthy eating and wellness in the school and parents were given an opportunity to hear from two of the best speakers in the country on the topic of ‘Nourishing our Children’ — focusing on the importance of and practical ways of ensuring children get the very best chance of learning to eat and drink in a healthy way.
While there are about 15 schools in Kilkenny taking part in the Healthy Promoting School programme at the moment, Gaelscoil Osrai was the first school in Kilkenny, and the first Gaelscoil in the south-east, to be recognised as a Health Promoting School. The school worked under the guidance of the HSE’s Joan Murphy, who is the National Healthy Schools Co-ordinator and also a parent in the school. The programme is based on a whole school approach, with heavy emphasis on consultation with everyone in the school community, to establish areas around health promotion that need attention.
Prof O’ Shea is one of Ireland’s leading experts on obesity. He is an endocrinologist based at St Vincent’s Hospital and is the clinical lead for the Weight Management services provided at St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, Dublin.
In recent years he has appeared on Operation Transformation and is passionate about trying to prevent obesity and caring for those who are obese and overweight.
Ellen Roche, a dietitian with locally based Nutri Vive, provided parents with tips to help manage Fussy Eaters and healthy Lunchbox Ideas.
The importance of healthy eating for children has been a cause for concern for a number of years.
Healthy eating policy
Having established a committee of teachers, pupils and parents the school devised a new healthy eating policy, and Prof O’ Shea and Ms Roche both agreed that it is an excellent policy and that Gaelscoil Osrai are leading the way in this important area.
Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020
November 1, 2016
Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment
A new “Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Assessment” was published in October 2015. It builds on previous work and supports the overall strategy of the Department in a number of key areas including curriculum implementation, skills development, teacher education and learner outcomes. The Strategy is the result of extensive research and consultation.
The Strategy sets out a clear vision that is focussed on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens who participate fully in society and the economy.
Some key priorities of the Strategy during the implementation phase are:
- To give teachers and schools clarity around the concept of embedding ICT into Teaching Learning and Assessment, through adapting the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teaching for the Irish context. By localising the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers, schools and teachers can identify training needs to be targeted by the Department and its support services.
- To reflect technological and educational developments through updating the eLearning in Your School planning resource (from 2009) to assist schools in further developing their eLearning policy.
- To address the ICT infrastructural requirements of schools through developing an ICT Equipment grant (first tranche to be available for the 2016-2017 school year), and continuing to improve broadband services to schools.
- To promote Scoilnet and associated sites/services as the national reference point for schools for high quality digital content (www.scoilnet.ie).
- To provide information to teachers on innovative ways to use digital technologies more actively in their own teaching, including exemplars of good practices, and facilitating the sharing of such practices amongst teachers.
- To enhance access to and impact of CPD for teachers through extending CPD delivery formats to include online and blended learning programmes.
- To explore and recommend technical support solutions for schools.
- Extend the scope and reach of student learning beyond the walls of the classrooms.
See below for some further information on the Strategy, and read the full policy document at: Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020.
(Gaeilge) Cláraigh do nuachtlitir Peig.ie / deis iPad a bhuachan
November 1, 2016
(Gaeilge) Naíonra Lios na nÓg
November 1, 2016
